2 Give praise to the Lord, O my soul; let not all his blessings go from your memory.
Keep in mind the great works which he has done; his wonders, and the decisions of his mouth;
I will give news of the mercies of the Lord, and his great acts, even all the things the Lord has done for us, in his great grace to the house of Israel; even all he has done for us in his unnumbered mercies.
And keep in mind the way by which the Lord your God has taken you through the waste land these forty years, so that he might make low your pride and put you to the test, to see what was in your heart and if you would keep his orders or not. And he made low your pride and let you be without food and gave you manna for your food, a thing new to you, which your fathers never saw; so that he might make it clear to you that bread is not man's only need, but his life is in every word which comes out of the mouth of the Lord. Through all these forty years your clothing did not get old or your feet become tired.
You have no thought for the Rock, your father, you have no memory of the God who gave you birth.
What may I give to the Lord for all the good things which he has done for me?
And one of them, when he saw that he was clean, turning back, gave praise to God in a loud voice; And, falling down on his face at the feet of Jesus, he gave the credit to him; and he was a man of Samaria. And Jesus said, Were there not ten men who were made clean? where are the nine? Have not any of them come back to give glory to God, but only this one from a strange land?
Then take care that you keep your hearts true to the Lord, who took you out of the land of Egypt, out of the prison-house.
And you will have food enough and be full, praising the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. Then take care that you are not turned away from the Lord your God and from keeping his orders and decisions and laws which I give you this day: And when you have taken food and are full, and have made fair houses for yourselves and are living in them; And when your herds and your flocks are increased, and your stores of silver and gold, and you have wealth of every sort; Take care that your hearts are not lifted up in pride, giving no thought to the Lord your God who took you out of the land of Egypt, out of the prison-house;
But Hezekiah did not do as had been done to him; for his heart was lifted up in pride; and so wrath came on him and on Judah and Jerusalem.
Our fathers did not give thought to your wonders in Egypt; they did not keep in memory the great number of your mercies, but gave you cause for wrath at the sea, even at the Red Sea.
O generation, see the word of the Lord. Have I been a waste land to Israel? or a land of dark night? why do my people say, We have got loose, we will not come to you again? Is it possible for a virgin to put out of her memory her ornaments, or a bride her robes? but my people have put me out of their memories for unnumbered days.
They had no memory of God their saviour, who had done great things in Egypt;
For this reason keep it in mind that in the past you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are looked on as being outside the circumcision by those who have circumcision, in the flesh, made by hands; That you were at that time without Christ, being cut off from any part in Israel's rights as a nation, having no part in God's agreement, having no hope, and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who at one time were far off are made near in the blood of Christ.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 103
Commentary on Psalms 103 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 103
Ps 103:1-22. A Psalm of joyous praise, in which the writer rises from a thankful acknowledgment of personal blessings to a lively celebration of God's gracious attributes, as not only intrinsically worthy of praise, but as specially suited to man's frailty. He concludes by invoking all creatures to unite in his song.
1. Bless, &c.—when God is the object, praise.
my soul—myself (Ps 3:3; 25:1), with allusion to the act, as one of intelligence.
all … within me—(De 6:5).
his holy name—(Ps 5:11), His complete moral perfections.
2. forget not all—not any, none of His benefits.
3. diseases—as penal inflictions (De 29:22; 2Ch 21:19).
4. redeemeth—Cost is implied.
destruction—literally, "pit of corruption" (Ps 16:10).
crowneth—or, "adorneth" (Ps 65:11).
tender mercies—compassions (compare Ps 25:6; 40:11).
5. By God's provision, the saint retains a youthful vigor like the eagles (Ps 92:14; compare Isa 40:31).
6. Literally, "righteousness and judgments," denoting various acts of God's government.
7. ways—of providence, &c., as usual (Ps 25:4; 67:2).
acts—literally, "wonders" (Ps 7:11; 78:17).
8-10. God's benevolence implies no merit. He shows it to sinners, who also are chastened for a time (Ex 34:6).
keep (anger)—in Le 19:18, bear a grudge (Jer 3:5, 12).
11. great—efficient.
12. removed … from us—so as no longer to affect our relations to Him.
13. pitieth—literally, "has compassion on."
14. he—"who formed," Ps 94:9.
knoweth our frame—literally, "our form."
we are dust—made of and tending to it (Ge 2:7).
15, 16. So short and frail is life that a breath may destroy it.
it is gone—literally, "it is not."
know it no more—no more recognize him (Ps 90:6; Isa 40:6-8).
17, 18. For similar contrast compare Ps 90:2-6; 102:27, 28.
18. such … covenant—limits the general terms preceding.
righteousness—as usual (Ps 7:17; 31:1).
19. God's firm and universal dominion is a pledge that He will keep His promises (Ps 11:4; 47:8).
20-22. do his commandments … word—or, literally, "so as to hearken," &c., that is, their acts of obedience are prompt, so that they are ever ready to hear, and know, and follow implicitly His declared will (compare De 26:17; Lu 1:19).
21. ye his hosts—myriads, or armies, as corresponding to angels of great power [Ps 103:20], denoting multitudes also.
22. all his works—creatures of every sort, everywhere.