103:13 As a father has compassion on his children, 1
so the Lord has compassion on his faithful followers. 2
103:14 For he knows what we are made of; 3
he realizes 4 we are made of clay. 5
103:15 A person’s life is like grass. 6
Like a flower in the field it flourishes,
103:16 but when the hot wind 7 blows by, it disappears,
and one can no longer even spot the place where it once grew.
103:17 But the Lord continually shows loyal love to his faithful followers, 8
and is faithful to their descendants, 9
103:18 to those who keep his covenant,
who are careful to obey his commands. 10
103:19 The Lord has established his throne in heaven;
his kingdom extends over everything. 11
103:20 Praise the Lord, you angels of his,
you powerful warriors who carry out his decrees
and obey his orders! 12
103:21 Praise the Lord, all you warriors of his, 13
you servants of his who carry out his desires! 14
103:22 Praise the Lord, all that he has made, 15
in all the regions 16 of his kingdom!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
1 tn Or “sons,” but the Hebrew term sometimes refers to children in general.
2 tn Heb “those who fear him.”
3 tn Heb “our form.”
4 tn Heb “remembers.”
5 tn Heb “we [are] clay.”
6 tn Heb “[as for] mankind, like grass [are] his days.” The Hebrew noun אֱנוֹשׁ (’enosh) is used here generically of human beings. What is said is true of all mankind.
7 tn Heb “[the] wind.” The word “hot” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
8 tn Heb “but the loyal love of the
9 tn Heb “and his righteousness to sons of sons.”
10 tn Heb “to those who remember his precepts to do them.”
11 tn Heb “his kingdom rules over all.”
12 tn Heb “[you] mighty ones of strength, doers of his word, by listening to the voice of his word.”
13 tn Heb “all his hosts.”
14 tn Heb “his attendants, doers of his desire.”
15 tn Heb “all his works,” which includes mankind.
16 tn Heb “places.”