Psalm 103: O thou my soul, bless God the Lord
A Psalm of David.
Meter: C.M. (8,6,8,6)
1 O thou my soul, bless God the Lord; and all that in me is Be stirred up his holy name to magnify and bless.
2 Bless, O my soul, the Lord thy God, and not forgetful be Of all his gracious benefits he hath bestow’d on thee.
3 All thine iniquities who doth most graciously forgive: Who thy diseases all and pains doth heal, and thee relieve.
4 Who doth redeem thy life, that thou to death may’st not go down; Who thee with loving-kindness doth and tender mercies crown:
5 Who with abundance of good things doth satisfy thy mouth; So that, ev’n as the eagle’s age, renewed is thy youth.
6 God righteous judgment executes for all oppressed ones. 7 His ways to Moses, he his acts made known to Isr’el’s sons.
8 The Lord our God is merciful, and he is gracious, Long-suffering, and slow to wrath, in mercy plenteous.
9 He will not chide continually, nor keep his anger still. 10 With us he dealt not as we sinn’d, nor did requite our ill.
11 For as the heaven in its height the earth surmounteth far; So great to those that do him fear his tender mercies are:
12 As far as east is distant from the west, so far hath he From us removed, in his love, all our iniquity.
13 Such pity as a father hath unto his children dear; Like pity shews the Lord to such as worship him in fear.
14 For he remembers we are dust, and he our frame well knows. 15 Frail man, his days are like the grass, as flow’r in field he grows:
16 For over it the wind doth pass, and it away is gone; And of the place where once it was it shall no more be known.
17 But unto them that do him fear God’s mercy never ends; And to their children’s children still his righteousness extends:
18 To such as keep his covenant, and mindful are alway Of his most just commandements, that they may them obey.
19 The Lord prepared hath his throne in heavens firm to stand; And ev’ry thing that being hath his kingdom doth command.
20 O ye his angels, that excel in strength, bless ye the Lord; Ye who obey what he commands, and hearken to his word.
21 O bless and magnify the Lord, ye glorious hosts of his; Ye ministers, that do fulfil whate’er his pleasure is.
22 O bless the Lord, all ye his works, wherewith the world is stor’d In his dominions ev’ry where. My soul, bless thou the Lord.