Psalms 103:16

As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. -Our grass-like frailty and mortality would cause us to despair, but that we have sure hope in Yahweh's everlasting mercy to those that fear Him, as well those of the latest generation as those of the earliest. Compare Moses' words, Psalms 90:1, from which this passage is derived. Compare a similar contrast between man's grass-like frailty and God's eternal word, Isaiah 40:6. Here it is God's everlasting mercy. Verse 15. AS FOR MAN, HIS DAYS ARE AS GRASS. "Man" - literally, mortal and miserable man: Hebrew, 'ªnowsh (H582), from a root [ 'aanash ...

15-18 How short is man's life, and uncertain! The flower of the garden is commonly more choice, and will last the longer, for being sheltered by the garden-wall, and the gardener's care; but the flower of the field, to which life is here compared, is not only withering in itself, but exposed to the cold blasts, and liable to be cropt and trod on by the beasts of the field. Such is man. God considers this, and pities him; let him consider it himself. God's mercy is better than life, for it will outlive it. His righteousness, the truth of his promise, shall be unto children's children, who tread in the footsteps of their forefathers' piety. Then shall mercy be preserved to them....

Verse Psalms 103:16. _THE WIND PASSETH OVER IT_] Referring perhaps to some blasting pestilential wind....

FOR THE WIND PASSETH OVER IT, AND IT IS GONE - Margin, as in Hebrew, “it is not.” The reference is either to a hot and burning wind, that dries up the flower; or to a furious wind that tears it from its stem; or to a gentle breeze that takes off its petals as they loosen their hold, and are ready to fall. So man falls - as if a breath - a breeze - came over him, and he is gone. How easily is man swept off! How little force, apparently, does it require to remove the most beautiful and blooming youth of either sex from the earth! How speedily does beauty vanish; how soon, like a fading flower, does such a one pass away! AND THE PLACE THEREOF SHALL KNOW IT NO MORE - That is, It shall no more appear in the place where it was seen and known. The “place” is here personified as if capable of recognizing the objects which are present, and as if it missed the things which were once there. They ar...

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 into adoration of him upon his heavenly throne (Psalms 103:19), and a call on all creation to praise him (Psalms 103:20-19). The "title" assigns the psalm to David, and this view of its authorship is taken by Hengstenberg and Professor Alexander. But other critics see in "certain Aramaic terminations" indications o

FOR THE WIND PASSETH OVER IT, AND IT IS GONE,.... A stormy wind, as the Targum, which tears it up by its roots, or blows off the flower, and it is seen no more; or a blighting easterly wind, which, blowing on it, shrivels it up, and it dies at once; such an one as blasted the seven ears of corn in Pharaoh's dream, Genesis 41:23 or any impetuous, drying, and noxious wind: and so when the east wind of adversity passes over a man, his riches, and honour, and estate, are presently gone; or some bodily distemper, which takes away health, strength, and beauty, and impairs the mind; and especially death, which removes at once into another world. AND THE PLACE THEREOF SHALL KNOW IT NO MORE; the place where the flower grew shall know it no more; or it shall be seen no more in it: so man, when he dies, though he is not annihilated, he is somewhere; he is in another world, either o

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 all times. Yet there are special seasons when we feel as if we must wake ourselves up, and brace ourselves up, for some special adoration, talking to ourselves as the psalmist does here Psalms 103:2. _Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:_ Alas! that forgetfulness of God's benefits is an evil kind of worm that eats into the very heart of our praise. Oh, for a retentive memory concerning the lovingkindness of the Lord! Come, my heart, thou hast been thinking of many things whilst thou hast been away from the house of prayer; now forget them. Perhaps t

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 (Psalms 103:19) This is the well-beloved Psalm, because God's people love it for its precious and beautiful expressions, telling out the full salvation of our Saviour Lord and the gracious compassion which He manifests towards His own. But we must not overlook the prophetic aspect, which but few believers have recognized. It is really the hymn of Praise which will be sung by redeemed and restored Israel. Theirs will be a whole-souled praise. The

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 acts like a father to His children. PSALMS 103:1. The poet speaks from his own experience. He calls on his own soul to bless Yahweh. Here the singular is used: not so in Psalms 103:6 (see above). Psalms 103:15. A man's life is short, but Yahweh continues His kindness to a pious man's descendants. Psalms 103:

WIND. Hebrew. _ruach._ App-9. IT IS GONE. there is no sign of it. THE PLACE... KNOW IT. Figure of speech _Prosopopoeia._ KNOW. recognize....