Episode 101: Exploring the Depths of Redemption (Psalm 103)

As we navigate the ebb and flow of life, how often do we pause to consider the depths of our need for redemption? Join me, Betsy Marvin, on Moments to Ponder and immerse yourself in the profound wisdom of Psalm 103, as seen through the eyes of its author, King David. This episode promises an enriching exploration of human imperfection, forgiveness, and faith. Through David's life story, marked by his own failings and unwavering belief, we uncover the layers of this poetic scripture and its timeless significance. With each word and phrase of the Psalm, feel invited to reflect on your own path, the season of Lent, and the boundless mercy that awaits us.

Embrace the stark realities of our own perceptions of righteousness, which often dim in comparison to the radiant holiness of Jesus. We'll discuss the compelling imagery of a solitary sheep amidst a pristine snowy field, a poignant reminder of our place within God's grand design. The vastness of God's forgiveness, as depicted in Psalm 103, offers solace and a renewed understanding of our own shortcomings. Let's celebrate together the certainty of God's eternal love and mercy, and the pure, forgiven state in which we stand before our loving Father, thanks to the sacrifice of Jesus. This journey through Psalm 103 is an opportunity to fill your heart with gratitude and gain a transformative perspective on His compassionate embrace.

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Chapters

• 0:05 Psalm 103 and Our Humanity
• 7:48 God's Forgiveness and Mercy

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:05

Hi friends, welcome to Moments to Ponder. This is a podcast designed to help you spend a few moments in God's Word wherever you are, and take away something to ponder. We live in a loud, busy world and it can be hard to find time to really rest in God's Word, so thank you for joining me as we take a few moments to ponder the Psalms together. I'm Betsy Marvin, and this is Episode 101.

Speaker 1: 0:40

My church is currently doing a series on the life of David, a writer of so many Psalms. He was the king of Israel, but he was also a flawed man, an absentee father. Yet he was also a man that grew in his faith and sought God throughout his life. Today we're in Psalm 103, another song written by David, and, as Spurgeon notes, it's a song that seems to have been written in David's later years. It reflects his personal wonder of God's mystery and mercy. This song gives us a sense that he sees his sin and the sin of his people as something that deserved more discipline than they received. There's a deeper preciousness in the forgiveness of God than what he had when he was younger. As he ages, there's a frailty that underlies this grateful praise and an understanding of his weakness. So take a deep breath. I'm going to share the entirety of this Psalm from the Passion Translation and, as I do, I encourage you to open your heart to hear what this song may have for your heart.

Speaker 1: 1:57

Today, with my whole heart, with my whole life and with my innermost being, I bow in wonder and love before you, the holy God Yahweh. You are my soul's celebration. How could I ever forget the miracles of kindness you've done for me? You kissed my heart with forgiveness, in spite of all I've done. You healed me inside and out from every disease. You rescued me from hell and saved my life. You crowned me with love and mercy. You satisfy my every desire with good things. You've supercharged my life so that I can soar again like a flying eagle in the sky. You're a God who makes things right, giving justice to the defenseless. You unveiled to Moses your plans and showed Israel's sons what you could do.

Speaker 1: 3:10

Lord, you're so kind and tenderhearted and so patient with people who fail you. Your love is like a flooding river, overflowing its banks with kindness. You don't look at us only to find our faults, just so you can hold a grudge against us and you might discipline us for our many sins, but never as much as we really deserve. Nor do you even get even with us for what we've done. Higher than the highest heavens, that's how high your tender mercy extends. Higher than the grandeur of heaven, above is the greatness of your loyal love, towering over all who fear you and bow down before you. Farther than from a sunrise to a sunset that's how far you've removed our guilt from us, the same way a loving father feels towards children. That's but a sample of your tender feelings toward us, your beloved children who live in awe of you. You know all about us, inside and out. You are mindful that we're made from dust. Our days are so few and our momentary beauty so swiftly fades away. Then, all of a sudden, we're gone like grass clipping, blown away in a gust of wind, taken away to our appointment with death, leaving nothing to show that we were here.

Speaker 1: 4:44

My Lord, your endless love stretches from one eternity to the other, unbroken and unrelenting toward those who fear you and those who bow face down in awe before you. Your faithfulness to keep every gracious promise you've made passes from parents to children, to grandchildren and beyond. You are faithful to all those who follow your ways and keep your word. Yahweh has established His throne in heaven. His kingdom rules the entire universe. So bless the Lord all His messengers of power, for you are His mighty heroes who listen intently to the voice of His word to do it. Bless and praise the Lord, you mighty warriors, ministers, who serve Him well and fulfill His desires. I will bless and praise the Lord with my whole heart. Let all His works throughout the earth, wherever His dominion stretches. Let everything bless the Lord.

Speaker 1: 5:54

Psalm 103. This song is so rich and has so many layers that I thought you might like to engage in it in a different way. I encourage you to listen to this Psalm again. Just rewind it a bit and start the reading over and, as you do, listen for a word or phrase that stands out to you and allow it to sit in your mind for a moment and ponder what God might have in it for you. If you want to go even deeper, listen a third time and pay attention to your feelings. What feelings rise up in you? What is God saying to you? Then just pause this podcast and be still, rest in it and breathe.

Speaker 1: 6:47

The season of Lent has begun. As we take in this episode, it's a time the church has set aside for fasting, a time to ponder our sin as we observe the 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter. It's a time that we're encouraged to take a serious look at our own humanity and our need for a Savior. So I have a question Did you know everyone is a sinner? Okay, I know, that's obvious. We all sin and we know it. Even those who don't have faith in God know there's a right and wrong. But do you see yourself as a sinner, someone that needs redemption deeply? If I'm honest, I haven't always felt the weight of this. I mean, I knew I wasn't perfect by any means, but I think it can be easy to look at some horrible people in our world and think I'm a pretty good person. They are definitely a sinner, but me, I mean.

Speaker 1: 7:48

I guess I recently heard Candace Camembert share this illustration and it hit home for me and maybe it will for you as well. Imagine you see a sheep out in a field eating beautiful green grass. Notice how white and clean the sheep looks against the green of the grass. Then it begins to snow and soon the field is covered with pure white, and now you realize how dirty that sheep really is. It's the same sheep, but the background has changed. So often we can compare our lives with those around us and we look pretty good and think I do good things, I'm a good person. But when we put ourselves up to God's righteousness and holiness, we realize how much we actually fall short, how much I fall short. The measuring stick is Jesus, and in that we all fall short of the glory of God.

Speaker 1: 8:50

Psalm 103 shares with us the wonder of God in all of this. In the New Living Translation, verse 12 reads he has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. If you were to travel north, say to the north pole, as soon as you pass it you begin to head south. One ends as the other begins. But if you travel east, you can travel east forever and it will never become west. Because of the shape of our world, east and west will never meet.

Speaker 1: 9:30

Len gives us a reminder to take that in that Jesus took on the cross so that your sin and my sin and the punishment they deserve will never meet. That's how far God has removed our sins. The wonder of God is that because of Jesus, he sees us as forgiven and clean instead of dirty and sin. Let that sink in a bit in this season of remembering. Jesus paid a high price for us so that we could be seen as whole and clean and forgiven in him. That's the gift, that's his wonder, that's his mercy. Dear one, god loves you and he will love you forever. Our compassionate father forgives, heals, redeems and crowns you with love and mercy. He couldn't love you more than if you had never sinned. Bless the Lord, all that is within me. Bless his holy name, amen.