Psalm 103:1-8

1 Give praise to the Lord, O my soul; let everything in me give praise to his holy name.

2 Give praise to the Lord, O my soul; let not all his blessings go from your memory.

3 He has forgiveness for all your sins; he takes away all your diseases;

4 He keeps back your life from destruction, crowning you with mercy and grace.

5 He makes your mouth full of good things, so that your strength is made new again like the eagle's.

6 The Lord gives decisions in righteousness for all who are in trouble.

7 He gave knowledge of his way to Moses, and made his acts clear to the children of Israel.

8 The Lord is kind and full of pity, not quickly made angry, but ever ready to have mercy.

Psalm 103:1-8 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.