Psalm 103

William Helder, 1972

1. O bless the LORD, my soul, bless your Preserver;
   Let all within me praise His Name with fervor.
   My soul, forget not all His benefits;
   O bless the LORD, who pardons your transgression,
   Who heals your illnesses in His compassion,
   Who saves you and redeems you from the Pit.
   
2. Bless Him who with His steadfast mercy crowns you,
   Who with His love and faithfulness surrounds you,
   Who grants His bounteous gifts your whole life through.
   To Him who shows His righteousness sing praises;
   From their affliction He His people raises.
   Your youth He, like the eagle’s, will renew.
   
3. To the oppressed His justice He discloses.
   His glorious ways He once made known to Moses;
   The LORD revealed His deeds to Israel.
   He will not always chide, but, mercy showing,
   His steadfast cov’nant love on us bestowing,
   He’ll stay His wrath; the LORD is merciful.
   
4. The LORD has dealt with us in great compassion,
   Not punished us according to transgression.
   High as the soaring heavens, without end,
   So great His mercy is to those who fear Him,
   And He the sins of all those who revere Him
   Removes as far as east from west extends.
   
5. A father with his children sympathizes;
   Likewise for us God’s pity swiftly rises.
   Let all who fear Him in His mercy trust.
   He knows our frame, that it is weak and humble;
   He keeps in mind how prone we are to stumble.
   The LORD recalls that we are only dust.
   
6. The life of man is fleeting like the grasses,
   And like a flower, when the storm-wind passes,
   It soon is gone: its place knows it no more.
   But God’s unfailing love shall never perish,
   For everlastingly the LORD will cherish
   Those who revere Him and His Name adore.
   
7. For children’s children, through the generations,
   The LORD shall work His glorious vindication,
   His righteousness revealing, as of yore,
   To those who keep His precepts in obedience
   And to His cov’nant show their full allegiance,
   His steadfast love endures for evermore.
   
8. God has His throne high in the heavens founded;
   He governs all, by angel-hosts surrounded.
   You mighty servants, all His ways extol!
   O bless the LORD, created works in union,
   Throughout all places of His vast dominion.
   Extol the LORD and bless Him, O my soul.