Psalm 103: Praying Our Salvation
WHAT GOD HAS done for us far exceeds anything we have done for or against him. The summary word for this excessive, undeserved, unexpected act by God is salvation. Prayer explores the country of salvation, tramping the contours, smelling the flowers, touching the outcroppings. There is more to do than recognize the sheer fact of salvation and witness to it; there are unnumbered details of grace, of mercy, of blessing to be appreciated and savored. Prayer is the means by which we do this.
Warming Up to God
Reflect on the meaning of your salvation. Allow praise for God to arise from your joy.
Read Psalm 103. »
Discovering the Word
- Note the first and last sentences. How does this bracketing affect your understanding of the psalm's contents?
- Salvation is more richly complex than we sometimes think. What five actions of God add up to salvation (vv. 3-5)?
- How did God make his ways known to Moses and Israel (v. 7)?
- What astounding statements about God does the psalmist make in verses 8-14?
- Carefully observe the contrast between us (vv. 15-16) and God (vv. 17-19). Does this make you feel better or worse about yourself? Explain.
Applying the Word
- How have you benefitted from your salvation?
- How do verses 8-14 show you ways in which you would like to expand your thinking about God?
Responding in Prayer
Add your personal praise to the praise in this psalm.
For Further Study
Praying the Psalms of Jesus by James W. Sire