When editing Bible studies, often a verse—perhaps one I’m already familiar with—will strike my attention. I’m sure this happens to everyone who is studying the living Word of God. Every so often, I’ll jot down the verse, or a phrase of the verse, on a sticky note and affix it to my desk. It will stay there sometimes for days, for weeks, or in the case of “grace multiplied even more” (Romans 5:20), for years.
One such sticky verse that’s been on my desk for the last several months is Psalm 103:14. At this point, I’m not even sure which Bible study pointed me in its direction, but I loved the poetry of it when I wrote it down.
For he knows what we are made of, remembering that we are dust.
In Psalm 103, verse 14 is surrounded by David’s thanksgiving for a God who “has not dealt with us as our sins deserve” (v. 10). The psalm is labeled “The Forgiving God.” David remembers God has removed our sin “as far as the east is from the west” (v. 12). He reminds us of God’s eternal nature and faithful love. God, our Creator, Redeemer, Yahweh, is a God of compassion.
The One who made the world and everything in it remembers we are dust. He remembers we are creations, temporary in this world, and weak to sin and hurt. God knows this—He remembers.
Psalm 103:14 has been stuck to my desk all these months as a reminder to me. When I read it, I am reminded that despite my humanness, my faithlessness, failures, and frailty, God is faithful. He is a God who “has compassion on his children” (v. 13) and remembers I am dust. My Creator loves with a faithful love, is full of forgiveness, and is slow to anger.
In the words of David, “bless the Lord!”
I wrote this for an in-house publication at work. Since it’s not available online, they said I could post it here, as well.