He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. Psalm 103:14
I shall never forget the message Pastor Joseph Bower brought to the RBC Ministries staff in a chapel session a number of years ago. He used three Scripture texts (2 Timothy 2:19; Psalm 103:14; 2 Peter 2:9) to point out that God understands us perfectly—our weaknesses, our limitations, our very nature.
What I remember most vividly from Pastor Bower’s sermon, though, was a personal experience he shared that illustrated Psalm 103:14. A man of great size and strength, he was active in the construction of church buildings in addition to preaching.
One day he wanted to move a steel beam weighing about 300 pounds, so he asked his son to grab the other end and set it in place. The young man tried to lift the huge girder, but he couldn’t. In fact, he ended up in the hospital. Pastor Bower was heartbroken. Because of his own strength, he had overlooked his son’s relative weakness. He went on to say that our heavenly Father will never overlook His children’s weaknesses, for “He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust” (Psalm 103:14).
If you are under a heavy load today, take comfort in the knowledge that the Lord will never burden you with more than you can carry.
He knows our burdens and our crosses,
Those things that hurt, our trials and losses;
He cares for every soul that cries,
God wipes the tears from weeping eyes. —Brandt
God, who knows our load limit,
graciously limits our load.
11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. 13 As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities 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; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes. 16 For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. 17 But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children, 18 to such as keep His covenant, and to those who remember His commandments to do them. 19 The Lord has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all. 20 Bless the Lord, you His angels, who excel in strength, who do His word, heeding the voice of His word. 21 Bless the Lord, all you His hosts, you ministers of His, who do His pleasure. 22 Bless the Lord, all His works, in all places of His dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul!
Insight
Consider the greatness of God’s mercy (vv.11-12). It is as great as the heavens are high, and it completely removes our sins in forgiveness. Yes, “so great is His mercy.”
