The Lord is compassionate
and merciful,
longsuffering, abounding in mercy.
9. He will not always be angry;
nor will he be wrathful forever.
10. He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
nor repaid us according to
our iniquities.
11. For as high is the heaven
above the earth,
the Lord has correspondingly increased mercy for those who revere him.
12. As far as the east is from the west,
accordingly he has removed our transgressions from us.
13. As a father displays compassion towards his children,
the Lord takes pity on those
who revere him;
14. for he knows our make-up,
and remembers that we are dust.
15. A human being’s days are like grass;
like a blossom of the field
so shall she bloom.
16. For the dry wind blows over it, and it shall cease to exist,
and one shall no longer recognize
her place.
17. Yet the mercy of the Lord is from generation to generation
for those who revere him;
and his righteousness endures to the children’s children;
18. so that they keep his covenant,
and remember to observe his commandments.
19. The Lord has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.
20. Bless the Lord all you his angels,
mighty in strength to perform
his bidding,
to heed the voice of his commands.
21. Bless the Lord all you his hosts,
you ministers of his that perform
his will.
22. Bless the Lord, all you his works,
in every place of his dominion.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
Psalm 103
1. Bless the Lord, O my soul!
O Lord, my God, you are very great!
You have clothed yourself with praise and honor;
2. you who robe yourself with light as with a garment,
stretching out heaven
like a leather tunic;
3. who vaults his chambers with waters
who makes the clouds his chariots,
who walks on the wings of the wind;
4. who makes his angels spirits,
and his ministers flaming fire;
5. who establishes the earth
on its firm foundation,
it shall not be displaced from age to age.
6. The abyss, like a garment,
is his vestment,
the waters shall stand upon the hills.
7. At your rebuke the waters
shall depart;
at the voice of your thunder they shall be alarmed.
8. They go up to the mountains,
and reach down to the plains,
to the place you have founded for them.
9. You have set a boundary which they shall not pass,
neither shall they turn back again to cover the earth.
10. You are the one who causes springs to burst forth in the valleys,
the waters shall flow between the mountains.
11. They shall give drink to all the wild beasts of the field,
the wild asses shall quench their thirst.
12. The birds of heaven shall build their nests beside them,
from between the rocks they shall raise their voices.
13. You are the One who waters the mountains from celestial chambers,
the earth shall be satisfied with the fruit of your labors.
14. You are the One who causes grass to grow for the cattle,
and the green plants for the service
of humans,
to bring forth bread from the earth;
15. as well as wine to gladden the people’s hearts,
to make their face glisten with oil,
and bread to strengthen the heart.
16. The trees of the plains shall be laden with fruit,
even the cedars of Lebanon which you have planted.
17. There the sparrows shall build
their nests;
the heron’s house takes precedent among them.
18. The high mountains are for the deer;
the rocky crag is refuge for the rabbit.
19.
