Henry Ainsworth on Psalms 103

PSAL. CIII.

A Psalme of David.

MY soule, blesse thou Iehovah, and all my inward parts the Name of his Holinesse. My soule, blesse thou Iehovah, & forget not all his rewards. That mercifully pardoneth all thine iniquities, that healeth all thy sicknesses. That redeemeth thy life from the pit of corruption, that crowneth thee with mercy and tender pitties. That satiateth thy mouth with good things, thy youth is renewed as an Eagles. Iehovah doth justices and iudgements to all oppressed.

He made knowne his waies to Moses, his actions to the sonnes of Israel. Iehovan is pittifull and gracious, long suffering, and much of mercy. Hee will not contend to continuall aye, neither keepe (his anger) for ever. He hath not done to us according to our sinnes, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. But as is the height of the heavens above the earth, so strong is his mercy over them that feare him. As farre remote as the East is from the West, so farre hath he removed our trespasses from us. As a father hath pitty on his sonnes, Iehovah hath pitty on them that feare him. For he knoweth our forming, remembring that we are dust. Sorry man, his daies are as grasse, as a flower of the field so flourisheth he. For a wind passeth over it, and it is not, and the place thereof shall not know it any more. But the mercy of Iehovah endureth from eternity and unto eternity, upon them that feare him, and his justice to the childrens children. To them that keepe his covenant, and that remember his precepts for to doe them. Iehovah hath firmely prepared his throne in the Heavens, and his Kingdome ruleth over all. Blesse Iehovah, ye his Angels; mighty of strength doing his Word, hearkning to the voice of his Word. Blesse Iehovah, all ye his hosts, his ministers, doing his pleasure. Blesse Iehovah, all ye his workes, in all places of his domination, my soule, blesse thou Iehovah.

Annotations. ALl his rewards] that is, any of his benefits. All is often used for any, Psal. 147. 20. 1 King. 10. 20. and rewards for benefits: see Psal. 13. 6. Vers. 3. sicknesses] all diseases, griefes and punishments in soule or body (and spiritually sinnes) are meant by the word sicknesses, Exod. 15. 26. Deut. 28. 59, 61. Esa. 33. 24. See also Psal. 41. 5. and 147. 3. Vers. 4. pit of corruption] death and the grave; the Chaldee saith, from Gehenna (or Hell) whither men hasten by their sinnes, till God by chastisement bringeth them to repentance, and then spareth them. See this at large handled, Iob 33. 19, 23, 24, 27, 28, 30. Vers. 5. good things] Hebr. the good thing: see the Notes on Psal. 65. 5. is renewed] or, thou renewest thy selfe as an Eagle, as thy youth, thy flesh being fresher than in childhood, thou returning to the dayes of thy youth, as is said, Iob 33. 25. This change is by the renewing of the minde, Rom. 12. 2. wrought by the holy Ghost, Tit. 3. 5. The Chaldee applieth it to renuing in the world to come. as an eagles] which casteth her feathers yeerely, and new grow up, whereby she seemeth fresh and young, flyeth high, and liveth long. Compare Esa. 40. 31. Vers. 6. justices] that is, all manner justice, and that which is chiefest. Things are often spoken of plurally for their excellency. So wisdomes, Pro. 9. 1. Vers. 7. his waies] wherein men ought to walk, as Exod. 18. 20. Psal. 25. 4, 5. or, wherein him-selfe walketh, his administration, his workes, as Psal. 77. 20. Iob 40. 14. This latter seemeth most meant here by comparing it with Exod. 33. 13. and 34. 6, 7. Vers. 8. long suffering] or slow to anger: see Psal. 86. 15. Vers. 9. contend] or chide; compare Esa. [illegible: 1 letter]7. 16. keepe] understand his anger. as both Greeke and Chaldee do explaine it; sometime the Hebrew it selfe manifesteth the defect, as he set, 1 Chron. 18. 6. that is, he set garrisons, 2 Sam. 8. 6. This phrase is taken from the Law, Lev. 19. 18. So Ier. 3. 5. Nahum 1. 2. See also Psal. 109. 21. Vers. 13. Iehovah hath pitty] the Chaldee expounds it, the Word of the Lord hath pitty. So in verse 19. for Iehovah is the Word of the Lord. Vers. 14. our forming] that is, our formed nature and condition, our matter and forme; the originall word properly is a formed vessell of earth, applied to our fraile estate, Rom. 9. 20, 21. sometime this is spoken of our fictions and sinfull imaginations, Gen. 6. 5. Deut. 31. 21. and so the Chaldee interpreteth it here, our evill concupiscence which carrieth us into error. Vers. 15. as the grasse, &c.] that is, few and transitorie, though making a faire shew. Compare Psal. 90. 5, 6. Iob 14. 1, 2. Iam. 1. 10, 11. 1 Pet. 1. 24. Vers. 16. not know it] or know him, that is, hee shall have no more place here. So Iob 7. 10. Vers. 18. to doe them] this noteth the outward practise and operation of the Law, whereas keeping or observing is with the heart and spirit of man, Prov. 3. 1, 3. and 4. 4, 21. Psal. 78. 8. Vers. 19. prepared his throne[illegible: 1 letter]] or stab[illegible: 3 letters]he it, a signe of dominion and gover[illegible: 1 span] be administred in heaven, whereby the Church is figured, Rev. 4. 1. 2. See also Psal. 9. 5, 8, 9. and 11. 4. Vers. 20. hearkning] or to hearken; to obey, and this noteth a willing and ready minde in the Angels, and our Lord teacheth vs to pray for the like, Mat. 6. 10. The Hebrew phrase to obey, may be Englished obeying, as the like in Psal. 104. 15, 21. and 105. 11. See also Psal. 49. 15. and 65. 11. Vers. 21. his hosts] or armies, the thrones, principalities, powers &c. that are in the heavenly places, Eph. 3. 10. Col. 1. 16. for they are his hosts, 1 King. 22. 19. Gen. 32. 2. and generally all creatures are his hosts: see Psal. 24. 10. ministers] the Angels which minister unto him, Psal. 104. 4. Dan. 7. 10. the same title is given also to men, Esa. 61. 6.