Psalm 103, attributed in the superscription to David, is a psalm of praise for the wonderful goodness of God directed toward His people. 1. To report dead links, typos, or html errors or suggestions about making these resources more useful use the convenient, Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary, Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, "So that thy youth is renewed like the eagle". 11For as the heavens are high above the earth,So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;12As far as the east is from the west,So far has He (J)removed our transgressions from us.13(K)As a father pities his children,So the Lord pities those who fear Him.14For He [a]knows our frame;He remembers that we are dust. 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. Or was he now doubly sensible of the importance, the imperative necessity of adoration? if any man be in Christ he is a new creature: old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new. WebPsalms 103 1 A Psalm of David. 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 he thus speaks to himself, it is as if, removed from the presence of men, he examined himself before God. 2. He selects a few of the choicest pearls from the casket of divine love, threads them on the string of memory, and hangs them about the neck of gratitude. Some groups of Christians (e.g., some Amish) give thanks to God at the end of their meals as well as at the beginning. 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. II. Our crimes were capital, but God saves our lives by pardoning them; our diseases were mortal, but God saves our lives by healing them. WebFor as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; Tools. The body finds the melancholy consequences of Adam's offence, it is subject to many infirmities, and the soul also. 22 Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the Lord, O my soul. Bless the Lord, O my soul,. His better part, his soul, which comes immediately from God, and returns to him, which is immaterial and immortal, and of more worth than the world: God is to be served with the best we have; as with the best of our substance, so with the best of our persons; and it is the heart, or soul, which he requires to be given him; and such service as is performed with the soul or spirit is most agreeable to him; he being a Spirit, and therefore must be worshipped in spirit and in truth: unless the spirit or soul of a man, is engaged in the service of God, it is of little avail; for bodily exercise profiteth not; preaching, hearing, praying, and praising, should be both with the spirit, and with the understanding: here the psalmist calls upon his soul to "bless" the Lord; not by invoking or conferring a blessing on him, which as it is impossible to be done, so he stands in no need of it, being God, all sufficient, and blessed for evermore; but by proclaiming and congratulating his blessedness, and by giving him thanks for all mercies, spiritual and temporal: and all that is within me, bless his holy name; meaning not only all within his body, his heart, reins, lungs, c. but all within his soul, all the powers and faculties of it his understanding, will, affections, and judgment; and all the grace that was wrought in him, faith, hope, love, joy, and the like; these he would have all concerned and employed in praising the name of the Lord; which is exalted above all blessing and praise; is great and glorious in all the earth, by reason of his works wrought, and blessings of goodness bestowed; and which appears to be holy in them all, as it does in the works of creation, providence, and redemption; at the remembrance of which holiness thanks should be given; for he that is glorious in holiness is fearful in praises, Psalms 97:12. 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. Second Reading Commentary on Romans 14:1-12 How he pitiesas a father pities his children, and does them good as there is occasion. He has perpetuated his covenant-mercy and thereby provided relief for our frailty, v. 15-18. The work requires the inward man, the whole man, and all little enough. And if they said if we evolved from the tadpole, surely they must know. The distance of about 12,500 miles, that is, unless you are going straight through. 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. He knew that I was but dust. 2. 34:6, 7; Num. STROPHE DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS. Many-sided is the character of our heavenly Father, for, having forgiven as a judge, he then cures as a physician. 13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. Compare Numbers 6:23-27. 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. It contains no requests. to those that reverence him ( Psalms 103:17 ). 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, . Ps 103:1-22. The Lord has saved us with a great salvation, shall we render no recompense? Psalm 103:1. WebMatthew Henry's Commentary on Psalm 103:1-4 Commentary on Psalm 103:1-5 (Read Psalm 103:1-5) By the pardon of sin, that is taken away which kept good things from us, and we are restored to the favor of God, who bestows good things on us. He considereth the frailty of man, Psalm 103:15,16; and showeth Gods everlasting mercy to his covenanted ones, Psalm 103:17-19. And I don't think that they know what they are talking about, in many realms, and they've confessed that now. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction ( Psalms 103:3-4 ); who crowns thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies ( Psalms 103:4 ); You see, it isn't just a negative thing. Think of the provocation; it was sin, and yet pardoned: how many the provocations, yet all pardoned! Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament. Observe that he calls all that is within him to remember all the Lord's benefits. WebHe touches the hills, and they smoke. Reader, have we not cause enough at this time to bless him who blesses us? 2 O my soul, come, praise the Etern All rights reserved. 12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. WebPsalm 103. Praise for the Lord s Mercies. We must fear the Lord and his goodness. The prophet, by stirring up himself to gratitude, gives by his own example a lesson to every man of the duty incumbent upon him. The Psalmist strikes the best key-note when he begins with stirring up his inmost self to magnify the Lord. Christians more frequently turn to this psalm than to any other. Psalm 103:12 King James Version (KJV 1900) 12 As far as the east is from the west, So far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Let me at Satan, you know." For all the saints. Psalm 103, a masterful and well-loved composition, is classified as an Individual Hymn of Thanksgiving, a psalm in which a single voice praises God for Gods goodness to or on behalf of that individual, usually for deliverance from some trying situation. Interesting that he said as far as the east is from the west, rather than as far the north is from the south. 