As Far as the East is From the West: Psalm 103- Supplication through the Scriptures
As Far as the East is From the West
Psalm 103
“As far as the east is from the west.” As far as possible; as far as we can imagine. These are the points in our apprehension most distant from each other, and as we can conceive nothing beyond them, so the meaning is, that we cannot imagine our sins could be more effectually removed than they are.
Albert Barnes
Jerry Bridges popularized the saying, “Preach the gospel to yourself every day.” The gospel, the truth of Jesus’ death, resurrection, and its consequences for those who believe, is not just for the unconverted. Rather, the beautiful truth that our sins are forgiven because of Christ’s death in our place, our being declared righteous on Christ’s merit, and the power we now have to reckon ourselves dead to sin and alive to righteousness is to be daily embraced and lived out in the life of every believer. About the imputed righteousness of Christ, Robert Haldane says, “To that righteousness is the eye of the believer ever to be directed; on that righteousness must he rest; on that righteousness must he live; on that righteousness must he die; in that righteousness must he appear before the judgment-seat: in that righteousness must he stand for ever in the presence of a righteous God.”
As believers, we rejoice to know that though we were dead in our trespasses and sins, ungodly, sinners, and enemies of God, God in His great mercy has forgiven all our sins by faith in Christ. Even the sins that still ensnare us and seem to cling to us are forgiven in Christ and have been removed from us as far as the east is from the west, “an infinite distance” (Bridges). God, knowing we could never satisfy the demands of His law or bear the punishment of our own sin, gave His Son to perfectly fulfill the law on our behalf and bear the punishment our sins deserve. He died the death we could not die and lived the life we could not live in order that we might be made right with God. God Himself is both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:26).
Every day, we believers live on the truth that all our sins are forgiven and we are counted righteous before God because we are clothed in Jesus’ perfect righteousness. Nothing we do or fail to do changes our standing before God. When Satan accuses us, or our own conscience accuses us, we can agree that we have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. But then we must preach to ourselves that though our “sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool” (Isaiah 1:18 NASB). God Himself has justified us. Those whom God justifies, no man, thought, or enemy can successfully condemn. We have an Advocate. Christ is now before the Father advocating for us, living as our merciful and faithful High Priest.
Psalm 103 is the psalmist’s celebration of his sins forgiven and the consequences of his sins removed. He’s calling his own soul to bless the Lord who has forgiven all his iniquity, has healed his diseases and redeemed his life from the pit. He rejoices in the One who crowns him with steadfast love and mercy. A God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. One who has not dealt with him according to his sins. This is a celebration for the believer. All wrath removed. All sin forgiven. Christ’s perfect righteousness freely given to us.
Let’s pray through Psalm 103, bringing all our sin to the Lord, and resting in Christ’s finished work.
Bless the Lord, O my soul
103:1-5 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Let’s pray:
▫️We would bless the Lord with heartfelt thanksgiving for all the benefits and blessings He has purchased for us through the blood of Christ and has freely bestowed upon us. All the beauty of what it means to have God as our Father is ours because of Jesus.
▫️Our lips would bless His holy name because He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of His beloved Son in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:13-14).
▫️We would be overwhelmed with awe that God in His kindness forgives all our iniquity, heals all our diseases, redeems our lives from the pit, crowns us with steadfast love and mercy, and satisfies us with good.
▫️The Lord would give strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He would increase power, and those who wait on Him would gain new strength; they would mount up with wings like eagles, they would run and not get tired, they would walk and not become weary (Isaiah 40:29-31).
The Lord is merciful
103:6-10 The Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.
Let’s pray:
▫️The Lord would work righteousness and justice for His suffering people. He would arise for our help in our time of need, and He would show Himself a mighty warrior on our behalf.
▫️We would rejoice in our great God who is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. His mercy and grace would meet us in those areas where sin seems to have such a strong grip on us.
▫️We would be comforted knowing that He has not dealt with us according to our sins or repaid us according to our iniquities. His abundant grace would comfort our hearts as we live with some of the consequences of our sin.
As far as the east is from the west
103:11-14 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.
Let’s pray:
▫️We would be able to comprehend the breadth and length and height and depth of Christ’s love, which surpasses knowledge (Ephesians 3:18-19). When we see the clouds in the sky today, it would remind us that as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His steadfast love to those who fear Him.
▫️We would have great peace and comfort knowing He has removed our sins from us as far as the east is from the west, an infinite distance. We would know for certain that there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).
▫️The Lord would move in compassion toward us today in whatever we are struggling with, whether it be sin or sorrow.
The steadfast love of the Lord is everlasting
103:15-19 As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children, to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.
Let’s pray:
▫️The Lord would extend His everlasting steadfast love to us and our children and our children’s children. Our family would all be part of God’s redeemed and forgiven people.
▫️We would be careful to remember to do His commandments. We would be diligent to know His Word in order that we might know how to live fully pleasing Him.
▫️We would wait patiently for the final day when sin and death will be no more. While we rejoice that we have been freed from both the power and penalty of sin, we would long for that day when His throne will be established forever and the presence of sin will be totally eradicated.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
103:20-22 Bless the Lord, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word! Bless the Lord, all his hosts, his ministers, who do his will! Bless the Lord, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul!
Let’s pray:
▫️We would join with the angels who do His Word, obey His voice, and do His will. While we already have Christ’s perfect record of obedience credited to our account, we would still strive to follow in our Savior’s footsteps.
▫️Throughout this day, our souls would bless the Lord for all His benefits to us.
May the Lord do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, for His glory and our good. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Scripture quotations are from The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All right reserved.
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