Tehillim 103:11

11 For as Shomayim is high above ha’aretz, so great is His chesed toward them that fear Him.

Tehillim 103:11 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 103:11

For as the heaven is high above the earth
Which is the greatest distance known, or can be conceived of; the space between the heaven and the earth is seemingly almost infinite; and nothing can more illustrate the mercy of God, which reaches to the heavens, and is in heaven; though this is but a faint representation of the largeness and abundance of it, and which indeed is boundless and infinite:

so great is his mercy towards them that fear him, or, his mercy hath
prevailed over them that fear him
^F1; as the waters of the flood prevailed upon the earth, and reached and overflowed the highest hills, ( Genesis 7:18 ) , so abundant and superabundant is the grace of God over them that "fear" him. Which character is given, not as being the cause of their obtaining mercy, but as descriptive of the persons that partake of it; on whom it has such an effect, as to cause them to fear the Lord, and his goodness; and is mentioned to prevent obstinate and presumptuous sinners expecting it, or trusting to it.

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FOOTNOTES:

F1 (le-rbg) "praevalet super", Musculus; so Cocceius, Michaelis.

Tehillim 103:11 In-Context

9 He will not strive l’netzach; neither will He keep His anger l’olam.

10 He hath not dealt with us according to chata’einu (our sins); nor repaid us according to avonoteinu (our iniquities).

11 For as Shomayim is high above ha’aretz, so great is His chesed toward them that fear Him.

12 As far as the mizrach (east) is from the ma’arav (west), so far hath He removed peysha’einu (our transgressions) from us.

13 As an av has compassion on banim so Hashem has compassion on them that fear Him.