An insomniac's Psalm 103: Verse 2

"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits . . ."

At a wedding recently I met a woman whose husband spent the whole summer in nothing but repentance. She sensed that it was becoming morbid and said to him, "Will you stop repenting!" Repentance is a good thing and I do it all the time, but it is important for the soul's health---it is chicken soup for the soul and strength for the body---to do a lot of rejoicing in God's "benefits."

"Benefits" is such an understated word for what God has done in my life---the Rube Goldberg orchestration of my conversion; the improbability of Him even wanting me after the evil child I was; the way He suffered through my first two decades of sham Christian life; the way He was planning, even during that period, the good things I now enjoy; the way He keeps this widow with modest abilities financially afloat; the way He has given me joy.

The Psalmist isn't telling us not to forget God's benefits because it's impolite. He's telling us not to forget God's benefits because it's deadly. After all, all we have to go on as our encouragement in this present day's troubles is the record of God's faithfulness in yesterday's troubles. And not only our own yesterdays, but other people's yesterdays (our own individual histories being so short a paper trail). That's why fellowship is crucial (Hebrews 10:25; Malachi 3:16). You need to hear about the impossible things God has done in other Christians' lives.

Pastor Bill Johnson of California made an absolute statement---that every time ancient Israel backslid it was because she had forgotten God's miracles. Said Johnson, "Read Psalm 78 and see if you can reach any other conclusion."

So I read it, and it is so. "The Ephraimites, armed with the bow, turned back on the day of battle" (78:9). Why? Because what use is a bow where there is no mindfulness of God's past miracles? What courage do we have to tackle spiritual strongholds when we don't remember what God did before or believe that He can do them in our day?

"Those who feared the Lord spoke with one another . . ." (Malachi 3:16). Wonder what they spoke. I bet they reminded each other of God's benefits.

To read "Verse 3," click here.

To hear commentaries by Andrée Seu, click here.