Psalm 103:8
New International Version
The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.

New Living Translation
The LORD is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.

English Standard Version
The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

Berean Standard Bible
The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion.

King James Bible
The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

New King James Version
The LORD is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.

New American Standard Bible
The LORD is compassionate and gracious, Slow to anger and abounding in mercy.

NASB 1995
The LORD is compassionate and gracious, Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.

NASB 1977
The LORD is compassionate and gracious, Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.

Legacy Standard Bible
Yahweh is compassionate and gracious, Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.

Amplified Bible
The LORD is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger and abounding in compassion and lovingkindness.

Christian Standard Bible
The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and rich in faithful love.

American Standard Version
Jehovah is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness.

Contemporary English Version
The LORD is merciful! He is kind and patient, and his love never fails.

English Revised Version
The LORD is full of compassion and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The LORD is compassionate, merciful, patient, and always ready to forgive.

Good News Translation
The LORD is merciful and loving, slow to become angry and full of constant love.

International Standard Version
The LORD is compassionate and gracious, patient, and abundantly rich in gracious love.

Majority Standard Bible
The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion.

NET Bible
The LORD is compassionate and merciful; he is patient and demonstrates great loyal love.

New Heart English Bible
The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness.

Webster's Bible Translation
The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in mercy.

World English Bible
Yahweh is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
YHWH [is] merciful and gracious, "" Slow to anger, and abundant in mercy.

Young's Literal Translation
Merciful and gracious is Jehovah, Slow to anger, and abundant in mercy.

Smith's Literal Translation
Jehovah being compassionate and merciful, slow to anger and great of mercy.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
The Lord is compassionate and merciful: longsuffering and plenteous in mercy.

Catholic Public Domain Version
The Lord is compassionate and merciful, patient and full of mercy.

New American Bible
Merciful and gracious is the LORD, slow to anger, abounding in mercy.

New Revised Standard Version
The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and plenteous in mercy.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
LORD JEHOVAH is compassionate and cherishing; he is patient and his grace is abundant.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
The LORD is full of compassion and gracious, Slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
The Lord is compassionate and pitiful, long-suffering, and full of mercy.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Bless the LORD, O My Soul
7He made known His ways to Moses, His deeds to the people of Israel. 8The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion. 9He will not always accuse us, nor harbor His anger forever.…

Cross References
Exodus 34:6
Then the LORD passed in front of Moses and called out: “The LORD, the LORD God, is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness,

Numbers 14:18
‘The LORD is slow to anger and abounding in loving devotion, forgiving iniquity and transgression. Yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished; He will visit the iniquity of the fathers upon their children to the third and fourth generation.’

Nehemiah 9:17
They refused to listen and failed to remember the wonders You performed among them. They stiffened their necks and appointed a leader to return them to their bondage in Egypt. But You are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in loving devotion, and You did not forsake them.

Joel 2:13
So rend your hearts and not your garments, and return to the LORD your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion. And He relents from sending disaster.

Jonah 4:2
So he prayed to the LORD, saying, “O LORD, is this not what I said while I was still in my own country? This is why I was so quick to flee toward Tarshish. I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion—One who relents from sending disaster.

Micah 7:18
Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity and passes over the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance—who does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in loving devotion?

Nahum 1:3
The LORD is slow to anger and great in power; the LORD will by no means leave the guilty unpunished. His path is in the whirlwind and storm, and clouds are the dust beneath His feet.

Psalm 86:15
But You, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness.

Psalm 145:8
The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in loving devotion.

Lamentations 3:22-23
Because of the loving devotion of the LORD we are not consumed, for His mercies never fail. / They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness!

Isaiah 55:7
Let the wicked man forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion, and to our God, for He will freely pardon.

Isaiah 54:10
Though the mountains may be removed and the hills may be shaken, My loving devotion will not depart from you, and My covenant of peace will not be broken,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

Ephesians 2:4-5
But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, / made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our trespasses. It is by grace you have been saved!

James 5:11
See how blessed we consider those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen the outcome from the Lord. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.


Treasury of Scripture

The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

merciful

Psalm 86:5,15
For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee…

Psalm 130:7
Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.

Psalm 145:8
The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.

slow

Joel 2:13
And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

Jonah 4:2
And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.