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." Those angels that are the ministers of God, doing His will, His pleasure. As far as our days, we are as the grass: or like a flower in the field ( Psalms 103:15 ). Thus fairly does God deal with us. Bless the LORD, all his works in all of the places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul ( Psalms 103:17-22 ). Come on out and fight." Come, let us read our diaries and see if there be not choice favours recorded there for which we have rendered no grateful return. "And all that is within me, bless his holy name." 1.Bless Jehovah, O my soul! I. How man worships the body. The name of ingrate is one of the most shameful that a man can wear; surely we cannot be content to run the risk of such a brand. God is still forgiving, as we are still sinning and repenting. It is his honour to humble the proud and help the helpless. February 27, 2023. It is a continued act; he is still forgiving, as we are still sinning and repenting. By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from Bible Gateway, a division of The Zondervan Corporation, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA, including commercial communications and messages from partners of Bible Gateway. 19The Lord has established His throne in heaven,And (P)His kingdom rules over all. But you can start off tonight flying east, and you'll fly east the rest of your life, if you don't change directions. Here is, I. Bless, &c.when God is the object, praise. High as the heaven is above the earth. 5. And as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us ( Psalms 103:11-12 ). Scripture taken from the New King James Version. 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. 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. 3. The Christian life is far from a negative experience and too many people are only emphasizing the negative aspects. 4. 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 given thee true pleasure: He satisfies thy mouth with good things" (Psalms 103:5; Psalms 103:5); 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. And secondly, He pities us, just like a father pities his child. port authority to monticello bus / thanksgiving at the abbey resort / antithetic parallelism in psalms. Try Bible Gateway Plus free today! The old body cult. 7:18], [2 Sam. He concludes by invoking all creatures to unite in his song. 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. Nothing but divine wisdom can undertake to fill its treasures (Proverbs 8:21); other things will surfeit, but not satiate,Ecclesiastes 6:7; Isaiah 55:2. 15As for man, (L)his days are like grass;As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.16(M)For the wind passes over it, and it is [b]gone,And (N)its place remembers it no more.17But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlastingOn those who fear Him,And His righteousness to childrens children,18(O)To such as keep His covenant,And to those who remember His commandments to do them. And all that is within me, bless his holy name. Password. Observe, I. And you better perhaps read the fourteenth chapter of the book of Revelation, when the cup of the indignation of the wrath of God is overflowing and He pours out His judgment upon this Christ-rejecting earth. WebVerses 1-22. Bless the Lord, O my soul - The word bless, as applied to God, means to praise, implying always a strong affection for him as well as a sense of gratitude. Enduring Word Bible Commentary Psalm 103 Psalm 103 Bless the LORD, O My Soul This psalm is simply titled A Psalm of David. We dont know the circumstances in which it was written, but since David was a man who knew the grace and deliverance of God many times, it could have been written at many different times of his life. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. But to his justice he adds his mercy, by which sinners may be forgiven (9-12). A Psalm of David.. 1 Bless a the Lord, O my soul; . 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. 2. WebPsalm 103 NKJV 1 Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! "Who healeth all thy diseases." "As high is the heavens is above the earth." 21 Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure. I haven't been down to Newport for a long time. [Ex. So I'm glad that he said as far as the east is from the west, rather than as far as the north is from the south, because I want my sins farther away than the north from the south. See Isa 40 6, 7. 2. God understands human weakness and he is kind to those who fear him (13-14).Life is short and uncertain, but people can enjoy the everlasting blessings of Gods steadfast love if they are faithfully obedient (15-18). II. Or you can start flying due west, and you'll be flying west the rest of your life. 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. 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. 103:1-5 By the pardon of sin, that is taken away which kept good things from us, and we are restored to the favor of God, who bestows good things on us. ], This popular Davidic psalm of individual thanksgiving reviews Gods mercies and expresses confident hope in His covenant promises. WebMatthew Henry's Commentary on Psalm 103:1-4 Commentary on Psalm 103:1-5 (Read Psalm 103:1-5) By the pardon of sin, that is taken away which kept good things from us, and we are restored to the favor of God, who bestows good things on us. 33 I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. So for a time, for a moment, we may flourish, But when the wind passes over it, the grass, the flower is gone, and the place of it remembers it no more. All rights reserved. The God of the Old Testament is vengeful and wrathful and murderous and so forth. We are not to forget them. d Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender The superscription identifies this as a Psalm of David; and, "Nothing in it forbids the supposition that he was the author. (2.) "So that thy youth is renewed like the eagle" (Psalms 103:5). Bless the LORD, O my soul ( Psalms 103:1 ): Now this is a command of David, or a command of David, the psalmist to himself. 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. This is a perfect psalm, suitable to all times and situations. The facts are changing, the facts of science seem to often change, but that is totally inconsistent. 35 May sinners be consumed from the earth, ", "This [Psalms 103] is perhaps the best-known and best-loved of all the hymns." Now wait a minute. my soulmyself (Ps 3:3; 25:1), with allusion to the act, as one of intelligence. 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. What's wrong, soul? 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 (Matt 18 10), that they may take the first intimation of his mind. God has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting ( Psalms 103:17 ). yet more and more. The soul of man was made to praise and bless God; to enjoy his friendship; to delight in his favor; to contemplate his perfections. Now there is some scientific discussion as to just how high that might be. Let others bless themselves and their idols, but do thou bless the Lord. 2. In short, the blessed angels are glorious attendants upon the blessed God. (2.) Think of the provocation; it was sin, and yet pardoned: how many the provocations, yet all pardoned! 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