Psalm 103: Remember His compassionate love
The LORD's forgiving compassion outlasts human frailty and calls every creature to bless His holy name.
Where Psalm 103 sits
- In the story
- Act IV, Israel: Exodus–Malachi · The Kingdom, c. 1050–930 BC
- In the Bible
- Old Testament · Wisdom & Poetry · chapter 103 of 150 in Psalms
- In Psalms
- Book IV: the eternal LORD still reigns, 90–106
- Before
- Psalm 102: You remain when my days fade
- After
- Psalm 104: Every creature depends on You
Psalm 103 summary
David summons his own soul to praise the God who forgives, restores and redeems (1–5). God's revealed character includes justice, abundant pardon and fatherly compassion (6–14). His covenant faithfulness endures beyond the brief lives of those who fear Him (15–19). Angels, hosts and all His works join the singer's praise (20–22).
Psalm 103 in context
- Speaking
- David, as named in the superscription.
- Written for
- David’s own soul, followed by angels, heavenly servants and all God’s works.
- Around it
- The song echoes Exodus 34:6 and sets human grass-like frailty against God's steadfast love. Praise for healing is not a guarantee that every illness ends before resurrection.
The sections of Psalm 103
Read Psalm 103
Bless the LORD, O My Soul
Of David.
1Bless the LORD, O my soul;
all that is within me, bless His holy name.
2Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and do not forget all His kind deeds—
3He who forgives all your iniquities
and heals all your diseases,
4who redeems your life from the Pit
and crowns you with loving devotion and compassion,
5who satisfies you with good things,
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6The LORD executes righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.
7He made known His ways to Moses,
His deeds to the people of Israel.
8The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion.
9He will not always accuse us,
nor harbor His anger forever.
10He has not dealt with us according to our sins
or repaid us according to our iniquities.
11For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is His loving devotion for those who fear Him.
12As far as the east is from the west,
so far has He removed our transgressions from us.
13As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
14For He knows our frame;
He is mindful that we are dust.
15As for man, his days are like grass—
he blooms like a flower of the field;
16when the wind passes over, it vanishes,
and its place remembers it no more.
17But from everlasting to everlasting
the loving devotion of the LORD
extends to those who fear Him,
and His righteousness to their children’s children—
18to those who keep His covenant
and remember to obey His precepts.
19The LORD has established His throne in heaven,
and His kingdom rules over all.
20Bless the LORD, all His angels mighty in strength
who carry out His word,
who hearken to the voice of His command.
21Bless the LORD, all His hosts,
you servants who do His will.
22Bless the LORD, all His works
in all places of His dominion.
Bless the LORD, O my soul!
Berean Standard Bible, 22 verses. The BSB is in the public domain.
Around Psalm 103
Near it in Book IV: the eternal LORD still reigns
- Psalm 94
- Psalm 95
- Psalm 96
- Psalm 97
- Psalm 98
- Psalm 99
- Psalm 100
- Psalm 101
- Psalm 102
- Psalm 104
- Psalm 105
- Psalm 106
Read alongside
Chapters that point here
- Leviticus 16
Questions on Psalm 103
How does fatherly compassion answer human guilt and frailty?
The answers are in TheoMaps Challenges.
Plus What TheoMaps holds for Psalm 103
- How Psalm 103 points to Christ
- What each of its 4 sections says, and how one leads into the next
- Why that chapter belongs beside it
- The answers to its questions, in Challenges
TheoMaps Plus opens every book the way Genesis is open, on the map, with Challenges to help you remember it.