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The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

Psalms 103:1-22

Psalm PSALM—NOTE ON Psalms 103:1. This is a hymn of praise, celebrating the Lord’s abundant goodness and love for his people. It is the first of four psalms reflecting on God’s dealings with his people from creation to exile. Psalms 103:1 introduces the sequence by recalling that Israel’s survival in Moses’ time was due to God’s steadfast love. It begins with each individual singer exhorting his or her own soul to bless the Lord. It then lists the benefits that the soul should be careful not to forget. The crowning benefit is God’s enduring love to the descendants of the faithful, which leads the worshipers to encourage all the angelic hosts and all creation to join in blessing the Lord. These benefits come to the individual but benefit the wider community as well (vv. Psalms 103:6; Psalms 103:17).

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See also Psalms 103:1-22 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    PSALM CIII _God is praised for his benefits to his people_, 1, 2; _he forgives their iniquities, and heals their diseases_, 3; _redeems their lives, crowns them with loving-kindness_, 4; _satisfie...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    BLESS THE LORD, O MY SOUL - The word “bless,” as applied to God, means to praise, implying always a strong affection for him as well as a sense of gratitude. As used with reference to people, the word...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    Psalms 103 The Praise of Israel _ 1. The benefits of full salvation (Psalms 103:1)_ 2. Merciful and gracious (Psalms 103:8) 3. His throne and His kingdom ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    CIII. A HYMN OF THANKSGIVING FOR YAHWEH'S PARDONING LOVE. The main theme is stated in Psalms 103:6. Yahweh is just, He rights the oppressed, but above all He is considerate and ready to pardon sin. He...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    TITLE. OF DAVID: i.e. relating to the true David. BLESS. Figure of speech _Apostrophe._ THE LORD. Hebrew. _Jehovah._ with. _eth_. Jehovah Himself. MY SOUL. me myself. Hebrew. _nephesh._ App-13. HO...

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 672 DUTY OF PRAISING GOD FOR HIS MERCIES Psalms 103:1. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    _An exhortation to praise God for his mercy, and for the constancy thereof._ _A Psalm_ of David. _TITLE._ לדוד _LEDAVID_— This is one of the psalms of David, which it is supposed was written by him a...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    PSALMS 103 DESCRIPTIVE TITLE Bless Jehovah; for He is Worthy. ANALYSIS Stanza I., Psalms 103:1-5, Bless Jehovah: For his Personal Dealings. Stanza II., Psalms 103:6-10, For his Revealed Charac

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Psalms 103:1.-Bless Yahweh, my soul, for having saved body, soul, and life, and satisfying me with good things (Psalms 103...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    In this Ps. the hope of the previous one has been fulfilled, and sorrow has given place to thanksgiving. Its probable date is soon after the return from exile. The Psalmist utters his personal gratitu...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    Psalms 90:106 _GORDON CHURCHYARD_ THE LOVE OF GOD PSALMS 103 Jesus said, "Your Father in heaven knows everything that you need". (Matthew

