Learning from the scriptures

One of the ways I like to study my scriptures is by photocopying a topic from the Topical Guide then systematically looking up the scriptures listed and pondering them. I did this with "Faith" before I served a mission and now I am working on "Forgiveness."

Reading scriptures like this brings some things into focus for me because I'm staying on one subject and reading about it in different contexts. Sometimes the verses all seem to say the same thing and after a while I finally get the message in a way I never would have if I hadn't read them all together. Sometimes I find things that aren't exactly related to the subject I'm studying, but enrich my testimony anyway.


I wanted to share a little gem I found in Psalms today. If you look really close at my photo copy you can see a little star next to Psalms 103:3.

In Psalms 103 King David is talking about the Lord's "benefits". I think he means the benefits the Lord gives to us.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; (Psalms 103:2-4)

What does the Lord do for us? He forgiveth, healeth, redeemeth, and crowneth. I have a richer comprehension of these words now than I did when I was younger. I can't find a word big enough, lovely enough, or profound enough to express the feeling and comfort these words in this contex give me. I almost have an inkling of what David meant when he said "My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning..." (Psalms 130:6)