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Psalms 103:1-22

The Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 103:1-22

The Pulpit Commentary · Joseph S. Exell and contributors · Public domain

EXPOSITION

A PSALM of joy and thanksgiving for God's manifold mercies, especially for his loving kindness in forgiving sin and transgression (, , ) passing into adoration of him upon his heavenly throne (), and a call on all creation to praise him (). 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 of a later date. Whoever the author, we must regard the composition as less "the outbreathing of gratitude from one individual spirit" than "intended to be used as a national thanksgiving" (Kay).

The psalm divides itself into four portions:

the first () an outburst of praise for blessings granted by God to each man severally;

the second () an enumeration of his loving kindnesses towards his Church as a whole;

the third () a representation of man's weakness and dependence on God; and

the fourth () a glance at God's unchanging glory, and a call upon all his creation to bless and worship him.

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Matthew Henry on Psalms 103:1-5Psalms 103:1-5 · Matthew Henry Concise CommentaryBy 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 pardoned: how many the provo…The Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 103:1Psalms 103:1 · The Pulpit CommentaryBless the Lord, O my soul. Repeated in Psalms 103:2; also at the end of the psalm; and again in Psalms 104:1, Psalms 104:35. To "bless" is more than to praise; it is to praise with affection and gratitude. The psalmist…The Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 103:1-5Psalms 103:1-5 · The Pulpit CommentaryGod's goodness to ourselves. The psalmist begins by addressing himself; he has before him his own personal experience during a long (or lengthening) life; and he finds ample reason for full, heartfelt gratitude. Of the…The Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 103:1-5Psalms 103:1-5 · The Pulpit CommentaryA pattern of praise. This psalm is all praise; there is no supplication in it. It has helped myriads to praise God, and the secret of such help is that the psalmist was himself filled with the spirit of praise, and it i…The Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 103:1-5Psalms 103:1-5 · The Pulpit CommentaryGratitude for unbounded mercies. I. THE SOUL URGENTLY SUMMONED TO PRAISE GOD FOR HIS GOODNESS. Inward praise, not the praise of the lips, is here called for—spiritual, not bodily worship. II. THE WHOLE INWARD MAN IS TO…
commentaryMatthew Henry on Psalms 103:1-5By 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 pardoned: how many the provo…Matthew HenrycommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 103:1-5God's goodness to ourselves. The psalmist begins by addressing himself; he has before him his own personal experience during a long (or lengthening) life; and he finds ample reason for full, heartfelt gratitude. Of the…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 103:1-5Gratitude for unbounded mercies. I. THE SOUL URGENTLY SUMMONED TO PRAISE GOD FOR HIS GOODNESS. Inward praise, not the praise of the lips, is here called for—spiritual, not bodily worship. II. THE WHOLE INWARD MAN IS TO…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 103:1Bless the Lord, O my soul. Repeated in Psalms 103:2; also at the end of the psalm; and again in Psalms 104:1, Psalms 104:35. To "bless" is more than to praise; it is to praise with affection and gratitude. The psalmist…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 103:1-5A pattern of praise. This psalm is all praise; there is no supplication in it. It has helped myriads to praise God, and the secret of such help is that the psalmist was himself filled with the spirit of praise, and it i…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 103:2Bless the Lord, O my soul. Repetition, in Holy Scripture, is almost always for the sake of emphasis. It is not "vain repetition." Our Lord often uses it: "Verily, verily, I say unto you;" "My God, my God, why hast thou…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 103:3God the Healer of disease. Though this psalm is one of the most familiar, both its authorship and its particular occasion are quite unknown. Early in the psalm this text comes. It is part of a review of God's personal m…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 103:3Who forgiveth all thine iniquities. This is the first and greatest of "benefits," and is therefore placed first, as that for which we ought, above all else, to bless God. God's forgiveness of sin is a frequent topic wit…Joseph S. Exell and contributors