Psalms 103:1-22 King James Version (KJV)

¹ Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

² Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

³ Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;

⁴ Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

⁵ Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.

⁶ The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.

⁷ He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.

⁸ The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

⁹ He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.

¹⁰ He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

¹¹ For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

¹² As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

¹³ Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.

¹⁴ For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

¹⁵ As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.

¹⁶ For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.

¹⁷ But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;

¹⁸ To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.

¹⁹ The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.

²⁰ Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.

²¹ Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.

²² Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul.

Psalms 103:1-22 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

¹ [[A Psalm of David.]] ^H1732 Bless ^H1288 the LORD, ^H3068 O my soul: ^H5315 and all that is within ^H7130 me, bless his holy ^H6944 name. ^H8034

² Bless ^H1288 the LORD, ^H3068 O my soul, ^H5315 and forget ^H7911 not all his benefits: ^H1576

³ Who forgiveth ^H5545 all thine iniquities; ^H5771 who healeth ^H7495 all thy diseases; ^H8463

⁴ Who redeemeth ^H1350 thy life ^H2416 from destruction; ^H7845 who crowneth ^H5849 thee with lovingkindness ^H2617 and tender mercies; ^H7356

⁵ Who satisfieth ^H7646 thy mouth ^H5716 with good ^H2896 things; so that thy youth ^H5271 is renewed ^H2318 like the eagle's. ^H5404

⁶ The LORD ^H3068 executeth ^H6213 righteousness ^H6666 and judgment ^H4941 for all that are oppressed. ^H6231

⁷ He made known ^H3045 his ways ^H1870 unto Moses, ^H4872 his acts ^H5949 unto the children ^H1121 of Israel. ^H3478

⁸ The LORD ^H3068 is merciful ^H7349 and gracious, ^H2587 slow ^H750 to anger, ^H639 and plenteous ^H7227 in mercy. ^H2617

⁹ He will not always ^H5331 chide: ^H7378 neither will he keep ^H5201 his anger for ever. ^H5769

¹⁰ He hath not dealt ^H6213 with us after our sins; ^H2399 nor rewarded ^H1580 us according to our iniquities. ^H5771

¹¹ For as the heaven ^H8064 is high above ^H1361 the earth, ^H776 so great ^H1396 is his mercy ^H2617 toward them that fear ^H3373 him.

¹² As far as ^H7368 the east ^H4217 is from the west, ^H4628 so far hath he removed ^H7368 our transgressions ^H6588 from us.

¹³ Like as a father ^H1 pitieth ^H7355 his children, ^H1121 so the LORD ^H3068 pitieth ^H7355 them that fear ^H3373 him.

¹⁴ For he knoweth ^H3045 our frame; ^H3336 he remembereth ^H2142 that we are dust. ^H6083

¹⁵ As for man, ^H582 his days ^H3117 are as grass: ^H2682 as a flower ^H6731 of the field, ^H7704 so he flourisheth. ^H6692

¹⁶ For the wind ^H7307 passeth over ^H5674 it, and it is gone; and the place ^H4725 thereof shall know ^H5234 it no more.

¹⁷ But the mercy ^H2617 of the LORD ^H3068 is from everlasting ^H5769 to ^H5704 everlasting ^H5769 upon them that fear ^H3373 him, and his righteousness ^H6666 unto children's ^H1121 children; ^H1121

¹⁸ To such as keep ^H8104 his covenant, ^H1285 and to those that remember ^H2142 his commandments ^H6490 to do ^H6213 them.

¹⁹ The LORD ^H3068 hath prepared ^H3559 his throne ^H3678 in the heavens; ^H8064 and his kingdom ^H4438 ruleth ^H4910 over all.

²⁰ Bless ^H1288 the LORD, ^H3068 ye his angels, ^H4397 that excel ^H1368 in strength, ^H3581 that do ^H6213 his commandments, ^H1697 hearkening ^H8085 unto the voice ^H6963 of his word. ^H1697

²¹ Bless ^H1288 ye the LORD, ^H3068 all ye his hosts; ^H6635 ye ministers ^H8334 of his, that do ^H6213 his pleasure. ^H7522

²² Bless ^H1288 the LORD, ^H3068 all his works ^H4639 in all places ^H4725 of his dominion: ^H4475 bless ^H1288 the LORD, ^H3068 O my soul. ^H5315

Psalms 103:1-22 American Standard (ASV)

¹ Bless Jehovah, O my soul; And all that is within me, `bless' his holy name.

