David begins Psalm 103 like this: “Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.”

Have you ever noticed that David is speaking… to himself? That’s right. He’s speaking to his own soul.

Seems strange, right? Why would he do that?

We can learn a lot of things in a single verse. The Bible is like that. But one of those things is surely David’s desire for sincerity. Telling his “inmost being” to praise God is probably connected to his desire for authenticity. He doesn’t want to just “go through the motions” of external religious ritual. He wants the deepest parts of his being to honour God.

I was watching an episode of America’s Funniest Videos with my wife and kids. A family was saying grace. A toddler was clasping his hands in prayer and going along with what his dad was saying. But his mind was clearly elsewhere. He would open his eyes, see if anyone was looking, and stuff a few more spaghetti noodles into his mouth! It was super-cute and funny. 

Before I make the connection to Psalm 103 let me commend this family. They were saying grace and teaching their children to do so. Very good things indeed! But as I watched I couldn’t help but think that we are sometimes like that toddler. Externally we’re doing the right things, but our appetites, attention and desires are somewhere else. 

In the first part of Psalm 103, it’s as if David is saying to himself, ‘Mean it! Focus! Be true! Praise the great Creator and Saviour! No acting!’

As you go about your day, may you also resist the trappings of external ritual. Instead, may you be sincere and focused: “Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.”

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Notes:

–“Follow your head.” Sermon on Psalm 103. June 25, 2023. Click here. 

–Bible quotes are from the NIV.