O my soul, bless the Lord, bless His holy name!
Do not forget all His benefits, but bless Him for the heights of His love and steadfast grace. He forgives all your iniquity, He heals all your diseases, He redeems your life from the pit, He crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, He satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. He works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed.
He made known His ways to Moses and the people of Israel (so that they might have ample knowledge with which to stoke His praise). What are His ways?
- the Lord is merciful - the Lord is gracious - the Lord is slow to anger - the Lord abounds in steadfast love - the Lord will not always chide - the Lord will not keep His anger forever - the Lord does not deal with us according to our sins - the Lord does not repay us according to our iniquities - the Lord's steadfast love toward those who fear Him is as great as the heavens are high above the earth - the Lord removes our sins from us as far as the east is from the west - the Lord shows compassion to those who fear Him as a father shows compassion to His children - the Lord knows our frame and remembers that we are dust - man's days are like grass, flourishing for a moment and passing with the wind, but the Lord's steadfast love on those who fear Him is from everlasting to everlasting - and the Lord's righteousness to those who keep His covenant and remember to do His commandments is to children's children - the Lord has established His throne in the heavens and His kingdom is above all things and rules them all
The Lord's ways are recounted to us here so that our praise will be stirred up in our hearts; therefore, with all these things laid out, bless the Lord: - you angels, mighty ones, who do His word and obey the voice of His word - all His hosts, His ministers, who do His will - all His works, in all places of His dominion, in heaven and earth - my soul
Bless the Lord, O my soul! The Lord has not dealt with you according to your sins, but has dealt with you according to your sins having been paid for in Christ and the righteousness of Christ having been reckoned to you by faith. He has not repaid you according to your iniquities, but has repaid you according to your iniquities having been laid on Christ and having been atoned for in His death.
His love toward you is as great and steadfast as the heavens are high above the earth. He has removed your transgressions from you as far as the east is from the west. He shows compassion to you, remembering your frailty and weakness, your dust; and He makes you strong in Christ, by triumphing over sin and death in Him.
Those who belong to Christ bless the Lord because they understand what has been done on their behalf in Christ, and all the provision of the Father and the sanctification of the Holy Spirit, the unity of the Godhead's love for them.
The Lord does all for you, and then reveals what His love has done and gives you delight in it all, which will cultivate an eternity of praise.