Psalm 103 | Commanding Your Soul

Each one of us is made of three parts: your body (which interacts with the world); your soul (which is your mind, emotions, and will), and your spirit (where you were created to connect with God.)

We have lived most of our lives on the soul level. What our mind thinks, our emotions feel, and our will decides directs our lives. When Christ comes to live within us, we have the capacity to listen to the Spirit and let Him lead. Our soul should become subservient to the Spirit's control.

David commands his soul to do something in Psalm 103. "Bless the Lord, O my soul," he says. We think we have no control over our minds, our emotions, and our will. But this is simply not true. We can command our soul to do the most important thing. And for David, that was first and foremost to lift his eyes upward and praise and honor God.

And it is all-inclusive. "Let ALL that is within me, bless His holy name." Every room, every closet, every arena of his soul was charged to look at the Savior and bless Him.

This was not a mindless blessing or a rote exercise, but an act based on hard reasons ... but reasons we often forget. He commands his soul to "forget none of God's benefits" and then spends the remainder of the Psalm listing them. He worshiped the One …

who pardons all your iniquities
who heals all your diseases.
who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;
who satisfies your years with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle.

There will never be a reason to stop blessing and praising the Lord. And the time to begin is today.

Father, there is no one like You! Help me bless You with everything that is within me. Let there not be a day that I forget who You are and what You have done for me. And let me every praise You!