H2 L 1-5. Exhortation to bless.
M 6,7. Yahaveh's kingdom. Israel.
N 8. Merciful goodness.
O 9. Sparing goodness. Time.
P 10. Pardoning goodness.
P 11-13. Pardoning goodness.
O 14-16. Sparing goodness. Time.
N 17,18. Merciful goodness.
M 19. Yahaveh's kingdom. Universal.
L 20-22. Exhortation to bless.
Psalm 103)
1 Bless the LORD (Yahaveh Himself), O me myself:
And all that is within me, bless His holy (see Ex.3:5) name.
2 Bless the LORD, O me myself,
And forget not any of His dealings:
3 Who passes over all your iniquities;
Who heals all your diseases;
4 Who redeems your life (i.e. as kinsman redeemer. See Ex. 6:6; 13:13) from destruction;
Who crowns you with loving-kindness and compassions;
5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things;
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
6 The LORD executes righteousness
And judgment for all that are oppressed.
7 He made known His ways to Moses, (I.e. the reasons of His acts to Moses.)
His acts to the sons of Israel. (I.e. the acts visible to the People.)
8 The LORD is compassionate (or pitiful, cp. v.13) and gracious,
Long-suffering, and plenteous in loving-kindness (or grace).
9 He will not always chide:
Neither will He keep His anger for ever.
10 He has 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 mighty is (or has prevailed) His loving-kindness upon them that revere Him.
12 As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
13 Like as a father pities his sons,
So the LORD pities them that revere Him.
14 For He knows our formation;
He remembers that we are dust. (Cp. Isa. 29:16; 45:9,10: i.e. God remembers what man forgets [i.e. our infirmities]; and He forgets what man remembers [i.e. our sins]. See Isa. 43:25; 44:22. Jer. 31:34. Cp. Isa. 55:8.)
15 As for man, his days are as grass:
As a flower of the field, so he flourish.
16 For the wind passes over it, and there is no sign of it;
And the place thereof shall recognize it no more.
17 But (blessed contrast) the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that revere Him,
And His righteousness to son's sons;
18 To such as keep His covenant,
And to those that remember His commandments to do them.
19 The LORD has established His throne in the heavens;
And His kingdom rules over all.
20 Bless the LORD, you His angels,
That are mighty in strength, that do His commandments,
Hearkening to the voice of His word.
21 Bless you the LORD, all you His hosts;
You ministers (i.e. angels. See Heb. 1:14) of His, that do His pleasure.
22 Bless the LORD, all His works
In all places of His sovereignty:
Bless the LORD, O my soul.