Psalms 103:1 «[A Psalm] of David. » Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, [bless] his holy name. _A Psalm of David_] Which he wrote when carried out of himself, as far as heaven, saith Beza; and therefore calleth not upon his own soul only, but upon all creatures, from the highest a... [ Continue Reading ]
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Ver. 2. _Bless the lord, O my soul_] David found some dulness and drowsiness; hence he so oft puts the thorn to the breast; hence he so impetuously instigateth his soul, as one here phraseth it. _ And forget not all his benefits_] Forgetf... [ Continue Reading ]
Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Ver. 3. _Who forgiveth all thine iniquities_] David not only taketh upon him with a holy imperiousness, laying God's charge upon his soul to be thankful; but intending to show himself good cause why to be so, he worthily beginneth wi... [ Continue Reading ]
Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Ver. 4. _Who redeemeth thy life from destruction_] From hell, saith the Chaldee; from a thousand deaths and dangers every day. All this Christ, our kind kinsman, doth for us, dying virtually as oft as... [ Continue Reading ]
Who satisfieth thy mouth with good [things; so that] thy youth is renewed like the eagle's. Ver. 5. _Who satisfieth thy mouth_] Heb. thy jaws, so that thou art top full, eating as long as eating is good. God alloweth thee an honest affluence of outward comforts; open thy mouth wide, and he will fil... [ Continue Reading ]
The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed. Ver. 6. _The Lord executeth, &c._] The words are both plural, to show that God will execute _omnimodam iustitiamet iudicium,_ all and all manner of justice and judgment, relieving the oppressed, and punishing the oppressor to... [ Continue Reading ]
He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel. Ver. 7. _He made known his ways unto Moses_] Even right judgments, true laws, good statute and commandments, Nehemiah 9:13,14. The Rabbis by ways here understand God's attributes and properties (Middoth they call them), those... [ Continue Reading ]
The LORD [is] merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. Ver. 8. _The Lord is merciful and gracious_] These are Moses's very expressions, Exodus 34:6. Theodoret calleth him, worthily, the great ocean of divinity, &c.... [ Continue Reading ]
He will not always chide: neither will he keep [his anger] for ever. Ver. 9. _He will not always chide_] His still revenges are terrible, Genesis 6:3, with 1 Peter 3:19, but God, being appeased towards the penitent people, will not show his anger so much as in words, Isaiah 57:16 . _ Neither will... [ Continue Reading ]
He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. Ver. 10. _He hath not dealt with us after our sins_] Heb. our errors, our involuntary and unavoidable infirmities. _ According to our iniquities_] Heb. perversely committed; for of these evils also the saints ar... [ Continue Reading ]
For as the heaven is high above the earth, [so] great is his mercy toward them that fear him. Ver. 11. _For as the heaven is high above the earth_] How high the third heaven is cannot be conjectured. But for the middlemost heaven (wherein the sun, moon, and stars are placed), how exceeding high it... [ Continue Reading ]
As far as the east is from the west, [so] far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Ver. 12. _As far as the east, &c._] And these we know to be so far asunder that they shall never come together. The space also and distance of these two is the greatest that can be imagined, Deu 4:32 Psalms 11... [ Continue Reading ]
Like as a father pitieth [his] children, [so] the LORD pitieth them that fear him. Ver. 13. _Like as a father pitieth_] There is an ocean of love in a father's heart. See Luke 15:20 Genesis 33:2; Genesis 33:13,14; Genesis 34:3, how hardly and with what caution Jacob parted with Benjamin. Sozomen ma... [ Continue Reading ]
For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we [are] dust. Ver. 14. _For he knoweth our frame_] Our evil concupiscence, saith the Chaldee; _Figulinam et fragilem constitutionem nostram,_ saith Junius, that we are nothing better than a compound of dirt and sin. _ He remembereth that we are dust_]... [ Continue Reading ]
Psalms 103:15 [As for] man, his days [are] as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. Ver. 15. _As for man, his days are as grass_] The frailty of man's life, intimated in the former verse, is here lively painted out under the similitude of grass, as likewise in many other Scriptures. S... [ Continue Reading ]
For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more. Ver. 16. _For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone_] Heb. it is not; that is, it neither continues any longer in being nor returns any more into being: so here, Job 14:7,12 . _ And the place thereof shal... [ Continue Reading ]
But the mercy of the LORD [is] from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children; Ver. 17. _But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting_] God is from all eternity and unto all eternity kind to all that fear him, in what age of the world soever... [ Continue Reading ]
To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them. Ver. 18. _To such as keep his covenant_] For else they shall know God's breach of promise, as it is Numbers 14:3,4. Neither shall it benefit them to have been born of godly parents. _ To those that remember his c... [ Continue Reading ]
The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all. Ver. 19. _The Lord hath prepared_] Or, fixed, founded, firmed, established. Here God is further praised for his most excellent Majesty, which appeareth, first, from the loftiness of his throne; secondly, from the lar... [ Continue Reading ]
Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. Ver. 20. _Bless the Lord, ye his angels_] In stirring up the angels to praise God, he awaketh himself; and for this purpose, _Incipit a superioribus, et finit in infirmis,_ saith... [ Continue Reading ]
Bless ye the LORD, all [ye] his hosts; [ye] ministers of his, that do his pleasure. Ver. 21. _Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts_] That is, all his creatures, which are fitly called God's hosts, first, for their number; secondly, for their order; thirdly, for their obedience. _ Ye ministers of hi... [ Continue Reading ]
Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul. Ver. 22. _Bless the Lord, all his works_] Whether living or lifeless; for all thy works praise thee, O Lord, and thy saints bless thee, Psalms 145:10. _Benedicite ter, ad mysterium Triadis,_ saith an interpreter... [ Continue Reading ]