Scripture Daily

Context No. 771 of 4322 · Psalms

Context · Reflection

Psalms 103:17-22: in context

17But the LORD’s loving kindness is from everlasting to everlasting with those who fear him, his righteousness to children’s children, 18to those who keep his covenant, to those who remember to obey his precepts. 19The LORD has established his throne in the heavens. His kingdom rules over all. 20Praise the LORD, you angels of his, who are mighty in strength, who fulfill his word, obeying the voice of his word. 21Praise the LORD, all you armies of his, you servants of his, who do his pleasure. 22Praise the LORD, all you works of his, in all places of his dominion. Praise the LORD, my soul!

Psalm 103 has just said the bleakest true thing about a human life. As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field, and the wind passes over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. Then, at verse 17, the psalm sets its great counterweight against that brevity. But the steadfast love of the LORD, it says, is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children. Our days are grass; his love has no beginning and no end. The flower that lasts a season is held by a love that outlasts every season there is.

On that footing the psalm lifts into praise, and the praise keeps widening. His throne is fixed in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all; so bless the LORD, you angels who do his word, and all you hosts who serve him, and all his works in every place of his dominion. From the highest angels down to the least of his works everywhere, the whole of creation is summoned to bless him. And then, having called in the entire universe, the psalm circles back to where it started and to the one small voice that began it: bless the LORD, O my soul. My few days of grass get to add their word to a chorus that will never end.

My days are grass, but the love that holds me is from everlasting to everlasting. Am I anchoring this brief, fading life in something that lasts, and adding my small voice to a praise that outlives me?

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