Hymn Story: Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven

   Psalm 103

   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 iniquities,
   Who heals all your diseases,
4 Who redeems your life from destruction,
   Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
   So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

6 The Lord executes righteousness
   And justice for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known His ways to Moses,
   His acts to the children of Israel.
8 The Lord is merciful and gracious,
   Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
9 He will not always strive with us,
   Nor will He keep His anger forever.
10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
     Nor punished us according to our iniquities.

 

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!

 

Henry Francis Lyte wrote "Praise, My Soul, The King of Heaven" for his congregation at Lower Brixham in Devon, England. The hymn was first published in 1834, among a collection of three hundred hymns entitled "Spirit of the Psalms."

Unlike translations of the Psalms-commonly used in Psalters of that time-or paraphrases like those written by Isaac Watts, "Spirit of the Psalms" contained hymns that were simply inspired by the Psalms. A part of this collection, "Praise, My Soul, The King of Heaven" captured the "spirit" of Psalm 103.

In the hymn, Lyte succinctly states each of the psalm's points: "Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies" (v. 3-4) become "ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven." And enlarging on the palmist's declaration that God is slow to anger and will not always chide (v. 8-9), Lyte declares, "Slow to chide and swift to bless."

In his refrain, Lyte picked up on the primary theme of the Psalm: "Praise Him, praise him." Today, some hymnals have changed these words to "Alleluia!" But either refrain fittingly calls us to join with all creation in praise of the King.

Queen Elizabeth II chose this hymn to be sung as the processional at her wedding. Interestingly, this was on November 20, 1947, exactly one hundred years after the death of Henry Francis Lyte.

 

Listen to it here: Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven