Original Meaning
Blessing Yahweh (103:1–2)
PRAISE THE LORD, MY SOUL. The opening words of the psalm serve as a reminder to one’s self. The command is to “bless Yahweh” (v. 1, rightly translated “praise” in the NIV). John Eaton reminds us that the Hebrew verb “to bless” (barak) is the “word for praise most warm with gratitude.”1
As always, the Lord is the object of praise, but, unusually, here the addressee is neither Israel nor the nations, for the psalmist is speaking to himself.2
The reminder to his own “soul” to praise the Lord is a personalized call to worship. Just as the psalmists will frequently call Israel, the priesthood, or Yahweh’s followers to give thanks (Ps 118:2–3), or call the nations and peoples to praise him (Ps 117:1), so here the poet addresses his very inner being with the call to praise the Lord (Ps 103:1).3
The essence of this unusual call to worship is twofold. First, Yahweh is inherently worthy of individual, personal praise, and second, it is easy to forget that truth. The call to bless “his holy name” gives the reader an indication of the basis of that praise. The name (shem) in the Hebrew mindset is a reference to the essential being and character of an individual.4
The poet reminds the reader that Yahweh’s essential character is holy. He is different from the rest of the created order, and that uniqueness is celebrated with a particular focus in the remaining verses of the psalm.
Forget not all his benefits. The repetition of the call to praise in verse 2 is cast with the challenge not to forget the “benefits” that life with God brings.5
The explicit, negative command not to forget affirms the implication in the opening verse. The poet addresses his heart with this call to worship because it is easy to forget in our inner being the many reasons we have to praise God. “Benefits” sounds mercenary, yet the psalmist is unashamed in presenting the reader with a vivid reminder that good things result from loving God. The idea of “benefits” can imply “recompense” or “reward,” but the focus of the remainder of the psalm is on unmerited blessing received from God’s hand.
Bridging Contexts
THEOLOGY AND THE EXPERIENCE OF GOD. The absolute lordship of God is a consistent theme throughout the psalms of Book 4 (Pss 90–106), and, somewhat surprisingly, this theme is repeated here in Psalm 103. In the midst of a poem centered on the steadfast love and powerful forgiveness of God, we come across these focal reminders of his cosmic dominion (vv. 19, 22). Why so?
The idea of the Lord’s reign is more than just an abstract theological notion. It is an ontological reality that affects the way the believer views and experiences everything, including the spiritual realm and the “realities” of daily life. The worldview of the psalms is formulated in the combination of two repeated concepts: the Lord reigns (Pss 93–100), and his love endures forever (Ps 136). This combination of beliefs—the absolute sovereignty of God and his relational goodness—is seen clearly in Psalm 103.
First, the ways of the Cosmic King are ingrained in the cosmos he created (v. 19, and more on this point in Ps 104). His instruction speaks authoritatively to every aspect of life in creation, so Yahweh’s people should live lives shaped by his royal word (v. 18). Second, God’s cosmic kingship is intimately linked with the relational expression of his steadfast love toward his people, especially as it is experienced in the forgiveness of sins (vv. 7–18). He forgives because, as King, he alone has the absolute power and the right to pardon offenders.26
So, the psalmic idea of an essential worldview is far from being merely an entirely abstract, intellectual concept. Knowing who God is shapes our experience of him. As John Calvin so eloquently points out, if we do not know God in the way that he has revealed himself to us, we will never properly understand ourselves or our place in this world.27
Yahweh, the King of the universe, reveals himself as a compassionate, forgiving, loving Father. It is important for us never to allow our own hangups and insecurities to blur God’s revelation of his true being. In Psalm 103 foundational theology meets the human experience. God’s loving compassion is not a concept to be mooted; it is a truth to be celebrated. Theological reflection inevitably invites a response of praise.
Psalm 103 in the New Testament. There are no direct citations of Psalm 103 in the New Testament, but it is not difficult to chart its theological trajectory into the New Testament’s theology. “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us” (Eph 1:7–8).
