The Meaning of Psalms 103:13 Explained

Psalms 103:13

KJV: Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.

YLT: As a father hath mercy on sons, Jehovah hath mercy on those fearing Him.

Darby: As a father pitieth his children, so Jehovah pitieth them that fear him.

ASV: Like as a father pitieth his children, So Jehovah pitieth them that fear him.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Like as a father  pitieth  [his] children,  [so] the LORD  pitieth  them that fear  him. 

What does Psalms 103:13 Mean?

Study Notes

fear
Also Psalms 103:13 , .
fear of the Lord
The "fear of the Lord," a phrase of the O.T. piety, meaning reverential trust, with hatred of evil.

Context Summary

Psalms 103:13-22 - Everlasting Loving-Kindness
The psalmist comes from the far-reaching sky to the homely image of a father's pity. God is a great King, the mighty Creator, but the Spirit witnesses that we are His children and teaches us to say, Abba, Father. The idea of dust is that of frailty. Made of dust and fragile as an earthen vessel, man by his weakness appeals to Jehovah's compassion. The thought of frailty and helplessness is still further impressed by the figure of the fading flower, scorched by the hot desert wind. But, by force of contrast, the psalmist passes from man's brief span of life to God's eternal years. And God's love is as His life. Because God is eternal, His love is eternal. When once He loves, He loves always; He never wearies, never cools, and never lets go. A parent who fears God may leave a legacy of priceless worth to his children's children. See Psalms 103:17.
From Psalms 103:19 to the end, the psalmist pulls out all the stops in the great organ of existence. Angels and hosts of other intelligent beings who perform the Lord's will, all his works animate and inanimate, all saints, all souls, stars and suns, oceans, and mountains-all must join the "Hallelujah Chorus." [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 103

1  An exhortation to bless God for his mercy
5  And for the constancy thereof

What do the individual words in Psalms 103:13 mean?

As pities a father on [his] children [So] pities Yahweh those who fear Him
כְּרַחֵ֣ם אָ֭ב עַל־ בָּנִ֑ים רִחַ֥ם יְ֝הוָ֗ה יְרֵאָֽיו

כְּרַחֵ֣ם  As  pities 
Parse: Preposition-k, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: רָחַם  
Sense: to love, love deeply, have mercy, be compassionate, have tender affection, have compassion.
אָ֭ב  a  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
בָּנִ֑ים  [his]  children 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
רִחַ֥ם  [So]  pities 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָחַם  
Sense: to love, love deeply, have mercy, be compassionate, have tender affection, have compassion.
יְ֝הוָ֗ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
יְרֵאָֽיו  those  who  fear  Him 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: יָרֵא  
Sense: fearing, reverent, afraid.