² Bless Jehovah, O my soul, And forget not all his benefits:

³ Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; Who healeth all thy diseases;

⁴ Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; Who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

⁵ Who satisfieth thy desire with good things, `So that' thy youth is renewed like the eagle.

⁶ Jehovah executeth righteous acts, And judgments for all that are oppressed.

⁷ He made known his ways unto Moses, His doings unto the children of Israel.

⁸ Jehovah is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness.

⁹ He will not always chide; Neither will he keep `his anger' for ever.

¹⁰ He hath not dealt with us after our sins, Nor rewarded us after our iniquities.

¹¹ For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is his lovingkindness toward them that fear him.

¹² As far as the east is from the west, So far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

¹³ Like as a father pitieth his children, So Jehovah pitieth them that fear him.

¹⁴ For he knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust.

¹⁵ As for man, his days are as grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.

¹⁶ For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; And the place thereof shall know it no more.

¹⁷ But the lovingkindness of Jehovah is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, And his righteousness unto children's children;

¹⁸ To such as keep his covenant, And to those that remember his precepts to do them.

¹⁹ Jehovah hath established his throne in the heavens; And his kingdom ruleth over all.

²⁰ Bless Jehovah, ye his angels, That are mighty in strength, that fulfil his word, Hearkening unto the voice of his word.

²¹ Bless Jehovah, all ye his hosts, Ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.

²² Bless Jehovah, all ye his works, In all places of his dominion: Bless Jehovah, O my soul.

Psalms 103:1-22 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

¹ By David. Bless, O my soul, Jehovah, And all my inward parts -- His Holy Name.

² Bless, O my soul, Jehovah, And forget not all His benefits,

³ Who is forgiving all thine iniquities, Who is healing all thy diseases,

⁴ Who is redeeming from destruction thy life, Who is crowning thee -- kindness and mercies,

⁵ Who is satisfying with good thy desire, Renew itself as an eagle doth thy youth.

⁶ Jehovah is doing righteousness and judgments For all the oppressed.

⁷ He maketh known His ways to Moses, To the sons of Israel His acts.

⁸ Merciful and gracious `is' Jehovah, Slow to anger, and abundant in mercy.

⁹ Not for ever doth He strive, Nor to the age doth He watch.

¹⁰ Not according to our sins hath He done to us, Nor according to our iniquities Hath He conferred benefits upon us.

¹¹ For, as the height of the heavens `is' above the earth, His kindness hath been mighty over those fearing Him.

¹² As the distance of east from west He hath put far from us our transgressions.

¹³ As a father hath mercy on sons, Jehovah hath mercy on those fearing Him.

¹⁴ For He hath known our frame, Remembering that we `are' dust.

¹⁵ Mortal man! as grass `are' his days, As a flower of the field so he flourisheth;

¹⁶ For a wind hath passed over it, and it is not, And its place doth not discern it any more.

¹⁷ And the kindness of Jehovah `Is' from age even unto age on those fearing Him, And His righteousness to sons' sons,

¹⁸ To those keeping His covenant, And to those remembering His precepts to do them.

¹⁹ Jehovah in the heavens Hath established His throne, And His kingdom over all hath ruled.

²⁰ Bless Jehovah, ye His messengers, Mighty in power -- doing His word, To hearken to the voice of His Word.

²¹ Bless Jehovah, all ye His hosts, His ministers -- doing His pleasure.

²² Bless Jehovah, all ye His works, In all places of His dominion. Bless, O my soul, Jehovah!

Psalms 103:1-22 Darby English Bible (DARBY)

¹ {[A Psalm] of David.} Bless Jehovah, O my soul; and all that is within me, [bless] his holy name!

² Bless Jehovah, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

³ Who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases;

⁴ Who redeemeth thy life from the pit, who crowneth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies;

⁵ Who satisfieth thine old age with good [things]; thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.

⁶ Jehovah executeth righteousness and justice for all that are oppressed.

⁷ He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.

⁸ Jehovah is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving-kindness.

⁹ He will not always chide, neither will he keep [his anger] for ever.

¹⁰ He hath not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

¹¹ For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his loving-kindness toward them that fear him.

