Psaume 103:8-18

8 L'Eternel est miséricordieux et compatissant, Lent à la colère et riche en bonté;

9 Il ne conteste pas sans cesse, Il ne garde pas sa colère à toujours;

10 Il ne nous traite pas selon nos péchés, Il ne nous punit pas selon nos iniquités.

11 Mais autant les cieux sont élevés au-dessus de la terre, Autant sa bonté est grande pour ceux qui le craignent;

12 Autant l'orient est éloigné de l'occident, Autant il éloigne de nous nos transgressions.

13 Comme un père a compassion de ses enfants, L'Eternel a compassion de ceux qui le craignent.

14 Car il sait de quoi nous sommes formés, Il se souvient que nous sommes poussière.

15 L'homme! ses jours sont comme l'herbe, Il fleurit comme la fleur des champs.

16 Lorsqu'un vent passe sur elle, elle n'est plus, Et le lieu qu'elle occupait ne la reconnaît plus.

17 Mais la bonté de l'Eternel dure à jamais pour ceux qui le craignent, Et sa miséricorde pour les enfants de leurs enfants,

18 Pour ceux qui gardent son alliance, Et se souviennent de ses commandements afin de les accomplir.

Psaume 103:8-18 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.