Contemporary Significance
ACCEPTING GOD’S FORGIVENESS. “Maybe once, but not now.” I preach quite a lot “on the circuit,” as they say, both here in Scotland and abroad. It would be difficult to estimate how many times I have heard these words, or a variation of them, in conversation with Christians who struggle with their own sense of sinfulness. “Maybe God genuinely loved me once . . . but not now,” or “Maybe I was forgiven by God at that time I accepted Jesus, but you don’t know what I’ve done since then—surely he cannot forgive me again.” Awareness of our human failure can blight our experience of relationship with God. Psalm 103 puts to rest this self-told lie in its picture of a love more vast than the cosmos and a forgiveness greater than imagination.
We must allow theology to shape our experience of God rather than allowing our experience of life to shape our theology. Psalm 103 is not an abstract treatise on forgiveness—it is an invitation to remember God’s all-encompassing, fatherly forgiveness and to praise him for it. It was to this end, after all, that he sent his Son (John 3:16–17). So, the psalmist calls on his soul to “forget not.” It is easy to forget or otherwise to limit—consciously or subconsciously—the fullness of God’s grace. It is easy to let our constant awareness of failure shape our picture of who God is. Together with the psalmist, we must remind ourselves of God’s eternal love for us (v. 17)—a love that will not be tempered by our human weakness (vv. 13–16).
All the sins we committed up to the point of our conversion have been paid for on the cross of Christ. Every failing, from that moment of spiritual transformation until today, is paid for on the cross. Every sin that we will commit, no matter how blatant, from today until that moment when we go to be with God in eternity, is removed from us as far as the east is from the west. Psalm 103 will not allow us to limit God’s grace. Yes, we are to be people who fear him and desire to keep his covenant, but the psalmist will permit no notion of a God who is reluctant to forgive. God’s essential nature is steeped in steadfast love and mercy. This understanding must be our consistent vision of who he is. “Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins.”
Original Meaning
The Benefits Listed (103:3–6)
THE SECOND SECTION OF THE PSALM (vv. 3–6) gives a powerful rationale for praise. It outlines the character of God by listing his actions through a series of personal participles.6
The Lord is the one who forgives, heals, redeems, and so on. The catalogue lists five actions that typify the character of God, the first of which focuses on the forgiveness of sins. Often in the Hebrew Bible, first place in a list indicates the priority of the author’s emphasis, as is certainly the case in Psalm 103, where the remainder of the poem is so strongly focused on the forgiving love of God toward his people.
Who forgives all your sins. Here we see the primary aspect of God’s being that brings benefit to his people and should be a strong motivator toward praise. The poet recognizes that there can be no greater benefit because there can be no relationship with God apart from the forgiveness of sins. All the other benefits are dependent on this initial act of love, which is further unpacked in the third section of the psalm (vv. 7–19).
And heals all your diseases. While in modern interpretations there is a tendency to spiritualize this notion, it is more likely in the ancient world that the poet was actually talking about the healing of physical ailments. In a world before antibiotics, even a tiny cut, if infected, could prove fatal. Childhood illnesses that are thought trivial today could kill, disable, or disfigure. In a world in which the understanding of human anatomy was still relatively primitive, medicines were basic, and illnesses more prevalent, to be alive was a clear sign of God’s protection and healing.7
To live into what we would now describe as one’s “middle age” was nothing short of miraculous; therefore, continued life was a sign of God’s blessing and protection and thus also a reason for praise.
Who redeems your life from the pit. The likelihood that verse 3b refers to physical illness is increased by the benefit that immediately follows in verse 4a.8
In the Psalms, the pit is a metaphor for the grave (e.g., Ps 30:9), and being redeemed from the grave is a reference to restoration from the very brink of death. Yahweh deserves praise because of his mercy in preserving his people.
