Psalm 103:13 kjv
Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.
Psalm 103:13 nkjv
As a father pities his children, So the LORD pities those who fear Him.
Psalm 103:13 niv
As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;
Psalm 103:13 esv
As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.
Psalm 103:13 nlt
The LORD is like a father to his children,
tender and compassionate to those who fear him.
Psalm 103 13 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ex 34:6 | The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger... | God's character revealed to Moses. |
| Deut 32:6 | Do you thus repay the LORD, you foolish and senseless people? Is not he your Father... | God as Israel's Father. |
| Pss 145:8 | The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. | Echoes God's compassion. |
| Isa 49:15 | “Can a mother forget her nursing child... I will not forget you!...” | God's even deeper compassion. |
| Isa 63:16 | For you are our Father, though Abraham does not know us... | God as Father, merciful Redeemer. |
| Lam 3:22 | Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. | God's enduring compassions. |
| Hos 11:8 | How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? ... | God's conflicted parental love. |
| Mic 7:18 | Who is a God like you, who pardons iniquity and passes over rebellion... | God's unique compassionate forgiveness. |
| Mal 2:10 | Have we not all one Father? Did not one God create us? | Emphasizes universal Fatherhood. |
| Matt 6:9 | “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name...” | Jesus teaches His disciples to pray to God as Father. |
| Lk 1:78 | because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come... | God's tender mercy through Christ. |
| Rom 8:15 | For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear...but the Spirit of adoption... | Adoption into God's family, freeing from fear. |
| Rom 8:28 | And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him... | God's loving care in all circumstances. |
| 2 Cor 1:3 | Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort... | God as Father and source of compassion. |
| Heb 12:6 | because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son. | God's parental discipline, showing love. |
| Jas 5:11 | You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. | God's compassion and mercy affirmed. |
| 1 Jn 3:1 | See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! | God's lavish love in calling us children. |
| Prov 1:7 | The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. | Definition of fearing the Lord. |
| Prov 9:10 | The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. | Wisdom tied to fearing the Lord. |
| Ps 34:9 | Fear the LORD, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing. | Practical benefits of fearing God. |
Psalm 103 verses
Psalm 103 13 Meaning
Psalm 103:13 articulates a profound truth about the character of God, comparing His compassion to that of a loving father for his children. It reveals the Lord's tender, deep, and intimate care for those who revere Him, highlighting His understanding of human weakness and His merciful provision. This verse assures believers of God's personal, unconditional, and benevolent nature, rooted in His fatherly affection rather than strict legalism.
Psalm 103 13 Context
Psalm 103 is a fervent psalm of praise by David, extolling God's numerous benefits and attributes. The psalm begins with David urging his soul to bless the Lord and not forget His mercies (vv. 1-2). He enumerates God's gracious acts: forgiveness of sins, healing of diseases, redemption from the pit, crowning with love and compassion, and satisfying with good things (vv. 3-5). The psalmist then pivots to God's character—His righteousness, justice, slow anger, abundant love, and unwillingness to constantly accuse or punish according to our sins (vv. 6-12). Verse 13 acts as a key explanation, illustrating God's boundless compassion using the analogy of a human father. It precedes verse 14, which explains why God is compassionate: He knows our frame, that we are but dust. Thus, verse 13 encapsulates the heart of God's merciful dealings with humanity, grounding it in a parental love that recognizes human frailty.
Psalm 103 13 Word analysis
- As a father (k’av, כְּאָב): The Hebrew prefix k-/ means "as" or "like," indicating a simile. Av (אָב) means "father." This comparison draws upon the most tender, protective, and foundational human relationship to convey God’s disposition. While human fathers can fail, the simile elevates the concept, implying God's perfection of this love. It implicitly challenges pagan deities, which often lacked such personal, loving parental connection.
- has compassion (y’rachēm, יְרַחֵם): From the root racham (רחם), which literally relates to "womb." This signifies a deep, visceral, instinctual, and nurturing love—the kind a mother feels for her unborn or newborn child, often translated as mercy or pity. It is a profound, empathetic, and protective affection that flows from within.
- on his children (al banim, עַל בָּנִים): Banim (בנים) refers to children, sons. This establishes the relational aspect. God’s compassion is directed specifically toward those He considers His children, within a covenantal or familial framework.
- so the Lord (kēn YHWH, כֵּן יְהוָה): Kēn (כֵּן) reinforces the likeness, "thus" or "even so." YHWH (יהוה) is the sacred covenant name of God, emphasizing that this quality of compassion is inherent to His very being as the personal, unchanging God of Israel.
- has compassion (y’rachēm, יְרַחֵם): The same verb is used, reiterating the same deep, "womb-like" love from God.
- on those who fear him (al yire'av, עַל יְרֵאָיו): Yire'av (יראיו) comes from the root yārē’ (ירא), "to fear" or "to revere." This is not a servile, dread-filled fear, but a reverent awe and submission to God's authority, arising from a recognition of His holiness, power, and goodness. It encompasses trust, worship, and obedience, forming the proper response to His divine nature. It defines the recipient of God's unique compassion as those who willingly acknowledge Him.
- "As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion": This comparative phrase highlights God's perfect fatherly compassion as the supreme example, setting Him apart from any earthly ideal. It establishes a comforting and understandable metaphor for a divine attribute.
- "compassion on those who fear him": This clause sets a clear boundary. While God's general mercy extends to all, this particular, deep, fatherly compassion is specifically poured out on those who respond to Him with reverent awe and trust. It indicates a reciprocal relationship, not earning God's compassion, but aligning oneself to receive it. This "fear" is a relationship of covenant faithfulness, not an obligation to fulfill.
Psalm 103 13 Bonus section
This verse stands in stark contrast to the common portrayal of deities in ancient Near Eastern religions, which were often depicted as volatile, unpredictable, or demanding. Psalm 103:13 presents a God who is inherently benevolent and personally engaged, whose love is consistently compassionate and enduringly parental. The father-child metaphor emphasizes intimacy and an unearned, generous affection, highlighting the uniqueness of Israel's God. This compassionate fatherhood is foundational to understanding the New Testament's emphasis on believers being adopted as sons and daughters through Christ, enabling direct address to God as "Abba, Father" (Rom 8:15).
Psalm 103 13 Commentary
Psalm 103:13 distills the essence of God's merciful heart into a profoundly comforting image. It presents God not as a distant, indifferent ruler, but as a tender, loving Father whose compassion for His children surpasses human understanding. The term for compassion (racham) implies a deeply internal, gut-wrenching tenderness, a profound empathy that springs from the very core of God's being. This is specifically directed towards "those who fear Him"—a reverence born not of terror, but of loving awe and trust, recognizing His supreme authority and goodness. This verse provides immense assurance of God's unwavering care, reminding believers that even as they may falter, their heavenly Father's love is steady and sure, flowing from an inexhaustible well of mercy that fully comprehends their frailty (as per v. 14). Practically, it invites childlike trust and encourages an upright walk born from gratitude, rather than obligation, knowing the character of the One who watches over us.