Psalm 103:1-4

Bless the Lord, O My Soul

1 ¹Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!

2 ²Bless the Lord, O my soul, and ³forget not all his benefits,

3 who ⁴forgives all your iniquity, who ⁵heals all your diseases,

4 who ⁶redeems your life from the pit, who ⁷crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,

Psalm 103:1-4 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

• 1. 103:1 ver. 22; Ps. 104:1
• 2. 103:2 [See ver. 1 above]
• 3. 103:2 Deut. 6:12; 8:11
• 4. 103:3 Ex. 34:7; Isa. 33:24; Matt. 9:2; Mark 2:5; [Luke 7:47]
• 5. 103:3 Ps. 107:20; 147:3; Ex. 15:26; [Matt. 8:17]
• 6. 103:4 See Ps. 56:13
• 7. 103:4 [Ps. 5:12]