And crowns you with love and compassion. Love and compassion are key terms in Psalm 103 (see vv. 8, 11, 13, 17). On one level, the poem is a celebration of the love and compassion God pours out on his people. Such profligate mercy encourages a response of extravagant praise. The terms used (hesed werahamim) are covenantal in nature. They would remind the original hearers of God’s gracious promises to his people. Any real relationship with God is absolutely dependent on his love and mercy. This is the poet’s key idea, and it rings like a Leitmotif throughout a musical.9
Who satisfies your desires with good things. Such great love and mercy does not just extend to continued existence. The psalmist delights in the God who gives good things (tov) necessary for life. This idea is echoed in Psalm 103’s twin psalm, Psalm 104, which celebrates God’s good provision (cf. Ps 104:14–15, 28).10
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. The metaphor is either a reference to the eagle’s ability to cast off old plumage and replace it with new feathers or simply to the indefatigable strength of the great bird of prey.11
As in Isaiah 40:27–31, the promise is of a strength that goes beyond our natural health and human abilities. This strength is a gift of God given to his people for the enjoyment of life.
Forgiveness, healing, restoration to life, relationship, a good life to be enjoyed, and one that is marked by strength beyond our own—these are the benefits of life with the Lord, according to the author of Psalm 103. Equally, these actions reflect characteristics of the divine being. God is forgiving, loving, compassionate, generous, and relational. His actions in the cosmos reflect the essence of his being, as summarized in verse 6.
The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. This great love, compassion, and generosity are focused in the idea that the God of the covenant will work out what is right and just in behalf of those who have been marginalized, oppressed, and denied a fair voice. The verb used is, more literally, the common verb for “doing.” “Yahweh does righteousness and justice for the voiceless,” the poet says. As he is, so he does. He is by nature loving—therefore, he will show that love to his people. He is, by nature, just—therefore, one way or another, he will bring about justice for those who have been denied it.12
The notion of executing justice for the oppressed seems to trigger an exodus thought in the poet’s mind, and he turns to that narrative to continue his reflection on the forgiving mercy of God.
Bridging Contexts
THEOLOGY AND THE EXPERIENCE OF GOD. The absolute lordship of God is a consistent theme throughout the psalms of Book 4 (Pss 90–106), and, somewhat surprisingly, this theme is repeated here in Psalm 103. In the midst of a poem centered on the steadfast love and powerful forgiveness of God, we come across these focal reminders of his cosmic dominion (vv. 19, 22). Why so?
The idea of the Lord’s reign is more than just an abstract theological notion. It is an ontological reality that affects the way the believer views and experiences everything, including the spiritual realm and the “realities” of daily life. The worldview of the psalms is formulated in the combination of two repeated concepts: the Lord reigns (Pss 93–100), and his love endures forever (Ps 136). This combination of beliefs—the absolute sovereignty of God and his relational goodness—is seen clearly in Psalm 103.
First, the ways of the Cosmic King are ingrained in the cosmos he created (v. 19, and more on this point in Ps 104). His instruction speaks authoritatively to every aspect of life in creation, so Yahweh’s people should live lives shaped by his royal word (v. 18). Second, God’s cosmic kingship is intimately linked with the relational expression of his steadfast love toward his people, especially as it is experienced in the forgiveness of sins (vv. 7–18). He forgives because, as King, he alone has the absolute power and the right to pardon offenders.26
So, the psalmic idea of an essential worldview is far from being merely an entirely abstract, intellectual concept. Knowing who God is shapes our experience of him. As John Calvin so eloquently points out, if we do not know God in the way that he has revealed himself to us, we will never properly understand ourselves or our place in this world.27
Yahweh, the King of the universe, reveals himself as a compassionate, forgiving, loving Father. It is important for us never to allow our own hangups and insecurities to blur God’s revelation of his true being. In Psalm 103 foundational theology meets the human experience. God’s loving compassion is not a concept to be mooted; it is a truth to be celebrated. Theological reflection inevitably invites a response of praise.
Psalm 103 in the New Testament. There are no direct citations of Psalm 103 in the New Testament, but it is not difficult to chart its theological trajectory into the New Testament’s theology. “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us” (Eph 1:7–8).
