Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 103:11
For as the heaven is high above the earth, [so] great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
11. Cp. Psa 36:5; Psa 57:10; Isa 55:9.
so great is ] so mighty hath been. The change of a letter would give the sense, so high hath been; but it is unnecessary. Cp. Psa 117:2. The perfect tense in Psa 103:10-12 refers to Israel’s recent experience.
them that fear him ] True Israelites are those who can claim the promise. Note the triple repetition of the words, which recur in Psa 103:13 ; Psa 103:17.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
11 14. The greatness and tenderness of Jehovah’s forgiving love.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
For as the heaven is high above the earth – See the notes at Psa 57:10. Compare the notes at Isa 55:9. The literal translation of the phrase here would be, For like the height of the heavens above the earth. The heavens – the starry heavens – are the highest objects of which we have any knowledge; and hence, the comparison is used to denote the great mercy of God – meaning that it is as great as can be conceived; that there is nothing beyond it; that we cannot imagine that it could be greater – as we can imagine nothing higher than the heavens.
So great is his mercy toward them that fear him – To those who reverence and serve him. That is, His mercy is thus great in forgiving their offences; in imparting grace; in giving them support and consolation.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 11. For as the heaven is high above the earth] Great and provoking as our crimes may have been, yet his mercies have, in their magnitude and number, surpassed these, as far as the heavens are elevated beyond the earth.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
So much above their deserts and expectations, and above the mercy which one man showeth to another.
Toward them that fear them; which clause he adds here, as also Psa 103:17,18, to prevent mens mistakes and abuses of Gods mercy, and to dash the vain hopes of impenitent sinners in Gods mercy.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
11. greatefficient.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For as the heaven is high above the earth,…. Which is the greatest distance known, or can be conceived of; the space between the heaven and the earth is seemingly almost infinite; and nothing can more illustrate the mercy of God, which reaches to the heavens, and is in heaven; though this is but a faint representation of the largeness and abundance of it, and which indeed is boundless and infinite:
so great is his mercy towards them that fear him, or, his mercy hath prevailed over them that fear him a; as the waters of the flood prevailed upon the earth, and reached and overflowed the highest hills, Ge 7:18, so abundant and superabundant is the grace of God over them that “fear” him. Which character is given, not as being the cause of their obtaining mercy, but as descriptive of the persons that partake of it; on whom it has such an effect, as to cause them to fear the Lord, and his goodness; and is mentioned to prevent obstinate and presumptuous sinners expecting it, or trusting to it.
a – “praevalet super”, Musculus; so Cocceius, Michaelis.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The ingenious figures in Psa 103:11. (cf. Psa 36:6; Psa 57:11) illustrate the infinite power and complete unreservedness of mercy (loving-kindness). has Gaja (as have also and , Psa 14:1; Psa 53:2, in exact texts), in order to render possible the distinct pronunciation of the guttural in the combination . Psa 103:13 sounds just as much like the spirit of the New Testament as Psa 103:11, Psa 103:12. The relationship to Jahve in which those stand who fear Him is a filial relationship based upon free reciprocity (Mal 3:11). His Fatherly compassion is (Psa 103:14) based upon the frailty and perishableness of man, which are known to God, much the same as God’s promise after the Flood not to decree a like judgment again (Gen 8:21). According to this passage and Deu 31:21, appears to be intended of the moral nature; but according to Psa 103:14, one is obliged to think rather of the natural form which man possesses from God the Creator ( , Gen 2:7) than of the form of heart which he has by his own choice and, so far as its groundwork is concerned, by inheritance (Psa 51:7). In , mindful, the passive, according to Bttcher’s correct apprehension of it, expresses a passive state after an action that is completed by the person himself, as in , , and the like. In its form Psa 103:14 reminds one of the Book of Job Job 11:11; Job 28:23, and Psa 103:14 as to subject-matter recalls Job 7:7, and other passages (cf. Psa 78:39; Psa 89:48); but the following figurative representation of human frailty, with which the poet contrasts the eternal nature of the divine mercy as the sure stay of all God-fearing ones in the midst of the rise and decay of things here below, still more strongly recalls that book.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
11. For in proportion to the height of the heavens above the earth The Psalmist here confirms by a comparison the truth that God does not punish the faithful as they have deserved, but, by his mercy, strives against their sins. The form of expression is equivalent to saying that God’s mercy towards us is infinite. With respect to the word גבר, gabar, it is of little consequence whether it is taken in a neuter signification, or in a transitive, as is noted on the margin; for in either way the immeasurableness of God’s mercy is compared to the vast extent of the world. As the mercy of God could not reach us, unless the obstacle of our guilt were taken away, it is immediately added, (verse 12th,) that God removes our sins as far from us as the east is distant from the west The amount is, that God’s mercy is poured out upon the faithful far and wide, according to the magnitude of the world; and that, in order to take away every impediment to its course, their sins are completely blotted out. The Psalmist confirms what I have just now stated, namely, that he does not treat in general of what God is towards the whole world, but of the character in which he manifests himself towards the faithful. Whence also it is evident that he does not here speak of that mercy by which God reconciles us to himself at the first, but of that with which he continually follows those whom he has embraced with his fatherly love. There is one kind of mercy by which he restores us from death to life, while as yet we are strangers to him, and another by which he sustains this restored life; for that blessing would forthwith be lost did he not confirm it in us by daily pardoning our sins. Whence also we gather how egregiously the Papists trifle in imagining that the free remission of sins is bestowed only once, and that afterwards righteousness is acquired or retained by the merit of good works, and that whatever guilt we contract is removed by satisfactions. Here David does not limit to a moment of time the mercy by which God reconciles us to himself in not imputing to us our sins, but extends it even to the close of life. Not less powerful is the argument which this passage furnishes us in refutation of those fanatics who bewitch both themselves and others with a vain opinion of their having attained to perfect righteousness, so that they no longer stand in need of pardon.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(11) So great is his mercy toward.Literally, Strong is his mercy upon (or, over). (Comp. Psa. 117:2.) The comparison in the first clause, and the use of this expression in Gen. 49:26 and 2Sa. 11:23, suggests as the right rendering here
For as the heaven is higher than the earth,
So far (above what was expected) for them fearing him prevails his mercy.
