
Text -- Psalms 103:17 (NET)




Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics



collapse allCommentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)
JFB -> Psa 103:17-18
For similar contrast compare Psa 90:2-6; Psa 102:27-28.
Clarke -> Psa 103:17; Psa 103:17
Clarke: Psa 103:17 - -- The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting - חסד chesed signifies more particularly the exuberant goodness of God. This is an at...
The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting -

Clarke: Psa 103:17 - -- Unto children’ s children - It is still in force, and the doctrine of reconciliation through Christ shall continue to be preached till the conc...
Unto children’ s children - It is still in force, and the doctrine of reconciliation through Christ shall continue to be preached till the conclusion of time.
Calvin -> Psa 103:17
Calvin: Psa 103:17 - -- 17.But the goodness of Jehovah, etc The Psalmist leaves nothing to men to rely upon but the mercy of God; for it would be egregious folly to seek a g...
17.But the goodness of Jehovah, etc The Psalmist leaves nothing to men to rely upon but the mercy of God; for it would be egregious folly to seek a ground of confidence in themselves. After having shown the utter emptiness of men, he adds the seasonable consolation, that, although they have no intrinsic excellence, which does not vanish into smoke, yet God is an inexhaustible fountain of life, to supply their wants. This contrast is to be particularly observed; for whom does he thus divest of all excellence? The faithful who are regenerated by the Spirit of God, and who worship him with true devotion, these are the persons whom he leaves nothing on which their hope may rest but the mere goodness of God. As the Divine goodness is everlasting, the weakness and frailty of the faithful does not prevent them from boasting of eternal salvation to the close of life, and even in death itself. David does not confine their hope within the limits of time — he views it as commensurate in duration with the grace on which it is founded. To goodness is subjoined righteousness, a word, as we have had occasion frequently to observe before, denoting the protection by which God defends and preserves his own people. He is then called righteous, not because he rewards every man according to his desert, but because he deals faithfully with his saints, in spreading the hand of his protection over them. The Prophet has properly placed this righteousness after goodness, as being the effect of goodness. He also asserts that it extends to the children and children’s children, according to these words in Deu 7:9, “God keepeth mercy to a thousand generations.” It is a singular proof of his love that he not only receives each of us individually into his favor, but also herein associates with us our offspring, as it were by hereditary right, that they may be partakers of the same adoption. How shall He cast us off, who, in receiving our children and children’s children into his protection, shows to us in their persons how precious our salvation is in his sight?
TSK -> Psa 103:17
TSK: Psa 103:17 - -- the mercy : Psa 89:1, Psa 89:2, Psa 100:5, Psa 118:1, 136:1-26; Jer 31:3; Rom 8:28-30; Eph 1:4-8; Eph 2:4-7; 2Th 2:13, 2Th 2:14; 2Ti 1:9
his righteous...
the mercy : Psa 89:1, Psa 89:2, Psa 100:5, Psa 118:1, 136:1-26; Jer 31:3; Rom 8:28-30; Eph 1:4-8; Eph 2:4-7; 2Th 2:13, 2Th 2:14; 2Ti 1:9
his righteousness : Psa 22:31; Isa 46:13, Isa 51:6; Dan 9:24; Mic 6:5; Rom 1:17, Rom 3:21-25; 2Pe 1:1
unto children’ s : Psa 90:16; Exo 20:6; Deu 10:15; Isa 41:8; Jer 33:24-26; Act 13:32-34; Rom 15:8

