Jeff Garrison
Mayberry & Bluemont Churches
Psalm 103
August 24, 2025
At the beginning of worship:
Johnny always wanted to take a ride in a balloon. He’d heard about how quiet it was as you floated over the countryside. Finally, he had a chance. Johnny climbed into the basket with the balloon pilot. They dropped the weights as the pilot fired up the heater. In no time, the balloon rose above local buildings and barns. Then they were above trees. It kept going higher as the wind kicked up and whisked them away. Soon neither Johnny nor the pilot knew where they were at. The pilot dropped the balloon down in a safe area without trees and powerlines and Johnny called to a man walking along a sidewalk: ‘Excuse me, sir, can you tell me where I am?’
After looking Johnny up and down, the passer-by says: ‘You are in a red balloon, ten feet above ground.’
‘You must be a lawyer,’ Johnny mumbled.
‘How could you possible know that?’ asked the man.
Because your answer is technically correct but useless. I am still lost’.
“You must be in management’, said the passer-by.
‘That’s right” Johnny said. “How did you know?’
‘You have such a good view from where you are,” the lawyer said, “and yet you don’t know where you are, and you don’t know where you are going. The fact is you are in the exact same position you were in before we met, but now your problem is somehow my fault!”[1]
One of the problems in life is that we often take credit for things when they go well and then blame someone or something else when they are not. Such an attitude is neither honest nor helpful.
Before reading the Scripture:
Last week, we explored Psalm 80, a Psalm of Lament.[2] The author of that Psalm wondered if God had given up on the people of Israel. Honesty is a hallmark of the Psalms. These ancient hymns bring all kinds of emotions to the Lord. From the bitter feelings of abandonment, the fear of defeat, to the joy of praise, the Psalms have it all. The Psalms show it’s okay to be honest with God. We’re just not to give up on God. Consider your prayers. Are you honest about your feelings with God?
Today, we’ll explore Psalm 103. Attributed to King David, instead of a lament full of complaints, David rejoices in God, acknowledging all God has done for himself and for his people. The Psalm begins by calling on himself to praise and ends by calling on all creation to praise God.
Read Psalm 103
One of the delights of eating with my late friend and a theological mentor, Jack Stewart, was listening to him say grace.[3] At the table, once everyone sat down, he’d reach out and grab his wife’s hand and the hand of whoever sat to the other side of him. Then he’d begin with a strong deep voice, “Bless the Lord, all my soul and all that is within in. Bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, all my soul, and do not forget all his benefits.” As soon as he began, everyone became quiet and listened.
Jack almost always said the same grace at meals, opening with the first two verses of this Psalm. Sometimes he’d add his own prayers after the opening, but not always. These two verses are sufficient. When in a restaurant, it’ll be the same prayer, only not quite as loud as at home. At home, the dishes might rattle from the booming sound of his voice as if even they joined in the praise of God.
The opening verses of Psalm 103 is a fitting prayer. Like many of our prayers, it may be more for us than for God. These words remind us of our duty to praise God and to remember what God has done for us. God cares for us. God forgives us. The God who gave us the breath of life, heals us and offers us a second and third and forty-ninth opportunity to get it right.
Part of what makes this Psalm so rich is how the Psalmist draws from his personal experiences and from the experiences of his people with God. Even though, like all of us, he has succumb to sin, which cut him off from God, he is able to, as one commentator writes, “enjoy the full sunlight of the grace of his God.”[4] Martin Luther called this Psalm the proper master and doctor of Scripture.”[5] He’s right as these words encapsulates much of our theology, which focuses on the praise of God.
Notice how the Psalm builds. In the opening verse, the Psalmist speaks to himself as he calls for his need to bless or praise the Lord. But then in verse seven, he brings in Israel, who experienced God’s mercy and grace. Then, in verse 15, he adds to the Hebrew voices all mortals, who live like grass and are frail. In verse twenty, he calls on the angels in the court of heaven. And then, at the end, he calls on all creation. All of God’s works and dominion joins in the song.
Think about listening to a piece of music that begins with a single instrument, then the conductor calls in more instruments from a different section of the symphony, then brings in instruments from another section. Each time new instruments are added, the sound rises and becomes fuller. Finally, when all have joined in, the music reaches a crescendo. That’s what’s happening in this Psalm.
