Psalms 103:12-22

12 As much as the east is from the west; he made [a]far our wickednesses from us.

13 As a father hath mercy on his sons, the Lord had mercy on men dreading him; (Like a father hath love for his sons and daughters, so the Lord hath love for those who fear him/for those who revere him;)

14 for he knew our making. He bethought that we be dust (He remembered that we be but dust),

15 a man is as hay; his day[s] shall flower out so as a flower of the field. (for a person's days be like the hay, or the grass; and he shall flower out like the flowers in the field.)

16 For the spirit shall pass in him, and it shall not abide; and it shall no more know his place. (For the wind passeth over it, and it shall not remain there long; and then its place shall know it no more.)

17 But the mercy of the Lord is from without beginning, and till into without end; on men dreading him. And his rightfulness is into the sons of sons; (But the Lord's love is without beginning, and without end; for those who fear him/for those who revere him. And his righteousness shall never fail the children of their children,)

18 to them that keep his testament. And be mindful of his commandments; to do those. (yea, they who keep his covenant; and who remember his commandments, and who do them.)

19 The Lord hath made ready his seat in heaven; and his realm shall be lord of all. (The Lord hath prepared his throne in heaven; and he shall rule over all as their King.)

20 Angels of the Lord, bless ye the Lord; ye mighty in virtue, doing his word, to hear the voice of his words. (Angels of the Lord, bless ye the Lord; ye mighty and strong, who do his word, yea, ye who obey him.)

21 All virtues of the Lord, bless ye the Lord; ye ministers of him, that do his will. (All the hosts of the Lord, bless ye the Lord; ye who be his servants, who do his will.)

22 All works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord, in each place of his lordship (All his creatures, bless ye the Lord, everywhere that he ruleth); my soul, bless thou the Lord.

Psalms 103:12-22 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.