Nahum 1:3
The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

plenteous in mercy.

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Abounding Abundant Anger Angry Compassion Compassionate Full Gracious Kind Kindness Loving Loving-Kindness Merciful Mercy Pity Plenteous Quickly Ready Slow Steadfast
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Abounding Abundant Anger Angry Compassion Compassionate Full Gracious Kind Kindness Loving Loving-Kindness Merciful Mercy Pity Plenteous Quickly Ready Slow Steadfast
Psalm 103
1. An exhortation to bless God for his mercy
5. And for the constancy thereof














The LORD is compassionate and gracious
This phrase highlights God's nature as one of mercy and kindness. The Hebrew words used here, "rachum" (compassionate) and "chanun" (gracious), are often associated with God's covenantal love for His people. This is seen in Exodus 34:6, where God reveals His character to Moses. The compassion and grace of God are central themes throughout the Old Testament, reflecting His willingness to forgive and restore. In the New Testament, Jesus embodies these attributes, showing compassion to the marginalized and offering grace through His sacrifice.

slow to anger
This phrase emphasizes God's patience and long-suffering. The Hebrew term "erek apayim" literally means "long of nostrils," a metaphor for being slow to wrath. This characteristic of God is crucial in understanding His dealings with Israel, as seen in the repeated cycles of sin, punishment, and restoration in the book of Judges. God's patience is also evident in the prophetic books, where He continually calls His people to repentance. In the New Testament, 2 Peter 3:9 reflects this attribute, explaining that God's patience is meant to lead people to repentance.

abounding in loving devotion
The Hebrew word "chesed" is translated here as "loving devotion," often rendered as "steadfast love" or "mercy" in other translations. This term is rich with covenantal significance, indicating a loyal love that is both enduring and faithful. God's "chesed" is a recurring theme in the Psalms, underscoring His unwavering commitment to His people. This steadfast love is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ, whose sacrificial death and resurrection demonstrate the ultimate act of divine love and faithfulness, as seen in John 3:16 and Romans 5:8.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant name of God, emphasizing His eternal and unchanging nature. In this Psalm, He is depicted as compassionate and gracious.

2. David
Traditionally attributed as the author of Psalm 103, David was the second king of Israel and a man after God's own heart. His life experiences deeply inform his understanding of God's character.

3. Israel
The nation chosen by God, often the recipient of His compassion and grace, as seen throughout their history.
Teaching Points
Understanding God's Nature
Recognize that God's compassion and grace are central to His character. This understanding should shape our view of Him and our relationship with Him.

Patience and Forgiveness
Emulate God's patience and slowness to anger in our interactions with others. This reflects His character and promotes peace and understanding.

Abounding Love
God's love is abundant and steadfast. We are called to reflect this love in our communities, offering grace and compassion to those around us.

Consistency in Scripture
The consistent depiction of God's character throughout the Bible assures us of His reliability and faithfulness. This should encourage us to trust Him fully.

Personal Reflection
Reflect on how God's compassion and grace have been evident in your life. Use this reflection to cultivate gratitude and a deeper relationship with Him.(8) Merciful and Gracious.--The original confession (Exodus 34:6) had become a formula of the national faith. In addition to the marginal references, see Joel 2:13, Psalm 145:8.

Verse 8. - The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. This was a part of the revelation made to Moses (Exodus 34:6), whose words the psalmist closely echoes, both here and in Psalm 86:15 (comp. also Psalm 111:4; Psalm 112:4; Psalm 145:8).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The LORD
יְהוָ֑ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

is compassionate
רַח֣וּם (ra·ḥūm)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7349: Compassionate

and gracious,
וְחַנּ֣וּן (wə·ḥan·nūn)
Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 2587: Gracious

slow
אֶ֖רֶךְ (’e·reḵ)
Adjective - masculine singular construct
Strong's 750: Long

to anger,
אַפַּ֣יִם (’ap·pa·yim)
Noun - md
Strong's 639: The nose, nostril, the face, a person, ire

abounding
וְרַב־ (wə·raḇ-)
Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7227: Much, many, great

in loving devotion.
חָֽסֶד׃ (ḥā·seḏ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2617: Kindness, piety, reproof, beauty


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OT Poetry: Psalm 103:8 Yahweh is merciful and gracious slow (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 103:7
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