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Psalm 103 · a question people ask

Three times the psalm speaks of the LORD's love for "those who fear him" (103:11, 103:13, 103:17). Is his loving kindness only for them?

In the text

The words come three times: "so great is his loving kindness toward those who fear him" (103:11), "so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him" (103:13), and "the LORD’s loving kindness is from everlasting to everlasting with those who fear him" (103:17). The next verse says who they are: "to those who keep his covenant, to those who remember to obey his precepts" (103:18). The same psalm also says, "The LORD executes righteous acts, and justice for all who are oppressed" (103:6), and "His kingdom rules over all" (103:19). Another psalm says, "The LORD is good to all. His tender mercies are over all his works" (Psalm 145:9). These notes set the verses side by side and don't add more than they say.

The verses

“For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his loving kindness toward those who fear him.”
Psalm 103:11 · World English Bible
“Like a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.”
Psalm 103:13 · World English Bible
“But the LORD’s loving kindness is from everlasting to everlasting with those who fear him, his righteousness to children’s children, to those who keep his covenant, to those who remember to obey his precepts.”
Psalm 103:17-18 · World English Bible
“The LORD executes righteous acts, and justice for all who are oppressed.”
Psalm 103:6 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of Psalm 103

Psalm 103: Praise the LORD, my soul

"Praise the LORD, my soul" (103:1) is the same Hebrew as "Bless the LORD, my soul" (Psalm 104:1): the psalm speaks to its own soul, and every your in 103:3-5 is spoken to it. And its "flower of the field" (103:15) is Isaiah's, where the Hebrew calls the glory of flesh chesed, the psalm's word for the LORD's everlasting loving kindness (103:17).

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions