Psalm 103: A Call to Praise the Lord who is worthy

Of David.

[Preliminary Comments: David stirs himself up to praise the Lord, who is worthy because of all He does. The Lord’s activity is declared [v.3-7] and the nature & extent of His love [v.8-14,17,18] Mankind may be frail and transient [v.15,16] but the Lord is the eternal ruler over all things [v.19] and so the psalmist concludes with a call to all to praise the Lord [v.20-22]. A psalm of the greatness of the Lord and a call to praise Him.]

v.1 David challenges himself to praise the Lord for all His goodness

v.1 Praise the Lord, my soul;
    all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

v.2 Praise the Lord, my soul,
    and forget not all his benefits –

v.3-7 He lists the things the Lord does

v.3 who forgives all your sins
    and heals all your diseases,

v.4 who redeems your life from the pit
    and crowns you with love and compassion,

v.5 who satisfies your desires with good things
    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

v.6 The Lord works righteousness
    and justice for all the oppressed.

v.7 He made known his ways to Moses,
    his deeds to the people of Israel:

v.8-10 The Lord’s nature

v.8 the Lord is compassionate and gracious,
    slow to anger, abounding in love.

v.9 He will not always accuse,
    nor will he harbor his anger for ever;

v.10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve
    or repay us according to our iniquities.

v.11,12 The extent of His love and forgiveness

v.11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
    so great is his love for those who fear him;

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

v.13,14 His compassion & understanding

v.13 As a father has compassion on his children,
    so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;

v.14 for he knows how we are formed,
    he remembers that we are dust.

v.15,16 The frailty of mankind

v.15 The life of mortals is like grass,
    they flourish like a flower of the field;

v.16 the wind blows over it and it is gone,
    and its place remembers it no more.

v.17,18 Again the extent of the Lord’s love [& conditions to receive it]

v.17 But from everlasting to everlasting
    the Lord’s love is with those who fear him,
    and his righteousness with their children’s children –

v.18 with those who keep his covenant
    and remember to obey his precepts.

v.19 The Lord’s sovereign rule

v.19 The Lord has established his throne in heaven,
    and his kingdom rules over all.

v.20-22 A Call to heaven & earth (& himself)  to praise the Lord

v.20 Praise the Lord, you his angels,
    you mighty ones who do his bidding,
    who obey his word.

v.21 Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts,
    you his servants who do his will.

v.22 Praise the Lord, all his works
    everywhere in his dominion.

Praise the Lord, my soul.

[Additional Comments: Note all the things the psalmist says about the Lord that make Him worthy of our praise.]

For those who may wish to make a study of this chapter, to perhaps think some more about what you have been reading, use the link below: