Bless the Lord – The Presidential Prayer Team

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

What does it mean to bless God? In his book, Knowing God, author J.I. Packer quotes C. H. Spurgeon: “No subject of contemplation will tend more to humble the mind than thoughts of God. But while the subject humbles the mind, it also expands it. He who often thinks of God will have a larger mind than the man who simply plods around this narrow globe.” Packer lays out five basic principles on knowing God. First, God has spoken to humanity, and the Bible is His Word. Second, God is Lord and King over the whole world. Third, that God is sovereign. Then, fourth, God is triune: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And fifth, godliness is found in your response to all that God is.

Today’s verse says “Bless the Lord.” How do you do that? Primarily through praise and worship, but also by obedience, holding onto faith, submitting to His call on your life, and in service to others. Many scholars and theologians agree that the more you know, you come to the realization of how much you still don’t know.

And as for remembering all His benefits, consider forgiveness of sin, His presence with you, His gracious leading and directing, His love that never fails. You can bless the Lord despite your human limitations to knowing all that He is. Pray that, in this season of the year, more of the nation’s leaders, whether in federal, state, or local governments, will see that their lives are blessed by God alone.

Today’s Verse: Psalm 103:2

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

All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Recommended for further reading: Job 28:12-28

“But where shall wisdom be found?
    And where is the place of understanding?
¹³Man does not know its worth,
    and it is not found in the land of the living.
¹⁴The deep says, ‘It is not in me,’
    and the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’
¹⁵It cannot be bought for gold,
    and silver cannot be weighed as its price.
¹⁶It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir,
    in precious onyx or sapphire.
¹⁷Gold and glass cannot equal it,
    nor can it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.
¹⁸No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal;
    the price of wisdom is above pearls.
¹⁹The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it,
    nor can it be valued in pure gold.

²⁰“From where, then, does wisdom come?
    And where is the place of understanding?
²¹It is hidden from the eyes of all living
    and concealed from the birds of the air.
²²Abaddon and Death say,
    ‘We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.’

²³“God understands the way to it,
    and he knows its place.
²⁴For he looks to the ends of the earth
    and sees everything under the heavens.
²⁵When he gave to the wind its weight
    and apportioned the waters by measure,
²⁶when he made a decree for the rain
    and a way for the lightning of the thunder,
²⁷then he saw it and declared it;
    he established it, and searched it out.
²⁸And he said to man,
‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,
    and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”