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Psalms 103:1
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Praise for the Lord’s Mercies

A Psalm of David.

1 Bless athe 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 aWho forgives all your iniquities,
Who bheals all your diseases, 
4 Who redeems your life from destruction,
aWho crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, 
5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that ayour youth is renewed like the eagle’s. 
6 The Lord executes righteousness
And justice for all who are oppressed.
7 aHe made known His ways to Moses,
His acts to the children of Israel. 
8 aThe Lord is merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. 
9 aHe will not always strive with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever. 
10 aHe 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 aremoved our transgressions from us. 
13 aAs a father pities his children,
So the Lord pities those who fear Him. 
14 For He1 knows our frame;
He remembers that we are dust. 
15 As for man, ahis days are like grass;
As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. 
16 aFor the wind passes over it, and it is1 gone,
And bits 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 aTo 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 aHis kingdom rules over all. 
20 aBless the Lord, you His angels,
Who excel in strength, who bdo His word,
Heeding the voice of His word. 
21 Bless the Lord, all you1 His hosts,
aYou ministers of His, who do His pleasure. 
Commentaries:
Matthew Henry
<< Psalms 102:28   Psalms 103:2 >>


Psalms 103:1-22

An exhortation to bless God for his mercy. (1-5) And to the church and to all men. (6-14) For the constancy of his mercy. (15-18) For the government of the world. (19-22)

Verses 1-5 By the pardon of sin, that is taken away which kept good things from us, and we are restored to the favor of God, who bestows good things on us. Think of the provocation; it was sin, and yet pardoned: how many the provocations, yet all pardoned! God is still forgiving, as we are still sinning and repenting. The body finds the melancholy consequences of Adam's offence, it is subject to many infirmities, and the soul also. Christ alone forgives all our sins; it is he alone who heals all our infirmities. And the person who finds his sin cured, has a well-grounded assurance that it is forgiven. When God, by the graces and comforts of his Spirit, recovers his people from their decays, and fills them with new life and joy, which is to them an earnest of eternal life and joy, they may then be said to return to the days of their youth, job 33:25 .

Verses 6-14 Truly God is good to all: he is in a special manner good to Israel. He has revealed himself and his grace to them. By his ways we may understand his precepts, the ways he requires us to walk in; and his promises and purposes. He always has been full of compassion. How unlike are those to God, who take every occasion to chide, and never know when to cease! What would become of us, if God should deal so with us? The Scripture says a great deal of the mercy of God, and we all have experienced it. The father pities his children that are weak in knowledge, and teaches them; pities them when they are froward, and bears with them; pities them when they are sick, and comforts them; pities them when they are fallen, and helps them to rise; pities them when they have offended, and, upon their submission, forgives them; pities them when wronged, and rights them: thus the Lord pities those that fear him. See why he pities. He considers the frailty of our bodies, and the folly of our souls, how little we can do, how little we can bear; in all which his compassion appears.

Verses 15-18 How short is man's life, and uncertain! The flower of the garden is commonly more choice, and will last the longer, for being sheltered by the garden-wall, and the gardener's care; but the flower of the field, to which life is here compared, is not only withering in itself, but exposed to the cold blasts, and liable to be cropt and trod on by the beasts of the field. Such is man. God considers this, and pities him; let him consider it himself. God's mercy is better than life, for it will outlive it. His righteousness, the truth of his promise, shall be unto children's children, who tread in the footsteps of their forefathers' piety. Then shall mercy be preserved to them.

Verses 19-22 He who made all, rules all, and both by a word of power. He disposes all persons and things to his own glory. There is a world of holy angels who are ever praising him. Let all his works praise him. Such would have been our constant delight, if we had not been fallen creatures. Such it will in a measure become, if we are born of God. Such it will be for ever in heaven; nor can we be perfectly happy till we can take unwearied pleasure in perfect obedience to the will of our God. And let the feeling of each redeemed heart be, Bless the Lord, O my soul.


 
<< Psalms 102:28   Psalms 103:2 >>

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