The Psalmist tells us why we should praise the Lord. God gives us abundant matter for praising him,” John Calvin wrote about this Psalm. If we could only remember God’s benefits, “we would be sufficiently inclined to perform our duty.”[6]
In verses 3 through 6, using a series of verbs, the Psalmists points out what God has done: forgives, heals, redeems, crowns, satisfies, renews, and works. There are two great themes of God’s work highlighted in this Psalm. First is forgiveness. The other combines the traits of the Almighty: love and compassion.[7]
From the vantage point of the present, looking back, the Psalmist sees where God intervened on his behalf. He knows the stories of how God has guided and protected Israel, going back to Moses and leading the people out of Egypt. He quotes from Exodus the line that God is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.[8] As we saw in Psalm 33, which we explored a few weeks ago, David understands God’s enthronement in the heavens. God, with an overview of all the world, remains intimately connected in our lives.[9]
God is compassionate, like a father. And as Creator, God knows our beginning. Our lives, when measured against history, are short, but God’s love is everlasting.
Yes, we should praise God for all that God has done for us. The Psalmist, in bringing in all the voices that have experienced God’s providence, calls on you and me to join in this song of praise. Bless the Lord, O my soul. Be thankful and grateful so that all might know of God’s goodness.
The message of this Psalm is one that we need to take to heart. Too often, these days, people look askew at the Christian faith. They see the church as judgmental, even hateful.[10] We must change that perspective! We need to reflect a faith grounded in this Psalm instead of one that just condemns all that we see wrong in the world. As one individual who gave up on church said: “The church should be a place where people are loved collectively rather than judged individually.”[11] Certainly, there are lots of things wrong with the world, but love (not condemnation) is the only thing that will redeem it.
God loves the world. John 3:16 tells us he sent his only Son to save us. As followers of Jesus, we strive to live Christ-like lives. This Psalm shows us what God is about, reminding us of God’s loving care. We should be thankful. As we worship and praise God, we should humble ourselves while bringing God glory. Amen.
[1] Adapted from http://fuertenews.com/fun-stuff/jokes-mainmenu-135/2929-may-day-traditions-and-jokes.
[2] https://fromarockyhillside.com/2025/08/17/a-desparate-plea-to-god/
[3] I wrote about Jack after his death here: https://fromarockyhillside.com/2023/10/12/remembering-jack/
[4]Artur Weiser, The Psalms, translated by Herbert Hartwell, (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1962), 657.
[5][5] James L. Mays, Psalms: Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching (Louisville: John Knox Press,1994), 405.
[6] John Calvin, Commentary on the Psalms, viewed at https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/cal/psalms-103.html
[7] Stan Mast, “Notes on Psalm 103:1-8 for Proper 16C (August 15, 2016) for the Center of Excellence in Preaching at Calvin College. See http://cep.calvinseminary.edu/sermon-starters/proper-16c/?type=the_lectionary_psalms
[8] Exodus 34:6
[9] https://fromarockyhillside.com/2025/08/10/psalm-33-trusting-in-a-merciful-god/
[10] There are a lot of books and articles that are making this case. See Dan Kimball, They Like Jesus but Not the Church: insights from emerging generations (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2007).
[11] Josh Packard, Ph.D and Ashleigh Hope, Church Refugees: Sociologists reveal why people are DONE with church but not their faith. (Loveland, CO: Group Publishing, 2015), 32.
Taking credit when things go well and blaming others when they don’t. Yes, a lot of people do that. Have a good week.
Yes. The world would be a lot better if people just owned up to their own mistakes.
Thank you.
Thanks for reading.
Thank you for this wonderful walk through Psalm 103. You had me getting out my Bible and following along!
I’m really bothered by the reputation Christianity now has thanks to groups like “Christian Nationalists” and others on the extreme right. (am I being judgmental saying that?!) I feel like there isn’t enough love in action.
Thanks for joining me in the walk through of Pslam 103.I think as Christians and disciples, we have a right to speak up when others are using our faith in a negative manner, especially to further a political agenda.