Don't Forget to Remember | Psalm 103
- Phillip Bates
- May 1
- 4 min read
From the Sermon Series: Highs, Lows, & Hallelujahs: Psalms for Every Season
Sermon Guide for May 3, 2026
How to Use This Guide:
These guides are designed to help you engage more deeply with my weekly sermon. They can also be used as a stand-alone, self-guided Bible study if you were unable to hear the sermon. Use this guide to prepare your heart to receive God’s Word before worship, or to reflect on God’s Word in the week that follows.
Parents, use the information in this guide (especially in the “Family Practice” section) to have meaningful conversations with your kids that nurture their faith and help them grow in God’s love.
Big Idea:
When your heart feels spiritually flat, don’t wait for your emotions to change—lead your heart by remembering the goodness of God.
Opening Reflection:
Have you ever known the truth about God… but not felt it? You believe God is good. You believe he loves you. You believe he’s forgiven you. But your heart just feels… quiet. Dull. Unmoved.
Psalm 103 shows us how to move from spiritual numbness to renewed joy. Not by chasing a feeling, but by training our hearts to remember.
Read the Text
Take time to slowly read Psalm 103 in full. As you read, notice:
What David says to himself
What he remembers about God
How the psalm expands from personal to cosmic praise
1. Speak to Your Soul (vv. 1–2)
David doesn’t begin by talking to God—he begins by talking to himself.
He does not:
Wait for the right emotions
Hope his heart improves
Let his soul drift wherever it wants
Instead, he takes hold of his soul and directs it.
Key Truth: You don’t have to follow your feelings—you can lead them.
Reflection Questions:
When your faith feels dry, what do you typically do?
What would it look like for you to “preach truth” to your own heart?
2. Remember What God Has Done (vv. 3–5)
David lists specific “benefits” of God. These are not abstract ideas; they are deeply personal realities.
He Forgives Completely
He forgives all your sins. Not some. Not most. All.
David stretches language to its limits:
“As high as the heavens…”
“As far as the east is from the west…”
There is an infinite distance between you and your guilt in Christ.
Ask Yourself:
Am I still holding onto guilt God has already removed?
Do I truly believe my sins are fully forgiven?
He Heals Deeply
This is more than physical healing; it points to spiritual restoration.
God not only pardons sin, but he also repairs what sin has broken.
He Redeems and Restores
The “pit” represents destruction, death, and despair.
Reflection: Where would your life be without God’s intervention?
He Crowns and Satisfies
God doesn’t barely meet your needs—He overflows with goodness.
He lifts you from the pit and places dignity on your life.
He Renews Your Strength
Remembering God’s goodness leads to renewed spiritual energy.
From:
Exhaustion → Strength
Heaviness → Joy
Apathy → Zeal
3. Expand Your Vision (vv. 20–22)
The psalm ends with a shift.
David moves from personal reflection to universal praise
All creation—angels, armies, everything—joins in worship.
Key Insight: Worship is not based on how you feel; it’s based on who God is. When you feel stuck, your world shrinks. But worship lifts your eyes to a bigger reality.
Putting It Into Practice
When your heart feels spiritually flat:
Speak truth to yourself (Don’t wait, command your soul)
List God’s benefits (Write out ways he has forgiven, healed, and provided)
Meditate deeply (Don’t rush—let truth sink into your heart)
Join the chorus (Worship not because you feel like it, but because he is worthy)
When you command your soul to worship—even when you don’t feel like it—your feelings will eventually catch up to the truth.
Family Practice
Goal: Help your family learn how to lead their hearts by remembering what God has done.
1. Read Together (5 minutes)
Read Psalm 103:1–5 out loud as a family.
Then ask:
What are some things God does for us in this passage?
Which one stands out the most to you?
2. Talk It Out (5–10 minutes)
Use these questions to guide conversation:
Have you ever known something about God but didn’t really feel it?
What does it mean to “tell your soul” to bless the Lord?
Why is it easy to forget what God has done for us?
For younger kids: Ask: What is something God has done for you that makes you happy or thankful?
3. Practice Remembering (5–10 minutes)
Go around the room and have each person finish this sentence:
“God has been good to me because…”
Encourage specific answers like:
“He forgave me when I messed up.”
“He helped me when I was scared.”
“He gave me our family.”
Optional: Write these down and keep them somewhere visible this week.
4. Pray Together (2–3 minutes)
Have one person pray, or take turns with short prayers:
Thank God for specific blessings you named
Ask God to help your hearts remember his goodness