(For the same comparison, see Isa. 55:7-9; and comp. Isa. 38:17; Mic. 7:19.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
11. As the heaven is high above the earth The highest measure of comparison the mind can grasp. Comp. Psa 36:5; Psa 57:10.
Them that fear him So, also, Psa 103:13; Psa 103:17-18. This shows he is speaking of God’s fatherly chastisements of his people. He looks at their sin in the light of their earthly misery and temptation, (Psa 103:14,) and mingles compassion with severity, “that we might be partakers of his holiness.” Heb 12:10
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 103:11-13. For as the heaven is high, &c. There cannot be a nobler amplification of the divine mercy and placability than that contained in the 11th and 12th verses: and what can equal the tenderness ascribed to our paternal Creator in the 13th? One would think it impossible, if daily experience did not convince us to the contrary, that human creatures should be regardless of such love, and ungrateful to so solicitous a benefactor! For my own part, I can hardly conceive it possible for any heart to be unaffected or uninfluenced by such a composition as this before us.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Psa 103:11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, [so] great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
Ver. 11. For as the heaven is high above the earth ] How high the third heaven is cannot be conjectured. But for the middlemost heaven (wherein the sun, moon, and stars are placed), how exceeding high it is may be guessed and gathered, in that the stars (whereof those of the first magnitude are said to be every one above a hundred and seven times as big again as the whole earth) do yet seem to us but as so many sparks or spangles. See Pro 25:3 Eph 4:10 .
So great is his mercy
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
great = mighty, or hath prevailed.
toward = upon.
fear = revere.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
fear
Also Psa 103:13, (See Scofield “Psa 19:9”).
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
as the: etc. Heb. according to the height of heaven, Psa 36:5, Psa 57:10, Psa 89:2, Job 22:12, Pro 25:3, Isa 55:9, Eph 2:4-7, Eph 3:18, Eph 3:19
his mercy: Psa 103:17, Luk 1:50
Reciprocal: Exo 1:20 – God 2Ki 4:1 – thy servant did fear Job 11:8 – It is as high as heaven Psa 103:13 – them Psa 108:4 – thy mercy Psa 119:38 – who is devoted Lam 3:32 – General Mat 7:11 – how Rev 11:18 – and them
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 103:11-13. As the heaven, &c., so great is his mercy So much above our deserts and expectations, and above the mercy which one man shows to another; toward them that fear him Which clause he adds here, as also Psa 103:17-18, to prevent mens mistakes and abuses of Gods mercy, and to overthrow the vain hopes which impenitent sinners build thereon. As far as the east, &c., so far hath he removed our transgressions The guilt of our sins, from our persons and consciences. The sense is, He hath fully pardoned them so as never to remember them more. Like as a father pitieth, &c. No father can be more indulgent and tender hearted to his returning children, than the Lord is to those who so reform, by his chastisements, as to fear afterward to offend him. Thus, in these three verses, we are presented with three of the most beautiful, apposite, and comforting similitudes in the world. When we lift up our eyes, and behold around us the lofty and stupendous vault of heaven, encircling, protecting, enlightening, refreshing, and cherishing the earth, and all things which are therein, we are bidden to contemplate, in this glass, the immeasurable height, the boundless extent, and the salutary influences of that mercy which, as it were, embraced the creation, and is over all the works of God. Often as we view the sun arising in the sea, and darkness flying away before his face toward the opposite quarter of the heavens, we may see an image of that goodness of Jehovah, whereby we are placed in the regions of illumination, and our sins are removed, and put far away out of his sight. And, that our hearts may, at all times, have confidence toward God, he is represented as bearing toward us the fond and tender affection of a father, ever ready to defend, to nourish, and to provide for us, to bear with us, to forgive us, and receive us in the paternal arms of everlasting love. Horne. One would think it impossible, says another eminent divine, if daily experience did not convince us to the contrary, that human creatures should be regardless of such love, and ungrateful to so solicitous a benefactor! For my own part, I cannot conceive it possible for any heart to be unaffected or uninfluenced by such a composition as this before us.