Psalms 103:2 - Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Bible Comments

Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

Bless the Lord, O my soul ... Bless the Lord, O my soul - with the "Bless the Lord, O my soul," Psalms 103:22, these two form the thrice-repeated blessing from the soul to the Lord: answering to the thrice-repeated blessing from the Lord to the soul in the Mosaic formula, Numbers 6:24-26.

And all that is within me - Hebrew, plural, 'all my inward parts' (Psalms 5:9): the heart, the feelings, the understanding; in contrast to what is outward, the lips, with which even the thankless seem to thank God (cf. Psalms 62:4). All my heart is contrasted with a divided or half-heart (cf. Psalms 86:11-12). Deuteronomy 6:5 is the original.

His holy name - Himself in His manifestation of His character as the holy and adorable One (Psalms 22:3).

Verse 2. And forget not all his benefits - a hint to David's seed that they, too, should not (as the human heart is apt to do) forget all God's benefits. So Deuteronomy 6:12; Deuteronomy 8:11; Deuteronomy 8:14. The very prosperity which is the gift of God is too often the occasion of the heart being lifted up so as to forget the Giver (Deuteronomy 32:15). The Hebrew х gªmuwl (H1576)] for "benefits" generally means 'retribution' or 'reward,' as in Psalms 103:10 (Psalms 7:4). The only claim that we have to God's benefits is His own grace and our great wretchedness, which moves His infinite compassion. In Psalms 13:6; Psalms 119:17; 2 Chronicles 32:25, the Hebrew is used as here of the bountiful dealings or benefits which God gives in accordance with His own goodness: they are due to His compassionate nature, not to our merits. "All His benefits" beautifully correspond to 'all that is in me,' which is called on to bless him proportionally.

Psalms 103:2

2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: