103:1 «[A
Psalm] of David.» a Bless the LORD, O
my soul: and all that is within me, [bless] his holy name.
(a) He wakens his dulness to praise God, showing
that both understanding and affections, mind and heart, are too little to set
forth his praise.
103:3 Who b
forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
(b) That is, the beginning and chiefest of all
benefits, remission of sin.
103:4 Who redeemeth thy life from c
destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
(c) For before we have remission of our sins, we
are as dead men in the grave.
103:5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good [things;
so that] thy d youth is renewed like the
eagle's.
(d) As the eagle, when her beak overgrows, sucks
blood and so is renewed in strength, even so God miraculously gives strength
to his Church above all man's expectations.
103:7 He made known his ways
unto e Moses, his acts unto the children
of Israel.
(e) As to his chief minister, and next to his
people.
103:9 He will not always f
chide: neither will he keep [his anger] for ever.
(f) He shows first his severe judgment, but as
soon as the sinner is humbled, he receives him to mercy.
103:10 He hath not g
dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
(g) Who have proved by continual experience that
his mercy has always prevailed against our offences.
103:12 As far as h
the east is from the west, [so] far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
(h) As great as the world is, so full is it of
signs of God's mercies toward his faithful when he has removed their sins.
103:15
[As for] i man, his days [are] as grass:
as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
(i) He declares that man has nothing in himself
to move God to mercy, but only the confession of his infirmity and misery.
103:17 But the mercy of the
LORD [is] from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his k
righteousness unto children's children;
(k) His just and faithful keeping of his promise.
103:18 To such as keep his l
covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.
(l) To whom he gives grace to fear him, and to
obey his word.
103:20 Bless the LORD, ye m
his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto
the voice of his word.
(m) In that we, who naturally are slow to praise
God, exhort the angels, who willingly do it, we stir up ourselves to consider
our duty and wake from our sluggishness.
Psalm 103 Bible Commentary
The Geneva Study Bible
(a) He wakens his dulness to praise God, showing that both understanding and affections, mind and heart, are too little to set forth his praise.
103:3 Who b forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
(b) That is, the beginning and chiefest of all benefits, remission of sin.
103:4 Who redeemeth thy life from c destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
(c) For before we have remission of our sins, we are as dead men in the grave.
103:5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good [things; so that] thy d youth is renewed like the eagle's.
(d) As the eagle, when her beak overgrows, sucks blood and so is renewed in strength, even so God miraculously gives strength to his Church above all man's expectations.
103:7 He made known his ways unto e Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.
(e) As to his chief minister, and next to his people.
103:9 He will not always f chide: neither will he keep [his anger] for ever.
(f) He shows first his severe judgment, but as soon as the sinner is humbled, he receives him to mercy.
103:10 He hath not g dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
(g) Who have proved by continual experience that his mercy has always prevailed against our offences.
103:12 As far as h the east is from the west, [so] far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
(h) As great as the world is, so full is it of signs of God's mercies toward his faithful when he has removed their sins.
103:15 [As for] i man, his days [are] as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
(i) He declares that man has nothing in himself to move God to mercy, but only the confession of his infirmity and misery.
103:17 But the mercy of the LORD [is] from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his k righteousness unto children's children;
(k) His just and faithful keeping of his promise.
103:18 To such as keep his l covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.
(l) To whom he gives grace to fear him, and to obey his word.
103:20 Bless the LORD, ye m his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.
(m) In that we, who naturally are slow to praise God, exhort the angels, who willingly do it, we stir up ourselves to consider our duty and wake from our sluggishness.