Psalms 103
103
Our Father’s Love
King David’s song of praise
1With my whole heart, with my whole life,
and with my innermost being,
I bow in wonder and love before you, the holy God!
2Yahweh, you are my soul’s celebration.
How could I ever forget the miracles of kindness
you’ve done for me?
3You kissed my heart with forgiveness, in spite of all I’ve done. # 103:3 From this verse through the rest of the psalm, the writer used the second person (you). This translation has left the psalm in the first person to enhance the poetic nuance for the English reader.
You’ve healed me inside and out from every disease.
4You’ve rescued me from hell # 103:4 Or “redeemed me from the pit,” a term often used for Sheol or hell. and saved my life.
You’ve crowned me with love and mercy.
5You satisfy my every desire with good things. # 103:5 The Hebrew text is somewhat difficult to understand. It is literally “who satisfies with good ornaments.”
You’ve supercharged my life so that I soar again # 103:5 Or “your youth [implying both strength and beauty] he restores.”
like a flying eagle in the sky!
6You’re a God who makes things right,
giving justice to the defenseless.
7You unveiled to Moses your plans
and showed Israel’s sons what you could do.
8Lord, you’re so kind and tenderhearted # 103:8 Or “Lord, you’re so compassionate and merciful.” The Hebrew word for “compassion” has a homonym that means “womb.” The Lord carries his people like a mother carries a child in her womb.
and so patient with people who fail you!
Your love is like a flooding river
overflowing its banks with kindness. # 103:8 See Ex. 34:6.
9You don’t look at us only to find our faults, # 103:9 Or “You [he] will not always fight with us [like fighting with enemies].”
just so that you can hold a grudge against us.
10You may discipline us for our many sins,
but never as much as we really deserve.
Nor do you get even with us for what we’ve done.
11Higher than the highest heavens—
that’s how high your tender mercy extends!
Greater than the grandeur of heaven above
is the greatness of your loyal love, towering over all
who fear you and bow down before you!
12Farther than from a sunrise to a sunset—
that’s how far you’ve removed our guilt from us.
13The same way a loving father feels toward his children—
that’s but a sample of your tender feelings toward us, # 103:13 Or “like a father has deep compassion for his children.” The Hebrew word for “tender feelings” is racham, which has a homonym that can be translated “womb.” Our Father carries you in his womb. What a beautiful word play that our Father has a mother’s nurturing love for his children.
your beloved children, who live in awe of you.
14You know all about us, inside and out. # 103:14 The Hebrew word yatsar can be translated “form” or “frame.” God knows our frame. But yatsar also has a homonym that means “to be in distress” or “to be frustrated.” So this sentence could be translated “You know all about our frustrations and distress.” These thoughts combined would mean that God hasn’t forgotten that he formed us from dust and we’ll experience frustrations as human beings. God is sympathetic to our difficulties.
You are mindful that we’re made from dust.
15Our days are so few, and our momentary beauty # 103:15 The Hebrew word translated “beauty” actually means “shining.”
so swiftly fades away!
16Then all of a sudden we’re gone,
like grass clippings blown away in a gust of wind,
taken away to our appointment with death,
leaving nothing to show that we were here.
17But Lord, your endless love stretches
from one eternity to the other,
unbroken and unrelenting toward those who fear you
and those who bow facedown in awe before you.
Your faithfulness to keep every gracious promise you’ve made
passes from parents, to children, to grandchildren, and beyond.
18You are faithful to all those who follow your ways
and keep your word.
19Yahweh has established his throne in heaven;
his kingdom rules the entire universe.
20So bless the Lord, all his messengers of power,
for you are his mighty heroes who listen intently
to the voice of his word to do it.
21Bless and praise the Lord, you mighty warriors,
ministers who serve him well and fulfill his desires.
22I will bless and praise the Lord with my whole heart!
Let all his works throughout the earth,
wherever his dominion stretches—
let everything bless the Lord!
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Psalms 103: TPT
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Learn More About The Passion TranslationPsalms 103
103
Praise for the Lord’s Mercies
A Psalm of David.
1Bless #Ps. 104:1, 35the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
2Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
3#Ps. 130:8; Is. 33:24Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who #(Ex. 15:26); Ps. 147:3; (Is. 53:5); Jer. 17:14heals all your diseases,
4Who redeems your life from destruction,
#(Ps. 5:12)Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
5Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that #(Is. 40:31)your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6The Lord executes righteousness
And justice for all who are oppressed.
7#Ex. 33:12–17; Ps. 147:19He made known His ways to Moses,
His acts to the children of Israel.
8#(Ex. 34:6, 7; Num. 14:18); Deut. 5:10; Neh. 9:17; Ps. 86:15; Jer. 32:18; Jon. 4:2; James 5:11The Lord is merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
9#(Ps. 30:5; Is. 57:16); Jer. 3:5; (Mic. 7:18)He will not always strive with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.
10#(Ezra 9:13; Lam. 3:22)He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor punished us according to our iniquities.
11For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
12As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He #(2 Sam. 12:13; Is. 38:17; 43:25; Zech. 3:9; Heb. 9:26)removed our transgressions from us.
13#Mal. 3:17As a father pities his children,
So the Lord pities those who fear Him.
14For He knows our frame;
He remembers that we are dust.
15As for man, #Is. 40:6–8; James 1:10, 11; 1 Pet. 1:24his days are like grass;
As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
16#(Is. 40:7)For the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
And #Job 7:10its place remembers it no more.
17But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting
On those who fear Him,
And His righteousness to children’s children,
18#(Deut. 7:9); Ps. 25:10To such as keep His covenant,
And to those who remember His commandments to do them.
19The Lord has established His throne in heaven,
And #(Ps. 47:2; Dan. 4:17, 25)His kingdom rules over all.
20#Ps. 148:2Bless the Lord, you His angels,
Who excel in strength, who #(Matt. 6:10)do His word,
Heeding the voice of His word.
21Bless the Lord, all you His hosts,
#(Heb. 1:14)You ministers of His, who do His pleasure.
22Bless the Lord, all His works,
In all places of His dominion.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.