Contemporary Significance
ACCEPTING GOD’S FORGIVENESS. “Maybe once, but not now.” I preach quite a lot “on the circuit,” as they say, both here in Scotland and abroad. It would be difficult to estimate how many times I have heard these words, or a variation of them, in conversation with Christians who struggle with their own sense of sinfulness. “Maybe God genuinely loved me once . . . but not now,” or “Maybe I was forgiven by God at that time I accepted Jesus, but you don’t know what I’ve done since then—surely he cannot forgive me again.” Awareness of our human failure can blight our experience of relationship with God. Psalm 103 puts to rest this self-told lie in its picture of a love more vast than the cosmos and a forgiveness greater than imagination.
We must allow theology to shape our experience of God rather than allowing our experience of life to shape our theology. Psalm 103 is not an abstract treatise on forgiveness—it is an invitation to remember God’s all-encompassing, fatherly forgiveness and to praise him for it. It was to this end, after all, that he sent his Son (John 3:16–17). So, the psalmist calls on his soul to “forget not.” It is easy to forget or otherwise to limit—consciously or subconsciously—the fullness of God’s grace. It is easy to let our constant awareness of failure shape our picture of who God is. Together with the psalmist, we must remind ourselves of God’s eternal love for us (v. 17)—a love that will not be tempered by our human weakness (vv. 13–16).
All the sins we committed up to the point of our conversion have been paid for on the cross of Christ. Every failing, from that moment of spiritual transformation until today, is paid for on the cross. Every sin that we will commit, no matter how blatant, from today until that moment when we go to be with God in eternity, is removed from us as far as the east is from the west. Psalm 103 will not allow us to limit God’s grace. Yes, we are to be people who fear him and desire to keep his covenant, but the psalmist will permit no notion of a God who is reluctant to forgive. God’s essential nature is steeped in steadfast love and mercy. This understanding must be our consistent vision of who he is. “Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins.”
Original Meaning
The Loving Forgiveness of God (103:7–19)
HE MADE KNOWN HIS WAYS TO MOSES. The psalmist’s reflection on the divine self-revelation in Exodus 34:6 is made explicit by this reference to Moses (Ps 103:7). God’s making himself known to the people of Israel through his deeds reflects the accounts of the plagues that secured their release from slavery. During their time of captivity in Egypt, the people had largely forgotten the God of their ancestors, so the first revelation of his character came through their observation of his actions (see Pss 77:12; 78:11, where the same word for “deeds” is used in the context of the exodus). This verse makes the exodus context unmistakable.
The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. This direct quotation from Exodus 34:6 continues the poet’s focus on God’s grace, compassion, and forgiveness. As Alter highlights, “What is left out from the passage in Exodus is God’s ‘reckoning the crimes of fathers with sons and sons of sons.’ Here, on the contrary, the exclusive emphasis is on divine compassion and forgiveness.”13
The language, again, is covenantal: compassionate, gracious, and abounding in steadfast love. God has freely made promises to his people that remain a functioning reality despite the people’s repeated inappropriate responses. God is who he is regardless of what his people do. His love is not predicated on obedience—the psalmist is clear that God simply is who he is by nature.14
Of course, the original occurrence of this act of self-revelation would be poignant for the postexilic community of Book 4. Exodus 34:6–7 is God’s response to the people’s failure in the golden calf incident (Exod 32). The exile was a constant reminder for the poet’s community of their own moral culpability. Yet Yahweh revealed himself to be gracious in Moses’ day, and the psalmist reminds the people that he remains so in their day.
