The Third Sunday in Lent (Ps) March 23rd

Psalm 103:1-22

¹  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 not all his benefits,

³    who forgives all your iniquity,

who heals all your diseases,

⁴    who redeems your life from the pit,

who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,

⁵    who satisfies you with good

so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

⁶    The Lord works righteousness

and justice for all who are oppressed.

⁷    He made known his ways to Moses,

his acts to the people of Israel.

⁸    The Lord is merciful and gracious,

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

⁹    He will not always chide,

nor will he keep his anger forever.

¹⁰    He does not deal with us according to our sins,

nor repay us according to our iniquities.

¹¹    For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;

¹²    as far as the east is from the west,

so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

¹³    As a father shows compassion to his children,

so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.

¹⁴    For he knows our frame;

he remembers that we are dust.

¹⁵    As for man, his days are like grass;

he flourishes like a flower of the field;

¹⁶    for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,

and its place knows it no more.

¹⁷    But the steadfast love 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 remember to do his commandments.

¹⁹    The Lord has established his throne in the heavens,

and his kingdom rules over all.

²⁰    Bless the Lord, O you his angels,

you mighty ones who do his word,

obeying the voice of his word!

²¹    Bless the Lord, all his hosts,

his ministers, who do his will!

²²    Bless the Lord, all his works,

in all places of his dominion.

       Bless the Lord, O my soul!

The Second Article: Redemption

And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.

What does this mean?

I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord. Who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil; not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death, that I may be His own and live under Him in His kingdom and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, just as He is risen from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity. This is most certainly true.

O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy, be gracious to all who have gone astray from Your ways and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of Your Word; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.