¹² As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

¹³ As a father pitieth [his] children, so Jehovah pitieth them that fear him.

¹⁴ For himself knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

¹⁵ As for man, his days are as grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth:

¹⁶ For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone, and the place thereof knoweth it no more.

¹⁷ But the loving-kindness of Jehovah is from everlasting and to everlasting, upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children,

¹⁸ To such as keep his covenant and to those that remember his precepts to do them.

¹⁹ Jehovah hath established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom ruleth over all.

²⁰ Bless Jehovah, ye his angels, mighty in strength, that execute his word, hearkening unto the voice of his word.

²¹ Bless Jehovah, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his that do his will.

²² Bless Jehovah, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless Jehovah, O my soul!

Psalms 103:1-22 World English Bible (WEB)

¹ > Praise Yahweh, my soul! All that is within me, praise his holy name!

² Praise Yahweh, my soul, And don't forget all his benefits;

³ Who forgives all your sins; Who heals all your diseases;

⁴ Who redeems your life from destruction; Who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies;

⁵ Who satisfies your desire with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

⁶ Yahweh executes righteous acts, And justice for all who are oppressed.

⁷ He made known his ways to Moses, His deeds to the children of Israel.

⁸ Yahweh is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness.

⁹ He will not always accuse; Neither will he stay angry forever.

¹⁰ He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor repaid us for our iniquities.

¹¹ For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is his loving kindness toward those who fear him.

¹² As far as the east is from the west, So far has he removed our transgressions from us.

¹³ Like a father has compassion on his children, So Yahweh has compassion on those who fear him.

¹⁴ For he knows how we are made. He remembers that we are dust.

¹⁵ As for man, his days are like grass. As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.

¹⁶ For the wind passes over it, and it is gone. Its place remembers it no more.

¹⁷ But Yahweh's loving kindness is from everlasting to everlasting with those who fear him, His righteousness to children's children;

¹⁸ To those who keep his covenant, To those who remember to obey his precepts.

¹⁹ Yahweh has established his throne in the heavens. His kingdom rules over all.

²⁰ Praise Yahweh, you angels of his, Who are mighty in strength, who fulfill his word, Obeying the voice of his word.

²¹ Praise Yahweh, all you hosts of his, You servants of his, who do his pleasure.

²² Praise Yahweh, all you works of his, In all places of his dominion. Praise Yahweh, my soul.

Psalms 103:1-22 Bible in Basic English (BBE)

¹ <Of David.> 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.

⁹ His feeling will no longer be bitter; he will not keep his wrath for ever.

¹⁰ He has not given us the punishment for our sins, or the reward of our wrongdoing.

¹¹ For as the heaven is high over the earth, so great is his mercy to his worshippers.

¹² As far as the east is from the west, so far has he put our sins from us.

¹³ As a father has pity on his children, so the Lord has pity on his worshippers.

¹⁴ For he has knowledge of our feeble frame; he sees that we are only dust.

¹⁵ As for man, his days are as grass: his beautiful growth is like the flower of the field.

¹⁶ The wind goes over it and it is gone; and its place sees it no longer.

¹⁷ But the mercy of the Lord is eternal for his worshippers, and their children's children will see his righteousness;

¹⁸ If they keep his agreement, and have his laws in mind to do them.

¹⁹ The Lord has made ready his high seat in the heavens; his kingdom is ruling over all.

²⁰ Give praise to the Lord, you his angels, who are great in strength, doing his orders, and waiting for his voice.

²¹ Give praise to the Lord, all you his armies; and you his servants who do his pleasure.

²² Give praise to the Lord, all his works, in all places under his rule: give praise to the Lord, O my soul.

Commentary on Psalms 103 Matthew Henry Commentary

John Gill Keil & Delitzsch Robert Jamieson: Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Psalm 103

This psalm calls more for devotion than exposition; it is a most excellent psalm of praise, and of general use. The psalmist,

I. Stirs up himself and his own soul to praise God (v. 1, 2) for his favour to him in particular (v. 3-5), to the church in general, and to all good men, to whom he is, and will be, just, and kind, and constant (v. 6-18), and for his government of the world (v. 19).
II. He desires the assistance of the holy angels, and all the works of God, in praising him (v. 20-22).

