1 > Praise Yahweh, my soul! All that is within me, praise his holy name!
2 Praise Yahweh, my soul, And don't forget all his benefits;
3 Who forgives all your sins; Who heals all your diseases;
4 Who redeems your life from destruction; Who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies;
5 Who satisfies your desire with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
6 Yahweh executes righteous acts, And justice for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses, His deeds to the children of Israel.
8 Yahweh is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness.
9 He will not always accuse; Neither will he stay angry forever.
10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor repaid us for our iniquities.
11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is his loving kindness 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 Like a father has compassion on his children, So Yahweh has compassion on those who fear him.
14 For he knows how we are made. 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. Its place remembers it no more.
17 But Yahweh's loving kindness is from everlasting to everlasting with those who fear him, His righteousness to children's children;
18 To those who keep his covenant, To those who remember to obey his precepts.
19 Yahweh has established his throne in the heavens. His kingdom rules over all.
20 Praise Yahweh, you angels of his, Who are mighty in strength, who fulfill his word, Obeying the voice of his word.
21 Praise Yahweh, all you hosts of his, You servants of his, who do his pleasure.
22 Praise Yahweh, all you works of his, In all places of his dominion. Praise Yahweh, my soul.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 103
Commentary on Psalms 103 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 103
Ps 103:1-22. A Psalm of joyous praise, in which the writer rises from a thankful acknowledgment of personal blessings to a lively celebration of God's gracious attributes, as not only intrinsically worthy of praise, but as specially suited to man's frailty. He concludes by invoking all creatures to unite in his song.
1. Bless, &c.—when God is the object, praise.
my soul—myself (Ps 3:3; 25:1), with allusion to the act, as one of intelligence.
all … within me—(De 6:5).
his holy name—(Ps 5:11), His complete moral perfections.
2. forget not all—not any, none of His benefits.
3. diseases—as penal inflictions (De 29:22; 2Ch 21:19).
4. redeemeth—Cost is implied.
destruction—literally, "pit of corruption" (Ps 16:10).
crowneth—or, "adorneth" (Ps 65:11).
tender mercies—compassions (compare Ps 25:6; 40:11).
5. By God's provision, the saint retains a youthful vigor like the eagles (Ps 92:14; compare Isa 40:31).
6. Literally, "righteousness and judgments," denoting various acts of God's government.
7. ways—of providence, &c., as usual (Ps 25:4; 67:2).
acts—literally, "wonders" (Ps 7:11; 78:17).
8-10. God's benevolence implies no merit. He shows it to sinners, who also are chastened for a time (Ex 34:6).
keep (anger)—in Le 19:18, bear a grudge (Jer 3:5, 12).
11. great—efficient.
12. removed … from us—so as no longer to affect our relations to Him.
13. pitieth—literally, "has compassion on."
14. he—"who formed," Ps 94:9.
knoweth our frame—literally, "our form."
we are dust—made of and tending to it (Ge 2:7).
15, 16. So short and frail is life that a breath may destroy it.
it is gone—literally, "it is not."
know it no more—no more recognize him (Ps 90:6; Isa 40:6-8).
17, 18. For similar contrast compare Ps 90:2-6; 102:27, 28.
18. such … covenant—limits the general terms preceding.
righteousness—as usual (Ps 7:17; 31:1).
19. God's firm and universal dominion is a pledge that He will keep His promises (Ps 11:4; 47:8).
20-22. do his commandments … word—or, literally, "so as to hearken," &c., that is, their acts of obedience are prompt, so that they are ever ready to hear, and know, and follow implicitly His declared will (compare De 26:17; Lu 1:19).
21. ye his hosts—myriads, or armies, as corresponding to angels of great power [Ps 103:20], denoting multitudes also.
22. all his works—creatures of every sort, everywhere.