Psalms 103:14-18

Context

103:14 For he knows what we are made of;¹

he realizes² we are made of clay.³

103:15 A person’s life is like grass.⁴

Like a flower in the field it flourishes,

103:16 but when the hot wind⁵ 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,⁶

and is faithful to their descendants,⁷

103:18 to those who keep his covenant,

who are careful to obey his commands.⁸

[103:14] ¹tn Heb “our form.”

[103:14] ²tn Heb “remembers.”

[103:14] ³tn Heb “we [are] clay.”

[103:15] ⁴tn 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.

[103:16] ⁵tn Heb “[the] wind.” The word “hot” is supplied in the translation for clarification.

[103:17] ⁶tn Heb “but the loyal love of the Lord [is] from everlasting to everlasting over those who fear him.”

[103:17] ⁷tn Heb “and his righteousness to sons of sons.”

[103:18] ⁸tn Heb “to those who remember his precepts to do them.”