Psalms 103 · Verse 8

Psalms 103:8

The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
Psalms 103:8, King James Version

Psalms 103:8 in other translations

BSBThe LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion.
WEBThe LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness.
ASVJehovah is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness.
YLTMerciful and gracious is Jehovah, Slow to anger, and abundant in mercy.
DARBYJehovah is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving-kindness.
BBEThe Lord is kind and full of pity, not quickly made angry, but ever ready to have mercy.
WebsterThe LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in mercy.

What does Psalms 103:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 103:8-10
8-10. God's benevolence implies no merit. He shows it to sinners, who also are chastened for a time (Ex 34:6). keep (anger)--in Le 19:18, bear a grudge (Jr 3:5, 12).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 8 The Lord is merciful - See the note on Psa 86:15.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 103:6-14

Truly God is good to all: he is in a special manner good to Israel. He has revealed himself and his grace to them. By his ways we may understand his precepts, the ways he requires us to walk in; and his promises and purposes. He always has been full of compassion. How unlike are those to God, who take every occasion to chide, and never know when to cease! What would become of us, if God should deal so with us? The…

Read the full comment on Psalms 103:6-14 →

Psalms 103:8 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

רַח֣וּםra.Chum[is] compassionateH7349
וְחַנּ֣וּןve.cha.Nunand graciousH2587
יְהוָ֑הYah.wehYahwehH3068
אֶ֖רֶךְ'E.rekhlong ofH750
אַפַּ֣יִם'a.Pa.yimanger<s>H639
וְרַב\־ve.rav-and great ofH7227
חָֽסֶד\׃Cha.sedcovenant loyaltyH2617

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Psalms 103:8

  • Psalms 86:15

    But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.

  • 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.

  • Exodus 34:6-7

    And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.

  • Psalms 145:8

    The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.

  • 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.

  • Psalms 86:5

    For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.

  • Ephesians 1:7-8

    In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;

  • Numbers 14:18

    The Lord is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.

  • 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.

  • James 5:11

    Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

  • Isaiah 55:7

    Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

  • Nehemiah 9:17

    And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
merciful.
86:5,15; 130:7; 145:8; Ex 34:6,7; Nu 14:18; De 5:10; Ne 9:17
Isa 55:7; Jer 32:18; Ro 5:20,21; Eph 1:7,8
slow.
Joe 2:13; Jon 4:2; Na 1:3
plenteous in mercy. Heb. great of mercy.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Psalms 103:7

    He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.

  • Psalms 103:8

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

  • Psalms 103:9

    He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.

Read all of Psalms 103

Psalms 103:8 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Misericordioso y clemente es Jehová; lento para la ira, y grande en misericordia.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
L’ Éternel est miséricordieux, et plein de grâce, lent à la colère et d’une grande bonté.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Barmherzig und gnädig ist Jehova, langsam zum Zorn und groß an Güte;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Ascendunt montes, et descendunt campi, in locum quem fundasti eis.