He will not always accuse. The positive restatement of God’s character in Psalm 103:8 is followed by four negated statements meant to indicate clearly what God is not like or ways in which he will not behave. Accusation and anger are, of course, appropriate responses of an all-holy God to the sins of his people (v. 9), but he will sustain neither one indefinitely. Equally, a gracious God does not seek to repay us in accordance with our human fallibility (v. 10). The four statements are almost farcical in the light of the presentation of God’s character in Psalm 103—knowing what God is really like means that such thoughts verge on the ridiculous.15
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him. There follow three similes that beautifully illustrate the extent of Yahweh’s grace and love toward his people. The height of the sky above the earth is the only concept that comes close to exemplifying the span of God’s steadfast love for his people. In similar terms, only the unending and immeasureable distance between east and west can illustrate the extent of the removal of sin from a forgiven people. The compassionate love of a father for his children is the only human experience that can, however inadequately, approximate God’s love for his children. The three images are rich, emotive, and vivid. Anyone can grasp their intent and importance—love that extends beyond our ability to conceptualize; the absolute removal of sins; compassionate care of parents for their own children. Such pictures evoke a powerful insight into the character of God—profound theology in poetic form. As Schaefer comments:
The poet expounds the theology; God’s hesed, more durable than his anger at wrongdoing, is why sinners hope for forgiveness. Hesed so abounds that it surpasses time and space, as high as the heavens above the earth, the unimaginable distance between east and west, as lasting as eternity (v. 17). . . . God’s hesed, greater than anything deserved, provides the motive for worship.16
Those who fear him. Key to a right understanding of this all-encompassing love is the repeated phrase in verses 11, 13, and 17. The recipients of this great mercy are described using theological shorthand drawn from wisdom literature. Raymond Van Leeuwen describes the fear of the Lord in this way:
The great phrase “the fear of the LORD” grounds human knowledge and wisdom (cf. 9:10) in humble service of Yahweh. . . . Although this phrase has its origin in the experience of God’s numinous majesty (as at Sinai, Deut 4:9–10), it eventually has come to express the total claim of God upon humans and the total life-response of humans to God.17
The choice of terminology is precise and interesting. Effectively, those who fear the Lord are those who have decided to put Yahweh first in their lives. The terminology does not imply perfection or super-spirituality. This section of the psalm focuses on the universal human need for forgiveness, so the idea of those who fear the Lord clearly does not refer to a spiritual or ethical elite; rather, this wisdom shorthand comes to refer to those who genuinely seek to live their lives for Yahweh in a holistic manner. It is about a fully integrated life of faith that reflects a genuine desire to apply love for God and biblical truths to every area of life. These are not super-believers. They are those who honestly desire to live for God.18
For he knows how we are formed. The rationale for the all-encompassing forgiveness extended to those who fear Yahweh has a double root. First, as we have seen, it is based on the great love, mercy, and compassion of God. Second, it is grounded in an act of divine remembrance.
He remembers that we are dust. Psalm 103:14–16 focuses on human weakness, fallibility, and brevity of life. God remembers our finite nature and is, therefore, all the more willing to extend his grace to us.19
Remembrance is important to the psalmist. He reminds his own soul to “forget not all his benefits” (v. 2), including the awareness that Yahweh remembers the essence of our human existence even though it is as fleeting as grass whose “place remembers it no more” (v. 16). Since God remembers those who fear him, we should “remember to obey his precepts” (v. 18). Remembering is key to the message of Psalm 103. Mindfulness of God’s great grace will surely shape our response to him.
