Psalms 103:12-22

12 super ea volucres caeli habitabunt de medio petrarum dabunt vocem

13 rigans montes de superioribus suis de fructu operum tuorum satiabitur terra

14 producens faenum iumentis et herbam servituti hominum ut educas panem de terra

15 et vinum laetificat cor hominis ut exhilaret faciem in oleo et panis cor hominis confirmat

16 saturabuntur ligna campi et cedri Libani quas plantavit

17 illic passeres nidificabunt erodii domus dux est eorum

18 montes excelsi cervis petra refugium erinaciis

19 fecit lunam in tempora sol cognovit occasum suum

20 posuisti tenebras et facta est nox in ipsa pertransibunt omnes bestiae silvae

21 catuli leonum rugientes ut rapiant et quaerant a Deo escam sibi

22 ortus est sol et congregati sunt et in cubilibus suis conlocabuntur

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.