ELEVATE TO ELIMINATE
Psalm 103:1-5 KJV – Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Introduction: Synopsis of Psalm 103.
The first section (vv. 1–5) finds the psalmist expressing his intention to praise God for all his benefits.
– who forgiveth . . .
– who healeth (v.3)
– who redeemeth . . .
– who crowneth (v. 4),
– who satisfieth (v. 5).
All of these actions speak of spiritual blessings, though physical benefits may be included.
The next section (vv. 6–19), speaks of God’s character:
– merciful,
– gracious,
– slow to anger,
– plenteous in mercy.
Illustrated to convey their vastness:
– the greatness of His mercy (as the heaven is high, v. 11),
– the greatness of His removal of our sins (as far as the east is from the west, v. 12), and
– the greatness of His compassion (as a father pitieth his children, v. 13).
Finally, in the conclusion the psalmist returns to the call that he gave himself at the outset. (vv. 22). “BLESS THE LORD OH MY SOUL.”
Emphasis: “Bless the LORD oh my soul…..so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”
Eagles are birds with exceptionally keen eyesight and strong, broad wings for flight. They are known for their fearlessness, persistence, and ability to soar to great heights.
So describing the youth being renewed like the eagle is appropriate because the eagle is a symbol of strength, vitality, and endurance. Every believer is likened to an eagle who should soar to greater heights.
Title: ELEVATE TO ELIMINATE
1. Blessing The Lord
2. Life’s Lows and Blows.
3. Elevated to Eliminate
I. BLESSING THE LORD
Thrice we are told to bless the Lord, in the first two verses. This is a psalm that gets way down where we live.
The Polychrome Bible translates the first verse, “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is DEEPEST within me, bless his holy name.”
NLT – “Let all that I am praise the LORD; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise the LORD;”
“SOUL” in Psalms, most often refers to the nonphysical aspects of the person or to THE TOTALITY OF HUMAN ESSENCE.
The threefold repetition of “BLESS” represents the highest form of worship.
Paraphrased: WITH ALL THAT I AM I MUST GIVE GOD THE HIGHEST FORM OF WORSHIP.
The Hebrew word translated BENEFITS, “gemul” means paying back what is deserved. Describes the Lord’s BLESSINGS.
Humanity is obligated and are privileged to bless (express praise and thanksgiving to) the LORD for the manifold benefits, and should be careful not to forget any of these blessings.
God’s benefits are both spiritual and physical. FORGIVENESS, HEALING, REDEMPTION, CROWNS and SATISFACTION.
And David pointed to the LORD being the One “WHO” forgives all man’s iniquities and redeems life from the pit. Praises God as the One “Who” heals all your diseases.
The blessings here are personal and relational: the Lord crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion and satisfies your years with good things.
“Bless the LORD, O my soul”, is repeated at the end of the psalm to emphasize its central idea:
WITH ALL THAT I AM I MUST GIVE GOD THE HIGHEST FORM OF WORSHIP HE DESERVES.
Application: We are called to bless the Lord because of his forgiveness, because of his healing, redemption, because he crowned us and satisfied us.
II. LIFE’S LOWS AND BLOWS
This Psalm was written out of David’s experiences. He experienced forgiveness when he committed sin, healing when he was unwell, his rescue from the pit of death, protection when men went against him and satisfaction when he had nothing.
The Lows and Blows:
1. SICKNESS.
We ought to recognize the fact that many of God’s choicest servants have been ill and afflicted and have never been healed in this life.
Eg.
#1. David.
#2. The apostle Paul.
#3. Fanny Crosby.
#4. John Milton.
2. STRESS.
Types of stress:
I. Physical stress – feeling tired or exhausted.
II. Psychological stress – stress as an emotional response to an external trigger.
III. Psycho-social stress – is what people experience when they are under mental, physical or emotional pressure.
IV. Psycho-spiritual stress – a crisis of values, meaning, and purpose.
What triggers stress:
1. Lack of money
2. Toxic environment
3. Insensitive people
Common responses to stress:
– Anxiety
– Overeating and undereating
– Angry outbursts
– Sadness or depression
– Drug abuse or alcohol misuse.
3. SIN and its effects.
Psalm 103: 3 “has forgiven all our sin or iniquities” and this truth renews our strength. The presence of sin weakens us and causes us to fall.
In effect, sin brings sicknesses that lead to destructions that lead to loss of crowns and dissatisfaction.
“Crowns” ( עטר ) ‘âţar’ – means to encircle for attack or protection. Sin removes our protection.
When Adam and Eve committed the first sin, they lost their protection and they hid themselves.
Genesis 3:8: “And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden…”
God said, “where are you?” but in the original passage it was, “WHY?”
Hebrew – ayyekah from the root word ay, interrogative for ‘why.’
“WHY” a lamentation.
Why are you cast down my soul? Why are you low?
There is sin again, there is trouble over a sickness or you are going through stress. They are sitting and pecking at your back.
Eg. Eagles and crows.
Sin, sickness or stress.
Isaiah 40:31 says, “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” (KJV)
“They will be strong like eagles soaring upward on wings;” (CEV)
“WAIT” – ‘qâvâh’, means look for, hope, expect. Those who look, hope and expect on the Lord will have new strength and will soar high like eagles.
Application: Whatever it is that brings you down and low, there is no need to fight them back, you just rise up. Don’t waste energy trying to cope up because your victory comes through elevation not confrontation. Focusing on the Highness of God eliminates the weights on your back.
Elevate to Eliminate. Like an eagle that flies higher to remove the crow from its back we must elevate. We don’t wish to elevate; we were designed to elevate.
III. ELEVATED TO ELIMINATE.
Jesus came as a human, like us:
1. He was tempted – by the Devil.
2. He was attacked – by the Scribes and Pharisees.
3. He was denied by Peter, doubted by Thomas, betrayed by Judas.
4. On His crucifixion: Ridiculed by the priests, mocked by people among the crowd, insulted by one of the thieves.
Jesus did not fight back. He looked up to heaven and committed to God. He received the pecking and the blows on His body so that whenever we are pecked and go through life’s lows and blows, we will only elevate more.
And just as He said, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” John 12:32. He was elevated on the cross therefore He conquered and defeated death. He rose on the 3rd day and ascended to heaven, now elevated in honor and glory.
Whatever is pulling us down has been eliminated when Jesus was elevated on the cross. Now that He is seated on His throne, elevated in glory and power, He is able to save us from going down into the pit.
Hebrews 4:15-16 CEV – “Jesus understands every weakness of ours, because he was tempted in every way that we are. But he did not sin! So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God.”
Because we have been made like Him, lows and blows may come but just as he rose we shall rise.
CONCLUSION:
Our response to the lows and blows of life is our responsibility. We may either allow the crows to continue pecking on our backs or choose to soar higher towards God.
We can be afflicted but we can rise above them. And the things on earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace. Focus on those good things that the Lord provides.
We are like eagles. We can fly higher by looking at the source of our strength. We are made into the likeness of the Lord, therefore we can elevate to eliminate.
