Psalms 103:4-14

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

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Psalms 103:4-14 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.

Cross References 18

  • 1. See Psalms 56:13
  • 2. [Psalms 5:12]
  • 3. Psalms 107:9
  • 4. Isaiah 40:31
  • 5. Psalms 146:7
  • 6. Exodus 33:13; [Psalms 25:4]
  • 7. [Psalms 78:11; Exodus 34:10]
  • 8. See Psalms 86:15
  • 9. Isaiah 57:16
  • 10. Psalms 30:5; Jeremiah 3:5, 12; Micah 7:18
  • 11. Ezra 9:13
  • 12. See Psalms 36:5
  • 13. Psalms 117:2
  • 14. ver. 13, 17; Luke 1:50
  • 15. [Isaiah 38:17; Isaiah 43:25; Micah 7:19]
  • 16. Malachi 3:17
  • 17. [See ver. 11 above]
  • 18. Psalms 78:39

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Or knows how we are formed
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.