Psalms 103:9-12

103:9 He does not always accuse,

and does not stay angry. ¹ 

103:10 He does not deal with us as our sins deserve; ² 

he does not repay us as our misdeeds deserve. ³ 

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

so his loyal love towers ⁴  over his faithful followers. ⁵ 

103:12 As far as the eastern horizon ⁶  is from the west, ⁷ 

so he removes the guilt of our rebellious actions ⁸  from us.

[103:9]  ¹ tn The Hebrew verb נָטַר (natar) is usually taken to mean “to keep; to guard,” with “anger” being understood by ellipsis. The idiom “to guard anger” is then understood to mean “to remain angry” (see Lev 19:18; Jer 3:5, 12; Nah 1:2). However, it is possible that this is a homonymic root meaning “to be angry” (see HALOT 695 s.v. נטר).

[103:10]  ² tn Heb “not according to our sins does he do to us.”

[103:10]  ³ tn Heb “and not according to our misdeeds does he repay us.”

[103:11]  ⁴ tn For this sense of the verb גָבַר (gavar), see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 17, 19.

[103:11]  ⁵ tn Heb “those who fear him.”

[103:12]  ⁶ tn Heb “sunrise.”

[103:12]  ⁷ tn Or “sunset.”

[103:12]  ⁸ tn The Hebrew term פֶּשַׁע (pesha’, rebellious act”) is here used metonymically for the guilt such actions produce.