In singing this psalm we must in a special manner get our hearts affected with the goodness of God and enlarged in love and thankfulness.

A psalm of David.

Psa 103:1-5

David is here communing with his own heart, and he is no fool that thus talks to himself and excites his own soul to that which is good. Observe,

I. How he stirs up himself to the duty of praise, v. 1, 2.
- 1. It is the Lord that is to be blessed and spoken well of; for he is the fountain of all good, whatever are the channels or cisterns; it is to his name, his holy name, that we are to consecrate our praise, giving thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.
- 2. It is the soul that is to be employed in blessing God, and all that is within us. We make nothing of our religious performances if we do not make heart-work of them, if that which is within us, nay, if all that is within us, be not engaged in them. The work requires the inward man, the whole man, and all little enough.
- 3. In order to our return of praises to God, there must be a grateful remembrance of the mercies we have received from him: Forget not all his benefits. If we do not give thanks for them, we do forget them; and that is unjust as well as unkind, since in all God's favours there is so much that is memorable. "O my soul! to thy shame be it spoken, thou hast forgotten many of his benefits; but surely thou wilt not forget them all, for thou shouldst not have forgotten any.'
II. How he furnishes himself with abundant matter for praise, and that which is very affecting: "Come, my soul, consider what God has done for thee.'
- 1. "He has pardoned thy sins (v. 3); he has forgiven, and does forgive, all thy iniquities.' This is mentioned first because by the pardon of sin that is taken away which kept good things from us, and we are restored to the favour of God, which bestows good things on us. Think what the provocation was; it was iniquity, and yet pardoned; how many the provocations were, and yet all pardoned. He has forgiven all our trespasses. It is a continued act; he is still forgiving, as we are still sinning and repenting.
- 2. "He has cured thy sickness.' The corruption of nature is the sickness of the soul; it is its disorder, and threatens its death. This is cured in sanctification; when sin is mortified, the disease is healed; though complicated, it is all healed. Our crimes were capital, but God saves our lives by pardoning them; our diseases were mortal, but God saves our lives by healing them. These two go together; for, as for God, his work is perfect and not done by halves; if God take away the guilt of sin by pardoning mercy, he will break the power of it by renewing grace. Where Christ is made righteousness to any soul he is made sanctification, 1 Co. 1:30.
- 3. "He has rescued thee from danger.' A man may be in peril of life, not only by his crimes, or his diseases, but by the power of his enemies; and therefore here also we experience the divine goodness: Who redeemed thy life from destruction (v. 4), from the destroyer, from hell (so the Chaldee), from the second death. The redemption of the soul is precious; we cannot compass it, and therefore are the more indebted to divine grace that has wrought it out, to him who has obtained eternal redemption for us. See Job 33:24, 28.
- 4. "He has not only saved thee from death and ruin, but has made thee truly and completely happy, with honour, pleasure, and long life.'
  - (1.) "He has given thee true honour and great honour, no less than a crown: He crowns thee with his lovingkindness and tender mercies;' and what greater dignity is a poor soul capable of than to be advanced into the love and favour of God? This honour have all his saints. What is the crown of glory but God's favour?
  - (2.) "He has given thee true pleasure: He satisfies thy mouth with good things' (v. 5); it is only the favour and grace of God that can give satisfaction to a soul, can suit its capacities, supply its needs, and answer to its desires. Nothing but divine wisdom can undertake to fill its treasures (Prov. 8:21); other things will surfeit, but not satiate, Eccl. 6:7; Isa. 55:2.
  - (3.) "He has given thee a prospect and pledge of long life: Thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.' The eagle is long-lived, and, as naturalists say, when she is nearly 100 years old, casts all her feathers (as indeed she changes them in a great measure every year at moulting time), and fresh ones come, so that she becomes young again. When God, by the graces and comforts of his Spirit, recovers his people from their decays, and fills them with new life and joy, which is to them an earnest of eternal life and joy, then they may be said to return to the days of their youth, Job 33:25.

Psa 103:6-18

Hitherto the psalmist had only looked back upon his own experiences and thence fetched matter for praise; here he looks abroad and takes notice of his favour to others also; for in them we should rejoice and give thanks for them, all the saints being fed at a common table and sharing in the same blessings.