But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is on those who fear him. In verses 17–18 the poet returns to his contemplation of the blessings of covenantal relationship. God’s eternal love (hesed again) is on those who fear him. His righteousness (see v. 6) extends from generation to generation. Cross-generational blessing is intimately associated with God’s covenantal promises from Genesis 12 through to Exodus 34 and 2 Samuel 7. Interestingly, in Exodus 34:7 the reference to Yahweh’s anger that might extend to the second or third generation is omitted from Psalm 103’s poetic reflection on this key statement of faith, but the continuation of blessing through succeeding generations is celebrated. The emphasis is on bountiful grace.20
With those who keep his covenant. Grace is unmerited, but it should always provoke a response in the recipient. Yahweh remembers that people are formed from the dust, so they are weak. His grace extends to those who fear him, that is, to those whose heartfelt desire is to honor him. With this truth in mind, the poet adds a reflection on the reader’s response to this great forgiveness. One cannot remain unresponsive to such love. Such love should always be met with a response in kind. There is a beautiful simplicity in the psalmist’s conclusion that to love God is to keep covenant with him and to remember to obey (lit., “to do”) his precepts. God’s people respond to his grace by a commitment to love him through mindfulness of his teaching.21
The LORD has established his throne in heaven. In the modern world, love and mercy are often equated with weakness. The same was true among the ancients. Psalm 103:19 testifies to the fact that God’s compassion is not a sign of impotence but an expression of merciful kingship. Yahweh has established his throne. He does not need to assert his authority through displays of power. As the undisputed King of the cosmos, he is able to extend mercy to his people because the postexilic generations would never again doubt God’s ability to assert his authority in human history. He asserted that authority by delivering his people over to exile and by bringing them home from captivity. God’s rule is firmly established. He is King over a kingdom. The kingdom image implies an authority that affects every conceivable area of life—the marketplace, finance, leisure, the arts, language, culture, humor, family, the rights of the individual, the obligations of society, and so on—all parts of any kingdom. God’s kingdom is a real kingdom. It is not “kingdom lite.” The King speaks into every area of life, and the proper covenantal response is to apply his standards to every aspect of our lives and the world around us. Is this not what we declare when we pray, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”?22
Mays is helpful here:
The Lord’s steadfast love can be as great as the heavens are high above the earth, because the Lord’s throne is established in heaven (vv. 11, 19). The Lord can remove our transgressions from us as far as the east is from the west because his kingdom rules over all (vv. 12, 19). These are poetic ways of stating one of the fundamental points of psalmic theology: The salvation of the Lord is the manifestation of the reign of the Lord in the world. . . . The grace of the Lord is a sovereignty of grace.23
Bridging Contexts
THEOLOGY AND THE EXPERIENCE OF GOD. The absolute lordship of God is a consistent theme throughout the psalms of Book 4 (Pss 90–106), and, somewhat surprisingly, this theme is repeated here in Psalm 103. In the midst of a poem centered on the steadfast love and powerful forgiveness of God, we come across these focal reminders of his cosmic dominion (vv. 19, 22). Why so?
The idea of the Lord’s reign is more than just an abstract theological notion. It is an ontological reality that affects the way the believer views and experiences everything, including the spiritual realm and the “realities” of daily life. The worldview of the psalms is formulated in the combination of two repeated concepts: the Lord reigns (Pss 93–100), and his love endures forever (Ps 136). This combination of beliefs—the absolute sovereignty of God and his relational goodness—is seen clearly in Psalm 103.
First, the ways of the Cosmic King are ingrained in the cosmos he created (v. 19, and more on this point in Ps 104). His instruction speaks authoritatively to every aspect of life in creation, so Yahweh’s people should live lives shaped by his royal word (v. 18). Second, God’s cosmic kingship is intimately linked with the relational expression of his steadfast love toward his people, especially as it is experienced in the forgiveness of sins (vv. 7–18). He forgives because, as King, he alone has the absolute power and the right to pardon offenders.26
So, the psalmic idea of an essential worldview is far from being merely an entirely abstract, intellectual concept. Knowing who God is shapes our experience of him. As John Calvin so eloquently points out, if we do not know God in the way that he has revealed himself to us, we will never properly understand ourselves or our place in this world.27
Yahweh, the King of the universe, reveals himself as a compassionate, forgiving, loving Father. It is important for us never to allow our own hangups and insecurities to blur God’s revelation of his true being. In Psalm 103 foundational theology meets the human experience. God’s loving compassion is not a concept to be mooted; it is a truth to be celebrated. Theological reflection inevitably invites a response of praise.
Psalm 103 in the New Testament. There are no direct citations of Psalm 103 in the New Testament, but it is not difficult to chart its theological trajectory into the New Testament’s theology. “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us” (Eph 1:7–8).
Contemporary Significance
ACCEPTING GOD’S FORGIVENESS. “Maybe once, but not now.” I preach quite a lot “on the circuit,” as they say, both here in Scotland and abroad. It would be difficult to estimate how many times I have heard these words, or a variation of them, in conversation with Christians who struggle with their own sense of sinfulness. “Maybe God genuinely loved me once . . . but not now,” or “Maybe I was forgiven by God at that time I accepted Jesus, but you don’t know what I’ve done since then—surely he cannot forgive me again.” Awareness of our human failure can blight our experience of relationship with God. Psalm 103 puts to rest this self-told lie in its picture of a love more vast than the cosmos and a forgiveness greater than imagination.
