The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Psalm 103:1-24, Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name.

2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits;

3 Who pardons all your iniquities; Who heals all your diseases;

4 Who redeems your life from the pit; Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;

5 Who satisfies your years with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.

6 The LORD performs righteous deeds, And judgments for all who are oppressed.

7 He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the sons of Israel.

8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious, Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.

9 He will not always strive with us; Nor will He keep His anger forever.

10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.

12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

13 Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.

14 For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust.

15 As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.

16 When the wind has passed over it, it is no more; And its place acknowledges it no longer.

17 But the lovingkindness of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children’s children,

18 To those who keep His covenant, And who remember His precepts to do them.

19 The LORD has established His throne in the heavens; And His sovereignty rules over all.

20 Bless the LORD, you His angels, Mighty in strength, who perform His word, Obeying the voice of His word!

21 Bless the LORD, all you His hosts, You who serve Him, doing His will.

22 Bless the LORD, all you works of His, In all places of His dominion; Bless the LORD, O my soul!

Were you ever so excited that you could not stop telling others about your excitement?

That’s what filled David’s heart when he wrote this 103RD Psalm. The word bless barak means

to congratulate, to kneel down, to persist in blessing and giving thanks. And David uses the word seven times,

denoting the perfection of his blessing. He contrasts his own weakness with the strength and might of

the LORD. He notes his unworthiness of LORD’s blessing, yet he revels in what the LORD has done!

The LORD pardons, He heals, He redeems, He awards, He satisfies!

There is no end to the LORD’s blessings, and there is no end to David’s praise! So should it be with us!

As the old hymn says,

Count your blessings

Name them one-by-one;

Count your many blessings,

See what God hath done!

How I praise Him for His preservation of my beloved Rose Marie – my wife and companion for

these 63 years –and counting. Praise the LORD! Bless His Holy and Righteous Name!

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”