collapse allCommentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)
Barnes -> Psa 103:17
Barnes: Psa 103:17 - -- But the mercy of the Lord - The favor of the Lord; or, his loving-kindness. Is from everlasting to everlasting - Is from the eternity pas...
But the mercy of the Lord - The favor of the Lord; or, his loving-kindness.
Is from everlasting to everlasting - Is from the eternity past to the eternity to come. It had its foundation in the eternal decrees of God; it has its security in his purpose that where it is conferred, it shall not be withdrawn. It had no beginning; it will have no end. There never was a period in the past when it was not the purpose of God to save his people; there never will be a period in the future when it will be said that his saving mercy has ceased. It would be difficult to think of a statement which would at the same time, in so few words, confirm at once the doctrine of the divine decrees, and the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints. If either of these doctrines is denied, then what is here stated by the psalmist is not true: if the doctrine of the divine decrees is denied, then his purpose of mercy had a beginning, and is not "from everlasting;"if the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints is denied, then his mercy has an end, and is not "to everlasting."
Upon them that fear him - In respect to those who are his true worshippers, or his true people.
And his righteousness - His righteous purpose; or, his purpose in regard to their "becoming"righteous.
Unto children’ s children - literally, "sons of sons."That is, his purposes embrace the children and children’ s children of the righteous; or, they are included in the covenant of mercy. See the notes at Act 2:39. Compare Exo 20:6.
Poole -> Psa 103:17
Poole: Psa 103:17 - -- But though we quickly decay and perish, yet God’ s mercy to us doth not die with us; but as it was from eternity exercised in gracious purposes...
But though we quickly decay and perish, yet God’ s mercy to us doth not die with us; but as it was from eternity exercised in gracious purposes, so it will be continued unto eternity in that future and endless life.
Upon them that fear him: see before on Psa 103:11 . His righteousness ; either his faithfulness, or (that this branch may answer to the former) his mercy or benignity; this word being frequently used in both these senses, as hath been proved before. But it is here called righteousness, to intimate that God’ s kindness to the posterity of his people is not only an act of his goodness, but also a discharge of his obligation under which he put himself to them, as elsewhere, so Exo 20:6 , to which this place seems to relate. Hence it is called mercy to Abraham and truth to Jacob , Mic 7:20 .
Haydock -> Psa 103:17
Haydock: Psa 103:17 - -- Sparrows, or "birds" (Psalm ci. 8.; Haydock) in general. (Berthier) ---
Highest; or, literally, "the tribe of the heron is their leader," (Haydock...
Sparrows, or "birds" (Psalm ci. 8.; Haydock) in general. (Berthier) ---
Highest; or, literally, "the tribe of the heron is their leader," (Haydock) first making their nests. Septuagint seem to have read better than the present Hebrew, "the stork, the fir-trees are its house." (Berthier)
Gill -> Psa 103:17
Gill: Psa 103:17 - -- But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him,.... In opposition to the frailty of man, the stability and durat...
But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him,.... In opposition to the frailty of man, the stability and duration of the mercy of God is observed. This reaches from one eternity to another; it is from everlasting in the heart of God: it appeared in the choice of the vessels of mercy; in the covenant of grace, which is founded upon it, and filled with it; every blessing of which flows from it, and therefore are called the "sure mercies of David". And it appears in time in the regeneration of God's elect, which is according to his abundant mercy; in the forgiveness of their sins, which is according to the multitude of his tender mercies; and in their whole salvation, which is by that, and not by works of righteousness; and will endure for ever, for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ is unto eternal life. It reaches from the world past to the world to come, as the Targum; and it is so "upon them that fear" the Lord; not with a servile, but a filial fear; a fear of the Lord and his goodness; which only is consistent with the grace and mercy of God, and a sense of it: not that the fear of God is the cause of mercy or grace; but, on the contrary, grace and mercy are the cause of the fear of God; which is a blessing of the covenant of grace, and one of the first things which appear in conversion; but this properly describes the persons who openly and manifestly share in the grace or mercy of God, and to whom he manifests it yet more and more; nor have any reason to believe they are the objects of it, until the true fear of God is wrought in their hearts; and, besides, this character may be given to show that the mercy and grace of God are not limited to the Israelites only, but belong to such of all nations that fear the Lord.
And his righteousness unto children's children; not the essential righteousness of God, but rather his faithfulness in the performance of his promises, which he will not suffer to fail: the justifying righteousness of Christ is here meant; which is an everlasting one, and is unto and upon all them that believe, in all successive generations; which is meant by the phrase of "children's children", even the spiritual seed of Christ, the seed of the church, the seed of Israel; to all and each of which, in every age, the word of God comes, and his promises are fulfilled; and who are justified by and glory in Christ, their righteousness; and who are further described in the next verse, which shows that not the carnal seed of them that fear the Lord are meant.

expand allCommentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes
NET Notes -> Psa 103:17; Psa 103:17
Geneva Bible -> Psa 103:17
Geneva Bible: Psa 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 ) H...

expand allCommentary -- Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis -> Psa 103:1-22
TSK Synopsis: Psa 103:1-22 - --1 An exhortation to bless God for his mercy,15 and for the constancy thereof.
MHCC -> Psa 103:15-18
MHCC: Psa 103:15-18 - --How short is man's life, and uncertain! The flower of the garden is commonly more choice, and will last the longer, for being sheltered by the garden-...
Matthew Henry -> Psa 103:6-18
Matthew Henry: Psa 103:6-18 - -- Hitherto the psalmist had only looked back upon his own experiences and thence fetched matter for praise; here he looks abroad and takes notice of h...
Keil-Delitzsch -> Psa 103:15-18
Keil-Delitzsch: Psa 103:15-18 - --
The figure of the grass recalls Psa 90:5., cf. Isa 40:6-8; Isa 51:12; that of the flower, Job 14:2. אנושׁ is man as a mortal being; his life's ...
Constable: Psa 90:1--106:48 - --IV. Book 4: chs. 90--106
Moses composed one of the psalms in this section of the Psalter (Ps. 90). David wrote t...

Constable: Psa 103:1-22 - --Psalm 103
This popular Davidic psalm reviews God's mercies and expresses confident hope in His covenant ...

Constable: Psa 103:6-18 - --2. Testimony to God's compassion to His people 103:6-18
103:6-8 Verse 6 is a topic sentence that introduces what follows. Verses 7 and 8 describe God'...
