Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits– Psalms 103:2
How easily, in the muck and clamor and distractions of life, we seem to forget the Lord’s many blessings to us. If we pray at all then our prayers are largely taken up with requests for family and friends and health and blessing. But how often do we pause to bless the Lord, to praise Him for the many benefits He has given to us already?
Thousands of people struggle daily with discouragement and frustration, or at least with discontentment, even though they are surrounded by prosperity and property. Why is this? Why does there seem to be so little contentment in the midst of such enormous wealth? Perhaps it is because we have neglected to develop grateful hearts.
But we are here encouraged to develop the habit of gratefulness — forget not all his benefits. Not a single blessing of God should be taken for granted. Not a single benefit should come to us without our carefully marking it as yet another unmerited favor from our heavenly Father.
It is also interesting that this admonition is an entirely inward one. The psalmist is actually speaking to himself, addressing his own soul. He is keeping a close check on his spirit and correcting trends that he sees there toward ingratitude, complaining, or dissatisfaction.
We ought, also, to stir ourselves up to habitual, genuine, God-centered gratitude; which will then lead us to habitual, genuine, God-centered praise.– Baptist Bible Hour
