Psalm 103:14 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.

NIV: for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.

NASB: For He Himself knows our form; He is mindful that we are nothing but dust.

CSB: For he knows what we are made of, remembering that we are dust.

NLT: For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust.

KJV: For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

NKJV: For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.

The Lord shows His people compassion partly because He knows we are frail and do not live long. He made man from dust, breathed into his nostrils, and man became a living creature (Genesis 2:7), but man sinned, and he incurred the sentence of death.

Ecclesiastes 12:7 refers to the human destiny as "dust returns to the earth as it was." Between birth and death, human beings bear the physical effects of sin. We experience illness, aches, pain, disease, and weakness. But none of these calamities escape the Lord's attention or His compassion. After all, He formed us in the womb (Psalm 139:13–16). He knows all about us. He even knows when we sit down and get up (Psalm 139:2). Jesus said our heavenly Father knows even the number of hairs on our head (Matthew 10:30) and values us highly. Therefore, we should not fear what someone might do to us.

Psalm 103:6–19 reflects on the Lord's benefits to Israel. Deuteronomy 6:1–15 contains the Lord's promise to bless the people of Israel if they would obey him. Psalm 105 and 106 are companion psalms that stress the Lord's goodness to Israel.

Psalm 103 praises God for what He has done. This includes celebration of His personal influence, as well as the way God has blessed the nation of Israel. David encourages praises from himself, from the people in general, and even from the angels and hosts of heaven.

Psalm 103 is one of four psalms which complete the fourth division of the book of Psalms (Psalms 90—106). These four psalms ascribe praise to the Lord. Psalm 103 was written by David and expresses his gratitude to the Lord for all His benefits. First Thessalonians 5:18 conveys the same theme of thanksgiving by exhorting believers to ''give thanks in all circumstances.''

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.

Accessed 5/6/2024 7:55:21 AM