"Winning isn't everything; it's the only thing."
The LORD who forgives
[The LORD] who forgives all your sins. Psalm 103:2This is the third time I have written a devotional on this Psalm! Today I was struck by those 5 words “who forgives all your sins”. It is so easy to miss them as you read the Psalm. Yet forgiveness is at the heart of what we believe.
As we read further into the Psalm, we learn more about the nature of forgiveness. God’s willingness to forgive comes from his love and grace. The psalmist reminds us in verse 10 that God “does not treat us as our sins deserve”. And it gets better and better. God not only forgives. He also “crowns you with love and compassion” (Verse 4). God’s forgiveness is complete and comprehensive: “as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us”. (verse 12)
What does God’s forgiveness reveal to us about his character? That He is “compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love” (verse 8). How much he loves us: “as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love” (verse 11)
The psalmist uses a nonsense phrase in v 17 “from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear him”. What on earth does “from everlasting to everlasting” mean? It just shows the inadequacy of human language to express the extent of the love of God.
The clever phase attributed to the 19th century German writer, Heinrich Heine, “God will forgive me, that’s his job” misses the point. Forgiveness is not cheap, it took Jesus to the cross. Pray the Lord’s prayer (Matthew 6: 9-13) noting especially : “And forgive us our sins, as we also have forgiven those who sin against us”.
Reflect on what God has forgiven you and join the Psalmist in the final words of Psalm 103: Praise the LORD, my soul.