Hallelujah's Song (Psalm 103)

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!” Psalm 103:1

“I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever.” Psalm 86:12

 

We were made for worship. Scripture is filled with calls for us to praise our creator. However, we are not asked for just mere compliance. We are called to praise with all of our heart, and with all of our inner being. God isn’t asking for a surface-deep, half-hearted hymn. He wants all of you. All of your feelings, thoughts, questions…everything. It’s tempting to slide into a curated, less-than-honest posture before the Lord. But because of the blood of Jesus, “we have confidence to enter the holy places” (Hebrews 10:19 ESV), and we can come as we are into the loving presence of the Father. Each of us has a hallelujah buried deep in our souls, longing to be heard.

 

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits” Psalm 103:2

 

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Colossians 3:16

 

Thanksgiving breathes life into praise. Gratitude is one of the greatest weapons we have to fuel soul-deep, God-centered worship. There is so much good in God, and this psalm reminds us to remember the breadth and depth of His goodness. We encourage our souls to worship by remembering what He’s done, knowing that He was faithful then, and He’ll be faithful now.

 

“From everlasting to everlasting

The mercy of the Lord

As far the east is from the west

The mercy of the Lord

As high as the Heavens

Above our head”

 

“For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:11-12

 

There is no measure, no quantifiable amount, and no language that could be used to accurately define the extent of the mercy of God. David beautifully paints a relatable picture in this psalm to help us begin to try and understand the God who casts our transgressions beyond the horizon. Praise be to Jesus, who by His death and resurrection, made our sins fade like colors of the sunset. What a wonderful sight that stirs the soul to praise all the more!

 

“Bless the Lord, all his hosts, his ministers, who do his will! Bless the Lord, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul!” Psalm 103:21-22

 

“Praise the Lord

All ye heavenly hosts

Sing it loud

With us His name

Praise the Lord

All around the world

Oh sing of His works

By praising His name

Again and again

And again and again and again”

 

Praise isn’t just internal, it’s communal. Ephesians 5:19 calls us to address “one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs…” We’re supposed to sing to each other too, not just for ourselves. When we worship together, in community, we encourage one another as we bless the Lord. Every tongue, person, and being was made to worship the creator. At the end of it all, every nation and creed will be singing in unison worshiping the Lamb who was, and is, and will always be worthy!

 

“...a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’” Revelation 7:9-10

 

All creation will sing it’s hallelujah one day, and how wonderful that day will be. But in the meantime, let’s continue to praise the Lord and sing it loud, for He’s good, faithful, and worthy of our every song.