Psalm 103 1

Psalm 103:1 kjv

Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

Psalm 103:1 nkjv

A Psalm of David. Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name!

Psalm 103:1 niv

Of David. Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

Psalm 103:1 esv

Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!

Psalm 103:1 nlt

Let all that I am praise the LORD;
with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.

Psalm 103 verses

Psalm 103 1 Meaning

Psalm 103:1 is a fervent self-exhortation by the Psalmist, believed to be David, to bless and praise the LORD with every fiber of his being. It's a personal call for his innermost self, his entire inner person, to give adoration and express profound gratitude specifically to God's sacred and set-apart character, which is His holy name. This verse sets the stage for a Psalm overflowing with praise for God's merciful, forgiving, and covenantal love.

Psalm 103 1 Context

Psalm 103 opens with a powerful, intimate call to worship, setting the deeply personal and reflective tone for the entire chapter. It is attributed to David, renowned as "a man after God's own heart," and reflects his unique blend of fervent devotion and profound theological insight. The Psalm's historical context likely places it within a time of personal reflection or a national occasion for thanksgiving, following a period where David experienced God's abundant grace, possibly after an affliction or during a time of great prosperity.

Literary, Psalm 103 is classified as a Psalm of thanksgiving and praise. Verse 1 is the introductory, inward charge that leads into a litany of God's mercies and benefits (vv. 2-5), His righteous acts (vv. 6-7), and His eternal, compassionate character (vv. 8-19). It begins not with outward actions, but with an internal stirring of the soul, emphasizing the heart of true worship before any external expression. This immediate introspection highlights that genuine praise is a deliberate act of the will, calling one's entire being to respond to God's goodness, distinguishing it from perfunctory ritual. It implicitly contrasts the superficial worship of contemporary idolaters, who would "bless" false deities externally without internal conviction, by advocating for total, internal devotion to the one true God, YHWH, whose Name embodies inherent holiness and ultimate authority.

Psalm 103 1 Word analysis

• Bless (ברכי / barăḵî): This is an imperative verb, a self-command from the Psalmist to his own soul. The root barakh means "to kneel," implying adoration, reverence, and acknowledgement of higher authority. When directed towards God, it's not conferring favor on God (who is supreme), but extolling, praising, and recognizing His supreme worth and inherent blessedness. It is an act of acknowledging His glorious nature.
• the LORD (יהוה / YHWH): This is the Tetragrammaton, the personal, covenantal name of God revealed to Israel. It speaks of God's unchangeable, self-existent nature ("I AM WHO I AM," Exod 3:14) and His intimate relationship with His people. To bless YHWH means to praise the one true, living, and active God of covenant. This is a deliberate distinction from false gods of the nations.
• O my soul (נפשׁי / nap̄šî): Nephesh (soul) refers to the entire person, the individual's inner being, life force, will, and personality. It represents the very core of one's consciousness and self. By addressing his own soul, David emphasizes that worship is not merely external or intellectual but must stem from the deepest recesses of one's identity. It signifies an engagement of one's will and deepest affections.
• and all that is within me (וְכָל־קְרָבַי / wəḵol-qərāḇāy): Qəraḇî means "my inwards," "my inner parts," "my heart," "my intestines." It's a vivid, anatomical reference to the very core of one's physical and emotional being, metaphorically extended to encompass all the deepest thoughts, feelings, and hidden springs of life. This phrase intensifies the preceding "O my soul," calling every internal faculty—mind, emotions, and will—to participate fully in worship, leaving nothing reserved.
• bless (ברכו / barəḵû): This is the plural imperative of barakh, indicating that all the inward parts should collectively bless God. This repetition of "bless" emphasizes the all-encompassing nature of this commanded praise, calling for every aspect of the being to participate wholeheartedly.
• his holy name (שֵׁם קָדְשֽׁוֹ / šēm qāḏšōw):
  • Name (שֵׁם / šem): In biblical thought, a name represents the essence, character, and reputation of a person. God's "name" embodies His attributes, power, presence, and His very being. To bless His name is to praise who He is in His complete essence.
  • Holy (קָדְשֽׁוֹ / qāḏšōw): Qadosh means "set apart," "sacred," "pure," "unique." It signifies God's absolute moral perfection, His transcendent otherness, and His distinction from all creation and sin. His holiness is His foundational attribute. Blessing His holy name acknowledges His unparalleled purity, majesty, and unapproachable glory. This specific emphasis on holiness is crucial, distinguishing the LORD from the defiled, impure "names" of pagan deities. It underscores that God is to be worshipped not just for what He does, but for who He inherently is.

Psalm 103 1 Bonus section

Psalm 103:1 represents a classic example of self-exhortation in the Psalms, a spiritual discipline where the psalmist commands himself (or his soul) to act in a certain way. This is not just a poetic device but a theological point: genuine spirituality is often an intentional decision, not just a spontaneous feeling. It teaches that even when emotions may not align, one's will can direct the soul toward God. This active decision to "bless the LORD" with all that is within is an internal discipline, preceding external expressions of worship. The act of "blessing God's holy name" is inherently an act of recognizing and affirming His unique divine attributes and setting Him apart in one's heart above all else, which also functions as a polemic against polytheistic practices where deities might be blessed for utilitarian purposes, not for their inherent purity or transcendent nature.

Psalm 103 1 Commentary

Psalm 103:1 serves as a profoundly personal and foundational call to genuine worship, setting the stage for a cascading stream of praise. David directs an urgent imperative towards his own "soul," not as an emotional whim, but as a deliberate act of the will. This isn't mere lip service or external ritual; it's an awakening of the deepest inner person to engage in conscious, fervent adoration of God. The addition of "and all that is within me" further intensifies this demand, sweeping in every thought, emotion, and will—the entire hidden sanctuary of one's being.

The ultimate object of this comprehensive blessing is not just "God," but specifically "the LORD," invoking His covenantal, personal name (YHWH), and His "holy name." This dual emphasis is critical: worship is directed towards the God who personally relates to His people and whose essential nature is absolute, unblemished holiness. To bless His holy name is to acknowledge, revere, and proclaim His transcendent purity, unique moral perfection, and inherent sacredness above all else. This verse reminds us that true worship flows from a recognition of God's character and requires the full participation of our internal faculties, echoing the call to love God with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. It prompts us to intentionally engage our entire inner self in gratitude and praise, rather than allowing our worship to become routine or shallow.