Psalms 103:13-22

Context

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 realizes⁴ 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 wind⁷ 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 regions¹⁶ of his kingdom!

Praise the Lord, O my soul!

[103:13] ¹tn Or “sons,” but the Hebrew term sometimes refers to children in general.

[103:13] ²tn Heb “those who fear him.”

[103:14] ³tn Heb “our form.”

[103:14] ⁴tn Heb “remembers.”

[103:14] ⁵tn Heb “we [are] clay.”

[103:15] ⁶tn 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] ⁷tn Heb “[the] wind.” The word “hot” is supplied in the translation for clarification.

[103:17] ⁸tn Heb “but the loyal love of the Lord [is] from everlasting to everlasting over those who fear him.”

[103:17] ⁹tn Heb “and his righteousness to sons of sons.”

[103:18] ¹⁰tn Heb “to those who remember his precepts to do them.”

[103:19] ¹¹tn Heb “his kingdom rules over all.”

[103:20] ¹²tn Heb “[you] mighty ones of strength, doers of his word, by listening to the voice of his word.”

[103:21] ¹³tn Heb “all his hosts.”

[103:21] ¹⁴tn Heb “his attendants, doers of his desire.”

[103:22] ¹⁵tn Heb “all his works,” which includes mankind.

[103:22] ¹⁶tn Heb “places.”