We must allow theology to shape our experience of God rather than allowing our experience of life to shape our theology. Psalm 103 is not an abstract treatise on forgiveness—it is an invitation to remember God’s all-encompassing, fatherly forgiveness and to praise him for it. It was to this end, after all, that he sent his Son (John 3:16–17). So, the psalmist calls on his soul to “forget not.” It is easy to forget or otherwise to limit—consciously or subconsciously—the fullness of God’s grace. It is easy to let our constant awareness of failure shape our picture of who God is. Together with the psalmist, we must remind ourselves of God’s eternal love for us (v. 17)—a love that will not be tempered by our human weakness (vv. 13–16).
All the sins we committed up to the point of our conversion have been paid for on the cross of Christ. Every failing, from that moment of spiritual transformation until today, is paid for on the cross. Every sin that we will commit, no matter how blatant, from today until that moment when we go to be with God in eternity, is removed from us as far as the east is from the west. Psalm 103 will not allow us to limit God’s grace. Yes, we are to be people who fear him and desire to keep his covenant, but the psalmist will permit no notion of a God who is reluctant to forgive. God’s essential nature is steeped in steadfast love and mercy. This understanding must be our consistent vision of who he is. “Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins.”
Original Meaning
Blessing Yahweh in the Cosmic Realm (103:20–22)
PRAISE THE LORD, YOU HIS ANGELS. The concluding call to praise (the Hebrew command again being “to bless”) initially takes something of a surprising turn before reverting to an exact echo of the opening self-exhortation. The initial call to bless Yahweh is addressed to “his angels,” who are then described as the “mighty ones who do his bidding,” the “heavenly hosts,” and “his servants.” This call to worship addressed to the angelic armies of the Lord is the logical consequence of his cosmic reign focused on in the previous verse. As throughout the psalm, in these concluding verses the emphasis remains on doing the word of God. Alter translates verse 20 in this way:
Bless the Lord, O His messengers,
valiant in power, performing His word,
to heed the sound of His word.24
The idea of doing Yahweh’s word lies at the very core of angelic existence. The angels do his word in order to heed the sound of his word, thus providing an example for all humans whose desire is to worship God with their lives (v. 18). “There should be and is joyous praise in heaven among the doers in the kingdom of the Lord that there are doers on earth who confirm the love of the Lord by their obedience.”25
Praise the LORD all his works. There is a sense of building to a crescendo of praise in these concluding verses of Psalm 103. The psalmist moves from charging all the angelic hosts with their responsibility to praise, to calling the whole created order to raise its voice in blessing Yahweh. This shift has a transformative effect on the concluding echo of verse 1. The initial “note to self” has a personal, almost individualistic ring to it, but the final reminder to “Praise the LORD, my soul” (v. 22c) situates the psalmist’s voice among the massed chorus of the created order. All creation sings out its praise, and the psalmist raises his voice along with the heavenly armies and all those on earth who fear the Lord. This communion of praise is cosmic.
Everywhere in his dominion. Note also the locative reference in verse 22b. The call for all the works of the Lord to praise him is addressed to “everywhere in his dominion.” Praise is due to the King. The picture is of grateful subjects paying homage to their Ruler for all his good works that bring benefit to them.
So, Psalm 103 moves from the poet’s self-exhortation to praise to a cosmic call to worship by way of an emotive reminder of God’s steadfast love for his creation and, in particular, of the all-encompassing forgiveness he extends to his people.
Bridging Contexts
THEOLOGY AND THE EXPERIENCE OF GOD. The absolute lordship of God is a consistent theme throughout the psalms of Book 4 (Pss 90–106), and, somewhat surprisingly, this theme is repeated here in Psalm 103. In the midst of a poem centered on the steadfast love and powerful forgiveness of God, we come across these focal reminders of his cosmic dominion (vv. 19, 22). Why so?
