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Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
Psalms 103:2 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB Praise Yahweh, my soul, and don’t forget all his benefits;
  • BSB Bless the LORD, O my soul, and do not forget all His kind deeds—
  • NKJV Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:
  • NASB Bless the Lord, my soul, And do not forget any of His benefits;
  • NLT Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

David urges his own soul to praise the LORD and never forget the many benefits God gives. Gratitude guards us against the spiritual amnesia that breeds discontent.

Overview

The psalmist again addresses his inner self, calling himself to remember rather than forget God's good gifts. Forgetfulness of God's benefits was Israel's recurring sin, and it remains ours. The verses that follow unfold these benefits one by one, leading the believer from self-summons to wholehearted worship.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 15

  • Ps 116:12What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me?
  • Isa 63:7I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the LORD, and the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses.
  • Ps 105:5Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;
  • Luke 17:15–18And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
  • Deut 6:12Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
  • Deut 32:18Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee.
  • Deut 32:6Do ye thus requite the LORD, O foolish people and unwise? is not he thy father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee?
  • Ps 106:21They forgat God their saviour, which had done great things in Egypt;
  • 2 Chr 32:25But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem.
  • Deut 8:10–14When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.
  • Ps 106:7Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea.
  • Deut 8:2–4And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.
  • Eph 2:11–13Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
  • Jer 2:31–32O generation, see ye the word of the LORD. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? a land of darkness? wherefore say my people, We are lords; we will come no more unto thee?
  • Isa 63:1Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (2)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Psalms videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Psalms 103:2YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on PsalmsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.

How Psalms 103:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.