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    לְ דָוִ֨ד ׀ בָּרֲכִ֣י נַ֭פְשִׁי אֶת ־יְהוָ֑ה...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    Psalms 103:1 THERE are no clouds in the horizon, nor notes of sadness in the music, of this psalm. No purer outburst of thankfulness enriches the Church. It is well that, amid the many psalms which gi...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    THE LORD'S ABUNDANT MERCIES Psalms 103:1 David's name heads this peerless psalm, which expresses, as none other, the soul of the universal Church and of the individual Christian. Notice the present t...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    It seems almost a work of supererogation to write anything about this psalm. It is perhaps the most perfect song of pure praise to be found in the Bible. It has become the common inheritance of all wh...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    "[A Psalm] of David." (a) Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, [bless] his holy name. (a) He wakens his dulness to praise God, showing that both understanding and affections, mind an...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Himself. Complutensian Septuagint adds, "a psalm of the creation," (Haydock) as this is the subject; but there is no title in the original. (Berthier) The psalm contains "a divine and natural philosop...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    CONTENTS This Psalm is one continued hymn of praise, and includes a comprehensive view of the goodness of Jehovah, in all the great works of creation and redemption, providence and grace. A Psalm of...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    How beautifully does the psalm begin, in calling upon the soul to this most pleasing service, of praising God! Reader, do remark it, that it is with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; while w...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    1._Bless Jehovah, O my soul! _The prophet, by stirring up himself to gratitude, gives by his own example a lesson to every man of the duty incumbent upon him. And doubtless our slothfulness in this ma...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Psalms 103-106 give us the results and the covenant in grace and in responsibility, of Israel's history. Psalms 103 is the voice of Messiah in Israel in praise according to God's dealing with them; Ps...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    BLESS THE LORD, O MY SOUL,.... His better part, his soul, which comes immediately from God, and returns to him, which is immaterial and immortal, and of more worth than the world: God is to be served...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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, sait...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _All that is within me, bless his holy name_ Let all my thoughts and affections be engaged, united, and raised to the highest pitch in and for this work. _Forget not all his benefits_ In order to our...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Bless the Lord, O my soul, a most emphatic invitation and admonition, a joyful self-encouragement; AND ALL THAT IS WITHIN ME BLESS HIS HOLY NAME, all the organs of the body being called upon to give t...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    HYMN TO THE MERCY OF GOD. A psalm of David, voicing his thankful acknowledgment of God's gifts and blessings upon himself, the conclusion calling upon all creatures to join in his song of praise....

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-5 By the pardon of sin, that is taken away which kept good things from us, and we are restored to the favor of God, who bestows good things on us. Think of the provocation; it was sin, and yet pard...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    PSALM 103 THE ARGUMENT This Psalm contains a thankful commemoration and celebration of God's mercies to the psalmist himself, and to the people of Israel, and to all good men. David stirreth up himsel...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Psalms 103:1 David H1732 Bless H1288 (H8761) LORD H3068 soul H5315 within H7130 holy H6944 name H8034...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    What more appropriate passage than the 103 rd Psalm can we read, on this first Sabbath night of another year, to express the gratitude of our thankful hearts. I will only interject a sentence here and...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Let us read, dear friends, the one hundred and third Psalm, not because we do not know it, but because I trust that we know it by heart, and feel that it is a fit expression for our heart's thankfulne...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Psalms 103:1. _Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name,_ We ought to be always blessing God; this sacred employment should be like an atmosphere surrounding us at al...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Psalms 103:1. _Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefit?_ Three times the psalmist says, «Bless, bless, ble...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Psalms 103:1. _Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name._ Come, my heart, be down in the dumps no longer, take thy harp from the willows, tune its strings, and begin...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Psalms 103:1. _Bless the LORD, O my soul:_ Come, my soul, wake up, bestir thyself, for thou hast a great work to do. Psalms 103:1. _And all that is within in me, bless his holy name._ Let no power...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    This is a song of exulting thanksgiving, of overflowing joy and praise. Let each one of us read it as speaking for himself. Let it, here and now, be our own personal tribute of peculiar mercy received...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    One's heart naturally turns to this passage when one desires to magnify the Lord. It is specially suitable for a New Year's meditation. Psalms 103:1. _Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is withi...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: The psalmist, affected with the goodness of God stirs himself up to praise God. CHARACTERS: God, David. CONCLUSION: God is the fountain of all good, whatever may be the channel and to His...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    This is a psalm of David, written after some recent deliverance from sickness, or other affliction. The composition is the unfolding of the heart in gratitude to God, for personal and for national mer...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Bless the Lord, O my soul._ A SONG OF PRAISE Like stately pillars supporting a solemn temple, three noble psalms, placed side by side, exalt the glory of Jehovah: 103 glorifies the God of grace; 10...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    INTRODUCTION This, as appears from the superscription, is one of David’s Psalms. It is a Psalm of great beauty and preciousness, and has been a great favourite of devout souls in all ages. The fulness...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION A PSALM of joy and thanksgiving for God's manifold mercies, especially for his loving kindness in forgiving sin and transgression (Psalms 103:3, Psalms 103:8, Psalms 103:17) passing

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Psa 103:1-22, a favorite psalm of thanksgiving time. I trust that it wasn't so long ago that you have already forgotten how thankful you were. Bless the LORD, O my soul (Psalms 103:1): Now this is a...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Corinthians 14:15; Colossians 3:16; Isaiah 6:3; John 4:24; Luke 1:46

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