Psalms 103 (NET)

Psalm 1031

103

1 By David.

Praise the Lord, O my soul!

With all that is within me, praise2 his holy name!

2 Praise the Lord, O my soul!

Do not forget all his kind deeds!3

3 He is the one who forgives all your sins,

who heals all your diseases,4

4 who delivers5 your life from the Pit,6

who crowns you with his loyal love and compassion,

5 who satisfies your life with good things,7

so your youth is renewed like an eagle’s.8

6 The Lord does what is fair,

and executes justice for all the oppressed.9

7 The Lord revealed his faithful acts10 to Moses,

his deeds to the Israelites.

8 The Lord is compassionate and merciful;

he is patient11 and demonstrates great loyal love.12

9 He does not always accuse,

and does not stay angry.13

10 He does not deal with us as our sins deserve;14

he does not repay us as our misdeeds deserve.15

11 For as the skies are high above the earth,

so his loyal love towers16 over his faithful followers.17

12 As far as the eastern horizon18 is from the west,19

so he removes the guilt of our rebellious actions20 from us.

13 As a father has compassion on his children,21

so the Lord has compassion on his faithful followers.22

14 For he knows what we are made of;23

he realizes24 we are made of clay.25

15 A person’s life is like grass.26

Like a flower in the field it flourishes,

16 but when the hot wind27 blows by, it disappears,

and one can no longer even spot the place where it once grew.

17 But the Lord continually shows loyal love to his faithful followers,28

and is faithful to their descendants,29

18 to those who keep his covenant,

who are careful to obey his commands.30

19 The Lord has established his throne in heaven;

his kingdom extends over everything.31

20 Praise the Lord, you angels of his,

you powerful warriors who carry out his decrees

and obey his orders!32

21 Praise the Lord, all you warriors of his,33

you servants of his who carry out his desires!34

22 Praise the Lord, all that he has made,35

in all the regions36 of his kingdom!

Praise the Lord, O my soul!

1sn Psalm 103. The psalmist praises God for his mercy and willingness to forgive his people. 2tn The verb “praise” is understood by ellipsis in the second line (see the preceding line). 3tn Or “his benefits” (see 2 Chr 32:25, where the noun is also used of kind deeds performed by the Lord). 4tn This relatively rare noun refers to deadly diseases (see Deut 29:22; Jer 14:18; 16:4; 2 Chr 21:19). 5tn Or “redeems.” 6tn The Hebrew term שַׁחַת (shakhat, “pit”) is often used as a title for Sheol (see Pss 16:10; 30:9; 49:9; 55:24. 7tc Heb “who satisfies with the good of your ornaments.” The text as it stands makes little, if any, sense. The translation assumes an emendation of עֶדְיֵךְ (’ed’ekh, “your ornaments”) to עֹדֵכִי (’odekhiy, “your duration; your continuance”) that is, “your life” (see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 18). 8sn The expression your youth is renewed like an eagle’s may allude to the phenomenon of molting, whereby the eagle grows new feathers. 9tn Heb “the Lord does fairness, and [acts of] justice for all the oppressed.” 10tn Heb “made known his ways.” God’s “ways” in this context are his protective and salvific acts in fulfillment of his promise (see also Deut 32:4; Pss 18:30; 67:2; 77:13 [note vv. 11-12, 14]; 138:5; 145:17). 11tn Heb “slow to anger” (see Ps 86:15). 12tn Heb “and great of loyal love” (see Ps 86:15). 13tn 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). 14tn Heb “not according to our sins does he do to us.” 15tn Heb “and not according to our misdeeds does he repay us.” 16tn For this sense of the verb גָבַר (gavar), see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 17, 19. 17tn Heb “those who fear him.” 18tn Heb “sunrise.” 19tn Or “sunset.” 20tn The Hebrew term פֶּשַׁע (pesha’, rebellious act”) is here used metonymically for the guilt such actions produce. 21tn Or “sons,” but the Hebrew term sometimes refers to children in general. 22tn Heb “those who fear him.” 23tn Heb “our form.” 24tn Heb “remembers.” 25tn Heb “we [are] clay.” 26tn 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. 27tn Heb “[the] wind.” The word “hot” is supplied in the translation for clarification. 28tn Heb “but the loyal love of the Lord [is] from everlasting to everlasting over those who fear him.” 29tn Heb “and his righteousness to sons of sons.” 30tn Heb “to those who remember his precepts to do them.” 31tn Heb “his kingdom rules over all.” 32tn Heb “[you] mighty ones of strength, doers of his word, by listening to the voice of his word.” 33tn Heb “all his hosts.” 34tn Heb “his attendants, doers of his desire.” 35tn Heb “all his works,” which includes mankind. 36tn Heb “places.”