---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Psalms 103"
description: "PSALM 103   :-. A Psalm of joyous praise, in which the writer rises
from a thankful acknowledgment of personal blessings to a lively
celebration of God"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/psalms/103"
---

PSALM 103

. A Psalm of joyous praise, in which the writer rises
from a thankful acknowledgment of personal blessings to a lively
celebration of God's gracious attributes, as not only intrinsically
worthy of praise, but as specially suited to man's frailty. He
concludes by invoking all creatures to unite in his song.

**1. Bless,** c.—when God is the
object, praise.
**my soul**—myself ([Psalms 3:3](../../../kjv/psalms/3/3)
[Psalms 25:1](../../../kjv/psalms/25/1)), with allusion to the
act, as one of intelligence.
**all . . . within me**—
([Deuteronomy 6:5](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/6/5)).
**his holy name**— ([Deuteronomy 6:5](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/6/5)), His complete moral perfections.

**2. forget not all**—not any,
none of His benefits.

**3. diseases**—as penal
inflictions ([Deuteronomy 29:22](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/29/22); [2 Chronicles 21:19](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/21/19)).

**4. redeemeth**—Cost is implied.
**destruction**—literally,
"pit of corruption" ().
**crowneth**—or, "adorneth"
([Psalms 65:11](../../../kjv/psalms/65/11)).
**tender mercies**—compassions
(compare [Psalms 25:6](../../../kjv/psalms/25/6); [Psalms 40:11](../../../kjv/psalms/40/11)).

**5.** By God's provision, the saint
retains a youthful vigor like the eagles (; compare [Isaiah 40:31](../../../kjv/isaiah/40/31)).

**6.** Literally, "righteousness
and judgments," denoting various acts of God's government.

**7. ways**—of providence, c., as
usual ([Psalms 25:4](../../../kjv/psalms/25/4) [Psalms 67:2](../../../kjv/psalms/67/2)).
**acts**—literally,
"wonders" ([Psalms 7:11](../../../kjv/psalms/7/11);
[Psalms 78:17](../../../kjv/psalms/78/17)).

**8-10.** God's benevolence implies
no merit. He shows it to sinners, who also are chastened for a time
([Exodus 34:6](../../../kjv/exodus/34/6)).
**keep (anger)**—in [Exodus 34:6](../../../kjv/exodus/34/6), bear a grudge ([Jeremiah 3:5](../../../kjv/jeremiah/3/5);
[Jeremiah 3:12](../../../kjv/jeremiah/3/12)).

**11. great**—efficient.

**12. removed . . . from us**—so
as no longer to affect our relations to Him.

**13. pitieth**—literally, "has
compassion on."

**14. he**—"who formed,"
[Psalms 94:9](../../../kjv/psalms/94/9).
**knoweth our frame**—literally,
"our form."
**we are dust**—made of and
tending to it ([Genesis 2:7](../../../kjv/genesis/2/7)).

**15, 16.** So short and frail is
life that a breath may destroy it.
**it is gone**—literally,
"it is not."
**know it no more**—no more
recognize him ([Psalms 90:6](../../../kjv/psalms/90/6); [Isaiah 40:6-8](../../../kjv/isaiah/40/6-8)).

**17, 18.** For similar contrast
compare [Psalms 90:2-6](../../../kjv/psalms/90/2-6); [Psalms 102:27](../../../kjv/psalms/102/27);
[Psalms 102:28](../../../kjv/psalms/102/28).

**18. such . . . covenant**—limits
the general terms preceding.
**righteousness**—as usual
([Psalms 7:17](../../../kjv/psalms/7/17); [Psalms 31:1](../../../kjv/psalms/31/1)).

**19.** God's firm and universal
dominion is a pledge that He will keep His promises ([Psalms 11:4](../../../kjv/psalms/11/4);
[Psalms 47:8](../../../kjv/psalms/47/8)).

**20-22. do his commandments . . .
word**—or, literally, "so as to hearken," c., that is,
their acts of obedience are prompt, so that they are ever ready to
hear, and know, and follow implicitly His declared will (compare
[Deuteronomy 26:17](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/26/17) [Luke 1:19](../../../kjv/luke/1/19)).

**21. ye his hosts**—myriads, or
armies, as corresponding to *angels* of *great power* [], denoting multitudes also.

**22. all his works**—creatures of
every sort, everywhere.

```json
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#website","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com","name":"Real Bible Believers","description":"RBB","publisher":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/search?q={search_term_string}","query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/psalms/103#primaryimage","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/images/missing.jpg","contentUrl":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/images/missing.jpg","width":640,"height":370,"caption":"Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Psalms 103"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/psalms/103#webpage","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/psalms/103","name":"Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Psalms 103","isPartOf":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/psalms/103#primaryimage"},"datePublished":null,"dateModified":null,"author":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509"},"description":"PSALM 103   :-. A Psalm of joyous praise, in which the writer rises\nfrom a thankful acknowledgment of personal blessings to a lively\ncelebration of God's","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/psalms/103#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/psalms/103"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/psalms/103#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/","name":"Home"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries","name":"Commentaries"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible","name":"Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/psalms","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/psalms","name":"Psalms"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":5,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/psalms/103","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/psalms/103","name":"103"}}]},{"@type":["Person","Organization"],"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#personlogo","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/android-chrome-512x512.png","contentUrl":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/android-chrome-512x512.png","width":512,"height":512},"logo":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#personlogo"},"sameAs":["https://twitter.com/RBiblebeliever","https://www.facebook.com/RBibleBelievers"]}]}
```