103:1([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 and heart, are
too little to set forth his praise.
103:3 Who b forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all
thy diseases;
(b) That is, the beginning and chiefest of all benefits,
remission of sin.
103:4 Who redeemeth thy life from c destruction; who crowneth
thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
(c) For before we have remission of our sins, we are as
dead men in the grave.
103:5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good [things; so that] thy
d youth is renewed like the eagle's.
(d) As the eagle, when her beak overgrows, sucks blood and
so is renewed in strength, even so God miraculously
gives strength to his Church above all man's
expectations.
103:7 He made known his ways unto e Moses, his acts unto the
children of Israel.
(e) As to his chief minister, and next to his people.
103:9 He will not always f chide: neither will he keep [his
anger] for ever.
(f) He shows first his severe judgment, but as soon as the
sinner is humbled, he receives him to mercy.
103:10 He hath not g dealt with us after our sins; nor
rewarded us according to our iniquities.
(g) Who have proved by continual experience that his
mercy has always prevailed against our offences.
103:12 As far as h the east is from the west, [so] far hath he
removed our transgressions from us.
(h) As great as the world is, so full is it of signs of
God's mercies toward his faithful when he has removed
their sins.
103:15 [As for] i man, his days [are] as grass: as a flower of
the field, so he flourisheth.
(i) He declares that man has nothing in himself to move
God to mercy, but only the confession of his
infirmity and misery.
103:17 But the mercy of the LORD [is] from everlasting to
everlasting upon them that fear him, and his k
righteousness unto children's children;
(k) His just and faithful keeping of his promise.
103:18 To such as keep his l covenant, and to those that
remember his commandments to do them.
(l) To whom he gives grace to fear him, and to obey his
word.
103:20 Bless the LORD, ye m his angels, that excel in
strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the
voice of his word.
(m) In that we, who naturally are slow to praise God,
exhort the angels, who willingly do it, we stir up
ourselves to consider our duty and wake from our
sluggishness.