I. Truly God is good to all (v. 6): He executes righteousness and judgment, not only for his own people, but for all that are oppressed; for even in common providence he is the patron of wronged innocency, and, one way or other, will plead the cause of those that are injured against their oppressors. It is his honour to humble the proud and help the helpless.
II. He is in a special manner good to Israel, to every Israelite indeed, that is of a clean and upright heart.
- 1. He has revealed himself and his grace to us (v. 7): He made known his ways unto Moses, and by him his acts to the children of Israel, not only by his rod to those who then lived, but by his pen to succeeding ages. Note, Divine revelation is one of the first and greatest of divine favours with which the church is blessed; for God restores us to himself by revealing himself to us, and gives us all good by giving us knowledge. He has made known his acts and his ways (that is, his nature, and the methods of his dealing with the children of men), that they may know both what to conceive of him and what to expect from him; so Dr. Hammond. Or by his ways we may understand his precepts, the way which he requires us to walk in; and by his acts, or designs (as the word signifies), his promises and purposes as to what he will do with us. Thus fairly does God deal with us.
- 2. He has never been rigorous and severe with us, but always tender, full of compassion, and ready to forgive.
  - (1.) It is in his nature to be so (v. 8): The Lord is merciful and gracious; this was his way which he made known unto Moses at Mount Horeb, when he thus proclaimed his name (Ex. 34:6, 7), in answer to Moses's request (ch. 33:13), I beseech thee, show me thy way, that I may know thee. It is my way, says God, to pardon sin.
    - [1.] He is not soon angry, v. 8. He is slow to anger, not extreme to mark what we do amiss nor ready to take advantage against us. He bears long with those that are very provoking, defers punishing, that he may give space to repent, and does not speedily execute the sentence of his law; and he could not be thus slow to anger if he were not plenteous in mercy, the very Father of mercies.
    - [2.] He is not long angry; for (v. 9) he will not always chide, though we always offend and deserve chiding. Though he signify his displeasure against us for our sins by the rebukes of Providence, and the reproaches of our own consciences, and thus cause grief, yet he will have compassion, and will not always keep us in pain and terror, no, not for our sins, but, after the spirit of bondage, will give the spirit of adoption. How unlike are those to God who always chide, who take every occasion to chide, and never know when to cease! What would become of us if God should deal so with us? He will not keep his anger for ever against his own people, but will gather them with everlasting mercies, Isa. 54:8; 57:16.
  - (2.) We have found him so; we, for our parts, must own that he has not dealt with us after our sins, v. 10. The scripture says a great deal of the mercy of God, and we may all set to our seal that it is true, that we have experienced it. If he had not been a God of patience, we should have been in hell long ago; but he has not rewarded us after our iniquities; so those will say who know what sin deserves. He has not inflicted the judgments which we have merited, nor deprived us of the comforts which we have forfeited, which should make us think the worse, and not the better, of sin; for God's patience should lead us to repentance, Rom. 2:4.
- 3. He has pardoned our sins, not only my iniquity (v. 3), but our transgressions, v. 12. Though it is of our own benefit, by the pardoning mercy of God, that we are to take the comfort, yet of the benefit others have by it we must give him the glory. Observe,
  - (1.) The transcendent riches of God's mercy (v. 11): As the heaven is high above the earth (so high that the earth is but a point to the vast expanse), so God's mercy is above the merits of those that fear him most, so much above and beyond them that there is no proportion at all between them; the greatest performances of man's duty cannot demand the least tokens of God's favour as a debt, and therefore all the seed of Jacob will join with him in owning themselves less than the least of all God's mercies, Gen. 32:10. Observe, God's mercy is thus great towards those that fear him, not towards those that trifle with him. We must fear the Lord and his goodness.
  - (2.) The fulness of his pardons, an evidence of the riches of his mercy (v. 12): As far as the east is from the west (which two quarters of the world are of greatest extent, because all known and inhabited, and therefore geographers that way reckon their longitudes) so far has he removed our transgressions from us, so that they shall never be laid to our charge, nor rise up in judgment against us. The sins of believers shall be remembered no more, shall not be mentioned unto them; they shall be sought for, and not found. If we thoroughly forsake them, God will thoroughly forgive them.