The idea of the Lord’s reign is more than just an abstract theological notion. It is an ontological reality that affects the way the believer views and experiences everything, including the spiritual realm and the “realities” of daily life. The worldview of the psalms is formulated in the combination of two repeated concepts: the Lord reigns (Pss 93–100), and his love endures forever (Ps 136). This combination of beliefs—the absolute sovereignty of God and his relational goodness—is seen clearly in Psalm 103.
First, the ways of the Cosmic King are ingrained in the cosmos he created (v. 19, and more on this point in Ps 104). His instruction speaks authoritatively to every aspect of life in creation, so Yahweh’s people should live lives shaped by his royal word (v. 18). Second, God’s cosmic kingship is intimately linked with the relational expression of his steadfast love toward his people, especially as it is experienced in the forgiveness of sins (vv. 7–18). He forgives because, as King, he alone has the absolute power and the right to pardon offenders.26
So, the psalmic idea of an essential worldview is far from being merely an entirely abstract, intellectual concept. Knowing who God is shapes our experience of him. As John Calvin so eloquently points out, if we do not know God in the way that he has revealed himself to us, we will never properly understand ourselves or our place in this world.27
Yahweh, the King of the universe, reveals himself as a compassionate, forgiving, loving Father. It is important for us never to allow our own hangups and insecurities to blur God’s revelation of his true being. In Psalm 103 foundational theology meets the human experience. God’s loving compassion is not a concept to be mooted; it is a truth to be celebrated. Theological reflection inevitably invites a response of praise.
Psalm 103 in the New Testament. There are no direct citations of Psalm 103 in the New Testament, but it is not difficult to chart its theological trajectory into the New Testament’s theology. “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us” (Eph 1:7–8).
Contemporary Significance
ACCEPTING GOD’S FORGIVENESS. “Maybe once, but not now.” I preach quite a lot “on the circuit,” as they say, both here in Scotland and abroad. It would be difficult to estimate how many times I have heard these words, or a variation of them, in conversation with Christians who struggle with their own sense of sinfulness. “Maybe God genuinely loved me once . . . but not now,” or “Maybe I was forgiven by God at that time I accepted Jesus, but you don’t know what I’ve done since then—surely he cannot forgive me again.” Awareness of our human failure can blight our experience of relationship with God. Psalm 103 puts to rest this self-told lie in its picture of a love more vast than the cosmos and a forgiveness greater than imagination.
We must allow theology to shape our experience of God rather than allowing our experience of life to shape our theology. Psalm 103 is not an abstract treatise on forgiveness—it is an invitation to remember God’s all-encompassing, fatherly forgiveness and to praise him for it. It was to this end, after all, that he sent his Son (John 3:16–17). So, the psalmist calls on his soul to “forget not.” It is easy to forget or otherwise to limit—consciously or subconsciously—the fullness of God’s grace. It is easy to let our constant awareness of failure shape our picture of who God is. Together with the psalmist, we must remind ourselves of God’s eternal love for us (v. 17)—a love that will not be tempered by our human weakness (vv. 13–16).
All the sins we committed up to the point of our conversion have been paid for on the cross of Christ. Every failing, from that moment of spiritual transformation until today, is paid for on the cross. Every sin that we will commit, no matter how blatant, from today until that moment when we go to be with God in eternity, is removed from us as far as the east is from the west. Psalm 103 will not allow us to limit God’s grace. Yes, we are to be people who fear him and desire to keep his covenant, but the psalmist will permit no notion of a God who is reluctant to forgive. God’s essential nature is steeped in steadfast love and mercy. This understanding must be our consistent vision of who he is. “Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins.”
HALOT 2:1550: “in many cases [name of the Lord] means not only the name but the full being and power of Yahweh.” Hossfeld comments quite simply, “The holy name corresponds to Yhwh’s holy nature” (Hossfeld and Zenger, Psalms 3, 34).