Psalms 103:11-22

Context

103:11 For as the skies are high above the earth,

so his loyal love towers¹ over his faithful followers.²

103:12 As far as the eastern horizon³ is from the west,⁴

so he removes the guilt of our rebellious actions⁵ from us.

103:13 As a father has compassion on his children,⁶

so the Lord has compassion on his faithful followers.⁷

103:14 For he knows what we are made of;⁸

he realizes⁹ we are made of clay.¹⁰

103:15 A person’s life is like grass.¹¹

Like a flower in the field it flourishes,

103:16 but when the hot wind¹² 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,¹³

and is faithful to their descendants,¹⁴

103:18 to those who keep his covenant,

who are careful to obey his commands.¹⁵

103:19 The Lord has established his throne in heaven;

his kingdom extends over everything.¹⁶

103:20 Praise the Lord, you angels of his,

you powerful warriors who carry out his decrees

and obey his orders!¹⁷

103:21 Praise the Lord, all you warriors of his,¹⁸

you servants of his who carry out his desires!¹⁹

103:22 Praise the Lord, all that he has made,²⁰

in all the regions²¹ of his kingdom!

Praise the Lord, O my soul!

[103:11] ¹tn For this sense of the verb גָבַר (gavar), see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 17, 19.

[103:11] ²tn Heb “those who fear him.”

[103:12] ³tn Heb “sunrise.”

[103:12] ⁴tn Or “sunset.”

[103:12] ⁵tn The Hebrew term פֶּשַׁע (pesha’, rebellious act”) is here used metonymically for the guilt such actions produce.

[103:13] ⁵tn Or “sons,” but the Hebrew term sometimes refers to children in general.

[103:13] ⁶tn Heb “those who fear him.”

[103:14] ⁷tn Heb “our form.”

[103:14] ⁸tn Heb “remembers.”

[103:14] ⁹tn Heb “we [are] clay.”

[103:15] ⁹tn 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] ¹¹tn Heb “[the] wind.” The word “hot” is supplied in the translation for clarification.

[103:17] ¹³tn Heb “but the loyal love of the Lord [is] from everlasting to everlasting over those who fear him.”

[103:17] ¹⁴tn Heb “and his righteousness to sons of sons.”

[103:18] ¹⁵tn Heb “to those who remember his precepts to do them.”

[103:19] ¹⁷tn Heb “his kingdom rules over all.”

[103:20] ¹⁹tn Heb “[you] mighty ones of strength, doers of his word, by listening to the voice of his word.”

[103:21] ²¹tn Heb “all his hosts.”

[103:21] ²²tn Heb “his attendants, doers of his desire.”

[103:22] ²³tn Heb “all his works,” which includes mankind.

[103:22] ²⁴tn Heb “places.”