- 4. He has pitied our sorrows, v. 13, 14. Observe,
  - (1.) Whom he pities-those that fear him, that is, all good people, who in this world may become objects of pity on account of the grievances to which they are not only born, but born again. Or it may be understood of those who have not yet received the spirit of adoption, but are yet trembling at his word; those he pities, Jer. 31:18, 20.
  - (2.) How he pities-as a father pities his children, and does them good as there is occasion. God is a Father to those that fear him and owns them for his children, and he is tender of them as a father. The father pities his children that are weak in knowledge and instructs them, pities them when they are froward and bears with them, pities them when they are sick and comforts them (Isa. 66:13), pities them when they have fallen and helps them up again, pities them when they have offended, and, upon their submission, forgives them, pities them when they are wronged and gives them redress; thus the Lord pities those that fear him.
  - (3.) Why he pities-for he knows our frame. He has reason to know our frame, for he framed us; and, having himself made man of the dust, he remembers that he is dust, not only by constitution, but by sentence. Dust thou art. He considers the frailty of our bodies and the folly of our souls, how little we can do, and expects accordingly from us, how little we can bear, and lays accordingly upon us, in all which appears the tenderness of his compassion.
- 5. He has perpetuated his covenant-mercy and thereby provided relief for our frailty, v. 15-18. See here,
  - (1.) How short man's life is and of what uncertain continuance. The lives even of great men and good men are so, and neither their greatness nor their goodness can alter the property of them: As for man, his days are as grass, which grows out of the earth, rises but a little way above it, and soon withers and returns to it again. See Isa. 40:6, 7. Man, in his best estate, seems somewhat more than grass; he flourishes and looks gay; yet then he is but like a flower of the field, which, though distinguished a little from the grass, will wither with it. The flower of the garden is commonly more choice and valuable, and, though in its own nature withering, will last the longer for its being sheltered by the garden wall and the gardener's care; but the flower of the field (to which life is here compared) is not only withering in itself, but exposed to the cold blasts, and liable to be cropped and trodden on by the beasts of the field. Man's life is not only wasting of itself, but its period may be anticipated by a thousand accidents. When the flower is in its perfection a blasting wind, unseen, unlooked for, passes over it, and it is gone; it hangs the head, drops the leaves, dwindles into the ground again, and the place thereof, which was proud of it, now knows it no more. Such a thing is man: God considers this, and pities him; let him consider it himself, and be humble, dead to this world and thoughtful of another.
  - (2.) How long and lasting God's mercy is to his people (v. 17, 18): it will continue longer than their lives, and will survive their present state. Observe,
    - [1.] The description of those to whom this mercy belongs. They are such as fear God, such as are truly religious, from principle.
      - First, They live a life of faith; for they keep God's covenant; having taken hold of it, they keep hold of it, fast hold, and will not let it go. They keep it as a treasure, keep it as their portion, and would not for all the world part with it, for it is their life.
      - Secondly, They live a life of obedience; they remember his commandments to do them, else they do not keep his covenant. Those only shall have the benefit of God's promises that make conscience of his precepts. See who those are that have a good memory, as well as a good understanding (Ps. 111:10), those that remember God's commandments, not to talk of them, but to do them, and to be ruled by them.
    - [2.] The continuance of the mercy which belongs to such as these; it will last them longer than their lives on earth, and therefore they need not be troubled though their lives be short, since death itself will be no abridgment, no infringement, of their bliss. God's mercy is better than life, for it will out-live it.
      - First, To their souls, which are immortal; to them the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting; from everlasting in the councils of it to everlasting in the consequences of it, in their election before the world was and their glorification when this world shall be no more; for they are predestinated to the inheritance (Eph. 1:11) and look for the mercy of the Lord, the Lord Jesus, unto eternal life.
      - Secondly, To their seed, which shall be kept up to the end of time (Ps. 102:28): His righteousness, the truth of his promise, shall be unto children's children; provided they tread in the steps of their predecessors' piety, and keep his covenant, as they did, then shall mercy be preserved to them, even to a thousand generations.

