Sunday, 19 October 2025
Psalm 103
My soul, give thanks to the Lord
all my being, bless his holy name.
My soul, give thanks to the Lord
and never forget all his blessings.
It is he who forgives all your guilt,
who heals every one of your ills,
who redeems your life from the grave,
who crowns you with love and compassion,
who fills your life with good things,
renewing your youth like an eagle’s.
The Lord does deeds of justice,
gives judgment for all who are oppressed.
He made known his ways to Moses
and his deeds to Israel’s children.
The Lord is compassion and love,
slow to anger and rich in mercy.
His wrath will come to an end;
he will not be angry for ever.
He does not treat us according to our sins
nor repay us according to our faults.
For as the heavens are high above the earth
so strong is his love for those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west
so far does he remove our sins.
As parents have compassion on their children,
the Lord has pity on those who fear him;
for he knows of what we are made,
he remembers that we are dust.
As for us, our days are like grass;
we flower like the flower of the field;
the wind blows and we are gone
and our place never sees us again.
But the love of the Lord is everlasting
upon those who hold him in fear;
his justice reaches out to children’s children
when they keep his covenant in truth,
when they keep his will in their mind.
The Lord has set his sway in heaven
and his kingdom is ruling over all.
Give thanks to the Lord, all his angels,
mighty in power, fulfilling his word,
who heed the voice of his word.
Give thanks to the Lord, all his hosts,
his servants who do his will.
Give thanks to the Lord, all his works,
in every place where he rules.
My soul, give thanks to the Lord!
Reflection
In the present troubled world in which we live it can feel much easier to complain than to give thanks. There are so many struggles; so much that’s going wrong; so often times when the poor and needy are neglected. It’s not only about the wider world, it can also be our own lives, when we go through times of difficulty and are left in despair, wondering what the future might hold.
However, the Psalm today offers us an alternative view, focussing on the goodness of God, and all that God offers. The Psalm opens our eyes to the possibility of times of thanksgiving and praise.
There are times when I find myself sitting at my desk in my study in times of struggle and despair. Then I lift my eyes to the hills on the horizon, covered with a multitude of trees, and the open sky above, and I am taken out of all that weighs me down, into the fruitful and fulfilling love of God. And I am renewed in the knowledge that this love is ever present, whether I look up or not. I can give thanks for God’s gift of creation, and the way reflecting on this created world, and being part of creation, can bring me to the point of thanksgiving, whatever else might be going on in my life.
Taking time to be still in God’s presence, to remember God’s compassion, justice and love and to give thanks, despite all that might be going on around me, is a significant part of the life of faith.
It comes as a reminder of the need to be thankful rather than judgemental and to be positive rather than negative. This psalm opens my eyes again to the need for thankfulness to God for being held day by day in God’s love. It helps me to see the way in which the Church is called to be a visible sign of God’s loving presence.
Prayer
Loving and ever-present God
open my eyes again this day to all the blessings that you promise.
Open my heart to receive your compassion and to share this with others.
Help me to see your love and justice, in the darkest of times.
Fill my mind with the truth of your words and your presence.
Strengthen me to live in your way.
May I day by day give thanks to you.
Amen