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Bless the LORD, O My Soul
Psalm 103 is a song of praise that starts and ends with the singer speaking to his own soul. It remembers Yahweh’s gifts, his mercy toward sinful and frail people, and his rule over all.
Understanding the passage
Read these words in context
In this psalm, the writer calls himself to praise Yahweh and not forget his benefits. The song first names personal blessings, then speaks of Yahweh’s justice and compassion, reflects on human frailty, and ends by calling heaven and all creation to praise him.
Psalms 103:1–22Main takeaway
Psalm 103 teaches that Yahweh deserves wholehearted praise for his forgiving, compassionate and everlasting loving kindness, and for his rule over all.
Explore the poem and its images
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01The soul is told to remember Yahweh’s benefitsThe psalm opens with a repeated call: “Praise Yahweh, my soul.” This praise includes “all that is within me” and is linked with remembering, not forgetting.
Explanation
The psalm opens with a repeated call: “Praise Yahweh, my soul.” This praise includes “all that is within me” and is linked with remembering, not forgetting. The benefits named are forgiveness, healing, redemption from destruction, being crowned with loving kindness and tender mercies, being satisfied with good things, and youth being renewed “like the eagle’s”.
02Yahweh’s character is just and mercifulThe song moves from personal blessings to Yahweh’s actions for others. He executes righteous acts and justice for the oppressed.
Explanation
The song moves from personal blessings to Yahweh’s actions for others. He executes righteous acts and justice for the oppressed. The psalm also says he made his ways known to Moses and his deeds to Israel. Yahweh is described as merciful, gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and he does not stay angry forever.
03He deals with frail people in compassionYahweh has not repaid his people according to their sins. His loving kindness is pictured as high as the heavens, and he removes transgressions as far as east is from west.
Explanation
Yahweh has not repaid his people according to their sins. His loving kindness is pictured as high as the heavens, and he removes transgressions as far as east is from west. His compassion is compared to a father’s compassion for children. He remembers that people are dust, and that human life is brief like grass and a field flower.
04His kingdom rules over all, so all should praiseUnlike fading human life, Yahweh’s loving kindness is from everlasting to everlasting toward those who fear him, and his righteousness reaches “to children’s children”, to those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.
Explanation
Unlike fading human life, Yahweh’s loving kindness is from everlasting to everlasting toward those who fear him, and his righteousness reaches “to children’s children”, to those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts. Then the song widens further: Yahweh’s throne is in the heavens, his kingdom rules over all, and angels, armies, servants, all his works, and the singer’s own soul are called to praise him.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01Which benefits does the psalm list before it speaks about Yahweh’s justice for the oppressed?
Read the opening lines carefully and name each benefit in order, including the good things that satisfy and the renewing of youth.
02What comparisons does the psalm use to describe both Yahweh’s mercy and human weakness?
Look for the images of the heavens, east and west, a father, dust, grass, and a flower to explain what the singer is saying.
03Who is included in the final call to praise Yahweh?
Trace the last verses and notice how the call moves through heavenly beings, servants, all God’s works, and finally back to the singer himself.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Psalms 103:1–22
1Praise Yahweh, my soul! All that is within me, praise his holy name!
2Praise Yahweh, my soul, and don’t forget all his benefits,
3who forgives all your sins, who heals all your diseases,
4who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies,
5who satisfies your desire with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6Yahweh executes righteous acts, and justice for all who are oppressed.
7He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the children of Israel.
8Yahweh is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness.
9He will not always accuse; neither will he stay angry forever.
10He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor repaid us for our iniquities.
11For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his loving kindness toward those who fear him.
12As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
13Like a father has compassion on his children, so Yahweh has compassion on those who fear him.
14For he knows how we are made. He remembers that we are dust.
15As for man, his days are like grass. As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
16For the wind passes over it, and it is gone. Its place remembers it no more.
17But Yahweh’s loving kindness is from everlasting to everlasting with those who fear him, his righteousness to children’s children,
18to those who keep his covenant, to those who remember to obey his precepts.
19Yahweh has established his throne in the heavens. His kingdom rules over all.
20Praise Yahweh, you angels of his, who are mighty in strength, who fulfill his word, obeying the voice of his word.
21Praise Yahweh, all you armies of his, you servants of his, who do his pleasure.
22Praise Yahweh, all you works of his, in all places of his dominion. Praise Yahweh, my soul!