As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. Psalm 103:12
Forget Not All His Benefits
Psalm 103, a wisdom psalm attributed to David, is also a psalm of praise. The poem begins with the psalmist speaking in the singular, but then moves to include the community, both angels and people. David praises God for the many mercies that unveil the compassion of Him and lead all beings everywhere to praise the Lord.
God’s compassion (103:8-12). Forgiveness is the prime expression of God’s compassion for a needy humanity. These verses explain the nature of the forgiveness we enjoy as well as any passage in OT or NT.
103:1 To bless the Lord is to remember that He is the source of all our blessings. The psalmist blesses the Lord with his entire being.
1 A Psalm of David. Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:
103:3-5 heals all your diseases: There are godly people who suffer illness, despite repeated prayers for healing. Even though God is not bound to heal every disease, every healing does come from Him. Who satisfies your mouth: In addition to being a healer, God provides food as well as other blessings. His mercy enables the believer to rise up like an eagle.
3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, 4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, 5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
103:6 God is for the helpless and the oppressed. He is not unfair, for He is the One who will restore justice to the earth.
6 The Lord executes righteousness And justice for all who are oppressed.
103:7 made known His ways to Moses: God blessed His servant Moses in a special way by revealing the Law to him. His acts: During the Exodus and the wilderness wanderings, God acted on the Israelites’ behalf. He saved them from Pharaoh’s army, provided them with water and food, but most importantly revealed the Law to them.
7 He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel.
103:8-14 The Lord is merciful: This is a basic description of God in the OT. If God dealt with us according to our sins, no one could stand before Him. There is no way to compare the divine with the mortal; the mercy of God is greater than the heavens. He removes our sins completely and cares for His people as a good father cares for his children. The fact that God remembers who we are and how He made us is another mark of His mercy, for we are dust.
8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. 9 He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever. 10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities. 11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; 12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. 13 As a father pities his children, So the Lord pities those who fear Him. 14 For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. 15 As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. 16 For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, And its place remembers it no more.
103:17-19 Mercy may be rephrased as “loyal love.” God’s anger is for a moment; His loyal love is forever. His blessing is on those who keep faith with Him. His throne: The Lord is King of all and King forever. His rule is the only rule that matters.
17 But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting On those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children’s children, 18 To such as keep His covenant, And to those who remember His commandments to do them.
19 The Lord has established His throne in heaven, And His kingdom rules over all.
103:20-22 Bless the Lord: The poet began the psalm with a call to his own inner being to respond with praise to God; he concludes the psalm with a call to heaven and earth to join him in joyful praise.
20 Bless the Lord, you His angels, Who excel in strength, who do His word, Heeding the voice of His word. 21 Bless the Lord, all you His hosts, You ministers of His, who do His pleasure. 22 Bless the Lord, all His works, In all places of His dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul!
** God knows we are mere dust. So, why is He faithful to us? Why does He care? Who are we? Count the benefits we’ve gained from this relationship.
103 1 A Psalm of David. Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: 3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, 4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, 5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. 6 The Lord executes righteousness And justice for all who are oppressed. 7 He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel. 8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. 9 He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever. 10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities. 11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; 12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. 13 As a father pities his children, So the Lord pities those who fear Him. 14 For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. 15 As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. 16 For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, And its place remembers it no more. 17 But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting On those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children’s children, 18 To such as keep His covenant, And to those who remember His commandments to do them. 19 The Lord has established His throne in heaven, And His kingdom rules over all. 20 Bless the Lord, you His angels, Who excel in strength, who do His word, Heeding the voice of His word. 21 Bless the Lord, all you His hosts, You ministers of His, who do His pleasure. 22 Bless the Lord, all His works, In all places of His dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul!