Psa 103:19-22

Here is,

I. The doctrine of universal providence laid down, v. 19. He has secured the happiness of his peculiar people by promise and covenant, but the order of mankind, and the world in general, he secures by common providence. The Lord has a throne of his own, a throne of glory, a throne of government. He that made all rules all, and both by a word of power: He has prepared his throne, has fixed and established it that it cannot be shaken; he has afore-ordained all the measures of his government and does all according to the counsel of his own will. He has prepared it in the heavens, above us, and out of sight; for he holds back the face of his throne, and spreads a cloud upon it (Job 26:9); yet he can himself judge through the dark cloud, Job 22:13. Hence the heavens are said to rule (Dan 4:26), and we are led to consider this by the influence which even the visible heavens have upon this earth, their dominion, Job 38:33; Gen. 1:16. But though God's throne is in heaven, and there he keeps his court, and thither we are to direct to him (Our Father who art in heaven), yet his kingdom rules over all. He takes cognizance of all the inhabitants, and all the affairs, of this lower world, and disposes all persons and things according to the counsel of his will, to his own glory (Dan. 4:35): His kingdom rules over all kings and all kingdoms, and from it there is no exempt jurisdiction.
II. The duty of universal praise inferred from it: if all are under God's dominion, all must do him homage.
- 1. Let the holy angels praise him (v. 20, 21): Bless the Lord, you his angels; and again, Bless the Lord, all you his hosts, you ministers of his. David had been stirring up himself and others to praise God, and here, in the close, he calls upon the angels to do it; not as if they needed any excitement of ours to praise God, they do it continually; but thus he expresses his high thoughts of God as worthy of the adorations of the holy angels, thus he quickens himself and others to the duty with this consideration, That it is the work of angels, and comforts himself in reference to his own weakness and defect in the performance of this duty with this consideration, That there is a world of holy angels who dwell in God's house and are still praising him. In short, the blessed angels are glorious attendants upon the blessed God. Observe,
  - (1.) How well qualified they are for the post they are in. They are able; for they excel in strength; they are mighty in strength (so the word is); they are able to bring great things to pass, and to abide in their work without weariness. And they are as willing as they are able; they are willing to know their work; for they hearken to the voice of his word; they stand expecting commission and instructions from their great Lord, and always behold his face (Mt. 18:10), that they may take the first intimation of his mind. They are willing to do their work: They do his commandments (v. 20); they do his pleasure (v. 21); they dispute not any divine commands, but readily address themselves to the execution of them. Nor do they delay, but fly swiftly: They do his commandments at hearing, or as soon as they hear the voice of his word; so Dr. Hammond. To obey is better than sacrifice; for angels obey, but do not sacrifice.
  - (2.) What their service is. They are his angels, and ministers of his-his, for he made them, and made them for himself-his, for he employs them, though he does not need them-his, for he is their owner and Lord; they belong to him and he has them at his beck. All the creatures are his servants, but not as the angels that attend the presence of his glory. Soldiers, and seamen, and all good subjects, serve the king, but not as the courtiers do, the ministers of state and those of the household.
    - [1.] The angels occasionally serve God in this lower world; they do his commandments, go on his errands (Dan. 9:21), fight his battles (2 Ki. 6:17), and minister for the good of his people, Heb. 1:14.
    - [2.] They continually praise him in the upper world; they began betimes to do it (Job 38:7), and it is still their business, from which they rest not day nor night, Rev. 4:8. It is God's glory that he has such attendants, but more his glory that he neither needs them nor is benefited by them.
- 2. Let all his works praise him (v. 22), all in all places of his dominion; for, because they are his works, they are under his dominion, and they were made and are ruled that they may be unto him for a name and a praise. All his works, that is, all the children of men, in all parts of the world, let them all praise God; yea, and the inferior creatures too, which are God's works also; let them praise him objectively, though they cannot praise him actually, Ps. 145:10. Yet all this shall not excuse David from praising God, but rather excite him to do it the more cheerfully, that he may bear a part in this concert; for he concludes, Bless the Lord, O my soul! as he began, v. 1. Blessing God and giving him glory must be the alpha and the omega of all our services. He began with Bless the Lord, O my soul! and, when he had penned and sung this excellent hymn to his honour, he does not say, Now, O my soul! thou hast blessed the Lord, sit down, and rest thee, but, Bless the Lord, O my soul! yet more and more. When we have done ever so much in the service of God, yet still we must stir up ourselves to do more. God's praise is a subject that will never be exhausted, and therefore we must never think this work done till we come to heaven, where it will be for ever in the doing.

Worthy.Bible » Parallel » Psalms » Chapter 103