Psalms 103:2-12

2 1Bless the LORD, O my soul, and 2forget not all his benefits,
3 who 3forgives all your iniquity, who 4heals all your diseases,
4 who 5redeems your life from the pit, who 6crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5 who 7satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like 8the eagle's.
6 The LORD works 9righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known his 10ways to Moses, his 11acts to the people of Israel.
8 The LORD is 12merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 13He will not always chide, nor will he 14keep his anger forever.
10 He does not deal with us 15according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For 16as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his 17steadfast love toward 18those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west, so far does he 19remove our transgressions from us.

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Psalms 103:2-12 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 103

\\<>\\. The Targum adds, ``spoken in prophecy,'' as doubtless it was, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Some think it was written by David, after a fit of illness, and his recovery from it, since he speaks of his diseases being healed, and his youth renewed; for which reason the Syriac interpreter suggests it was written in his old age; for he makes the subject of the psalm to be, ``concerning coldness which prevailed upon him in old age;'' but rather he wrote it when his heart was warm with a sense of the love of God, and spiritual blessings of grace flowing from thence; and in it celebrates and sings the benefits of New Testament times; and it is a psalm suitable to be sung by every believer, under a quick sense of divine favours: wherefore the above interpreter better adds, ``also an instruction and thanksgiving by men of God;'' whom the psalmist may very well be thought to personate, even in Gospel times; and much rather than the Jews in captivity, as Kimchi thinks.

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Cross References 19

  • 1. [See ver. 1 above]
  • 2. Deuteronomy 6:12; Deuteronomy 8:11
  • 3. Exodus 34:7; Isaiah 33:24; Matthew 9:2; Mark 2:5; [Luke 7:47]
  • 4. Psalms 107:20; Psalms 147:3; Exodus 15:26; [Matthew 8:17]
  • 5. See Psalms 56:13
  • 6. [Psalms 5:12]
  • 7. Psalms 107:9
  • 8. Isaiah 40:31
  • 9. Psalms 146:7
  • 10. Exodus 33:13; [Psalms 25:4]
  • 11. [Psalms 78:11; Exodus 34:10]
  • 12. See Psalms 86:15
  • 13. Isaiah 57:16
  • 14. Psalms 30:5; Jeremiah 3:5, 12; Micah 7:18
  • 15. Ezra 9:13
  • 16. See Psalms 36:5
  • 17. Psalms 117:2
  • 18. ver. 13, 17; Luke 1:50
  • 19. [Isaiah 38:17; Isaiah 43:25; Micah 7:19]
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.