SUBJECT:   Psalm 103:1-6

QUESTION:  What is the meaning of these verses?

ANSWER:

First the verses:

Psalm 103:1-6

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.

This is one of the most beloved Psalms.  Thought to have been written in David’s old age, summarizing God’s dealings with him.

Here is the complete commentary on these 6 verses:

Psalm103:1; Psalm103:2; Psalm103:3; Psalm103:4; Psalm103:5; Psalm103:6
 

Psalms 103:1

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

Verse 1. [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. As used with reference to people, the word implies a "wish" that they may be blessed or happy, accompanied often with a prayer that they may be so. Such is the purport of the "blessing" addressed to a congregation of worshippers. Compare Num 6:23-27. The word "soul" here is equivalent to mind or heart: my mental and moral powers, as capable of understanding and appreciating his favors. The soul of man was "made" to praise and bless God; to enjoy his friendship; to delight in his favor; to contemplate his perfections. It can never be employed in a more appropriate or a more elevated act than when engaged in his praise.

[And all that is within me ...] All my powers and faculties; all that can be employed in his praise: the heart, the will, the affections, the emotions. The idea is, that God is worthy of all the praise and adoration which the entire man can render. No one of his faculties or powers should be exempt from the duty and the privilege of praise.

Psalms 103:2

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

[Bless the LORD, O my soul] The repetition here denotes the intensity or earnestness of the wish or desire of the psalmist. It is an emphatic calling upon his soul, that is, himself, never to forget the many favors which God was continually conferring upon him.

[And forget not all his benefits] Any of his favors. This refers not to those favors in the aggregate, but it is a call to remember them in particular. The word rendered "benefits"-gªmuwl (OT:1576)-means properly an act, work, doing, whether good or evil, Psalm137:8; and then, "desert," or what a man deserves "for" his act; "recompence." It is rendered "deserving" in Judg 9:16; benefit, as here, in 2 Chron 32:25; "desert," Psalm28:4; "reward," Psalm94:2; Isa 3:11; Obad 15; "recompence," Prov 12:14; Isa 35:4; 59:18; 66:6; Jer 51:6; Lam 3:64; Joel 3:4,7. The proper reference here is to the divine "dealings,"-to what God had done-as a reason for blessing his name. His "dealings" with the psalmist had been such as to call for praise and gratitude. What those "dealings" particularly were he specifies in the following verses. The call here on his soul is not to forget these divine dealings, as laying the foundation for praise. We shall find, when we reach the end of life, that all which God has done, however dark and mysterious it may have appeared at the time, was so connected with our good as to make it a proper subject of praise and thanksgiving.

Psalms 103:3

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

[Who forgiveth all thine iniquities] Pardoning all thy sins. That is, It is a characteristic of God to pardon sin, and I have evidence that he has done it in my own case, and this is a ground for praise. It is observable that this is the first thing in view of the psalmist-the first of the "benefits" which he had received from God, or the first thing in importance among his acts or his dealings, which called for praise. Properly considered, this is the first thing which calls for praise. That God is a merciful God-that he has declared his willingness to pardon sin-that he has devised and revealed a way by which this can be done, and that he has actually done it in our own case, is the most important matter for which we should praise him. When we understand all the things which most affect our welfare, and which enter most deeply into our happiness here and hereafter, we shall find that this is a blessing compared with which all other favors are comparative trifles.

[Who healeth all thy diseases] Perhaps, in the case of the psalmist, referring to some particular instance in which he had been recovered from dangerous sickness. The word rendered "diseases"-tachalu'aayªkiy (OT:8463)-occurs only in the plural form. It is translated "sicknesses," in Deut 29:22; "diseases," as here, in 2 Chron 21:19; "them that are sick," in Jer 14:18; and "grievous (deaths)" in Jer 16:4. It does not elsewhere occur. It is applicable to all forms of sickness; or in this place it may refer to some particular diseases with which David had been afflicted. We have several allusions in the Psalms to times when the authors of the psalms were afflicted with sickness. So in the Psalms of David. Compare Psalm6:2; 38:7; 41:8. The thought here is, that it is a proper ground of praise to God that he has the power of healing disease. All instances of restoration to health are illustrations of this, for whatever may be the skill of physicians, or the wise adaptation of means, healing virtue comes from God alone.

Psalms 103:4

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

[Who redeemeth thy life from destruction] That is, who saves it from death when exposed to danger, or when attacked by disease. The word "destruction" or "corruption" here is equivalent to the grave, since it is there that the body returns to corruption. Compare the notes at Psalm16:10.

[Who crowneth thee] The idea here is not merely that God is the source of these blessings, but that there is something of beauty, of dignity, of honor, as in the conferring of a crown or garland on anyone. Compare the notes at Psalm65:11.

[With loving-kindness and tender mercies] mercy and compassions. God showed mercy to him-evinced compassion-and these were so abundant that they might be said to be the crown or ornament of his life.

Psalms 103:5

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

[Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things] The word translated "thy mouth" here is rendered in the Chaldee "thy age;" in the Arabic, the Septuagint, and the Latin Vulgate, "thy desire;" in the Syriac, "thy body;" DeWette renders it, "thy age." So also Tholuck. The Hebrew word-`adiy (OT:5716)-is rendered "ornaments" in Ex 33:4-6; 2 Sam 1:24; Isa 49:18; Jer 2:32; 4:30; Ezek 7:20; 16:11,17 (margin,); 23:40; and "mouth" in Psalm32:9, as here. These are the only places in which it occurs. Gesenius renders it here "age," and supposes that it stands in contrast with the word "youth" in the other part of the verse. The connection would seem to demand this, though it is difficult to make it out from any usage of the Hebrew word. Professor Alexander renders it "thy soul"-from the supposition that the Hebrew word "ornament" is used as if in reference to the idea that the "soul" is the chief glory or ornament of man. This seems, however, to be a very forced explanation. I confess myself unable to determine the meaning.

[So that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's] Compare Isa 40:31. The allusion, to which there is supposed to be a reference here, is explained in the notes at that passage. Whatever may be true in regard to the supposed fact pertaining to the eagle, about its renewing its strength and vigor in old age, the meaning here is simply that the strength of the psalmist in old age became like the strength of the eagle. Sustained by the bounty of God in his old age he became, as it were, young again.

Psalms 103:6

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

[The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment] That is, "justice." He sees that justice is done to the oppressed. He is on their side. His law, his commands, his judicial decisions, his providential interpositions, are in their favor. This does not mean that it will he done at once; or that there will never be any delay; or that they may not suffer even for a long time-for this occurs in fact; but the meaning is, that God has their true interest at heart; that at proper times, and whenever and wherever there are any dealings of his in the case, his acts are in favor of those that are oppressed; and that there will be sooner or later such interpositions in their behalf as shall entirely vindicate their cause.

[For all that are oppressed] By harsh laws; by unjust governments; by slavery; by unrighteous decisions in courts; by the pride and power of wicked people. Compare the notes at Isa 1:17,23-27. ~from Barnes' Notes

 
back to the top