Psalm 103 22

Psalm 103:22 kjv

Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul.

Psalm 103:22 nkjv

Bless the LORD, all His works, In all places of His dominion. Bless the LORD, O my soul!

Psalm 103:22 niv

Praise the LORD, all his works everywhere in his dominion. Praise the LORD, my soul.

Psalm 103:22 esv

Bless the LORD, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the LORD, O my soul!

Psalm 103:22 nlt

Praise the LORD, everything he has created,
everything in all his kingdom.
Let all that I am praise the LORD.

Psalm 103 verses

Psalm 103 22 Meaning

This verse serves as the powerful culmination of Psalm 103, encapsulating its central theme of blessing the Lord. It issues a grand, universal call for "all His works"—encompassing the entire creation—to bless the Lord in "all places of His dominion," emphasizing the omnipresent and universal scope of God's sovereign rule. The verse then concludes by echoing its opening statement, reinforcing the personal imperative for "my soul" to bless the Lord, underscoring that human, individual worship is the capstone and conscious articulation of the universe's inherent praise for its Creator and King.

Psalm 103 22 Context

Psalm 103 is a personal psalm of praise attributed to David, commencing and concluding with the direct exhortation to his own soul to "Bless the Lord." The psalm outlines numerous reasons for such worship, celebrating God's attributes and actions: His forgiveness of sins, healing of diseases, redemption from death, provision of love and mercy, satisfaction of life with good things, His righteousness and justice, His merciful nature revealed to Moses and Israel, His enduring love for those who fear Him, and His established throne and sovereign rule over all. Verse 22 acts as the grand crescendo and summing-up. After declaring God's supreme reign and calling the heavenly hosts to praise (vv. 19-21), the psalmist extends this call to the entirety of creation, ultimately circling back to the intensely personal, culminating in the individual's full-hearted adoration. This structure emphasizes the interplay between universal acknowledgment of God's power and individual devotion.

Psalm 103 22 Word analysis

• Bless (Barakhu בָּרֲכוּ - masculine plural imperative; Barkhi בָּרְכִי - feminine singular imperative): The Hebrew verb barakh means to kneel, to adore, to praise, to give thanks. When applied to God, it signifies recognizing and declaring His inherent goodness, holiness, and worthiness of honor. The plural imperative calls for all entities addressed to participate, while the singular (feminine, matching nafshi "my soul") returns the command to the individual, underscoring personal responsibility in worship.
• the Lord (Yahweh יְהוָה): This is the covenant name of God, revealed to Moses, signifying "He Who Is," the self-existent, eternal, and personal God. Blessing this specific name highlights praise directed to the unique and ultimate divine Person who has acted in covenant with His people.
• all his works (kol-ma'asav כָּל־מַעֲשָׂיו): Kol means "all," "every," "the whole." Ma'asim refers to deeds, actions, or creations. This encompasses not only the inanimate and animate creation (nature, animals, mankind) but also all of God's providential dealings in history, His acts of justice, mercy, and salvation, which have been enumerated throughout the psalm.
• in all places (bekhol-m'qomōt בְּכָל־מְקֹמוֹת): B'kol means "in all." M'qomot means "places." This phrase emphasizes the universality of God's presence and activity. There is no locale, however remote or seemingly insignificant, that is outside the scope of His power or His just claim to praise.
• of his dominion (memshalto מֶמְשַׁלְתּוֹ): Memshalah means "dominion," "rule," "sovereignty," or "authority." This highlights God's universal kingship and His active governance over creation. Everything exists and functions under His command, making all subject to His call for praise.
• O my soul (nafshi נַפְשִׁי): Nefesh translates as soul, life, self, or inner being. It denotes the whole person, particularly the sentient, conscious, and willing self. This final, personal command calls for the psalmist's deepest being—his thoughts, emotions, will, and very breath—to be engaged in authentic praise. It grounds the universal call in individual conviction.

• "Bless the Lord, all his works": This is a sweeping, comprehensive command for everything created by God, both animate and inanimate, visible and invisible, to acknowledge and glorify Him. It implicitly recognizes that creation itself, by its very existence and order, inherently points to its Creator's greatness, and therefore ought to consciously praise Him.
• "in all places of his dominion": This phrase amplifies the universal nature of God's sovereignty. It means that there is no space, no sphere of existence, that is outside God's supreme authority and therefore outside the obligation or capacity to praise Him. It speaks to God's omnipresence and omnipotence.
• "Bless the Lord, O my soul": This closing refrain mirrors the opening of the psalm (v. 1) and brings the vast cosmic praise back to a personal, intimate level. It acts as the culminating crescendo, signifying that human consciousness is to join in and lead the cosmic worship. It serves as a reminder that intellectual understanding of God's universal sovereignty must be accompanied by active, heartfelt, individual worship. It is the conscious response to an all-encompassing divine reality.

Psalm 103 22 Bonus section

This verse serves as a magnificent summary of the entire Psalm 103 and a common doxological affirmation in Jewish and Christian tradition. The concentric structure of Psalm 103 (beginning and ending with the "soul" of the psalmist, while broadening out to cosmic praise in the middle sections) reaches its peak in this verse. It uniquely blends personal devotion with a universal vision of God's kingship. The specific placement of "Bless the Lord, O my soul" at the very end implies that the most profound praise comes not only from what God has done or who He is, but from a deliberate, internal response by the one contemplating His majesty. This call for the "soul" to bless the Lord resonates deeply, encouraging a holistic, engaged, and conscious form of worship that stems from the deepest part of one's being.

Psalm 103 22 Commentary

Psalm 103:22 masterfully draws together the expansive praise of God found throughout the psalm. It is a powerful doxology that extends the call to worship from the individual to the cosmic, then triumphantly returns it to the self. The command for "all His works" to bless the Lord underscores the inherent capacity of creation to testify to its Maker, implicitly or explicitly, acknowledging God's wise ordering and sustenance. This is further magnified by the directive "in all places of His dominion," emphasizing that God's authority and active rule are absolute and unbounded, making praise His due in every corner of His vast kingdom. The psalmist here moves beyond humanity to include the entire created order, anticipating a day when "every knee shall bow" and "every tongue confess" God's glory.

The return to "Bless the Lord, O my soul" is not merely a repetition but a crucial re-personalization. It caps the universal adoration with a deeply felt, intentional act of individual worship. It means that while the cosmos praises God passively through its existence, and the heavenly hosts actively and continuously, the human soul, endowed with free will and understanding, must consciously and actively choose to bless the Lord, providing a thoughtful and volitional dimension to the grand chorus of creation's praise. This verse encapsulates that true worship is both a universal phenomenon and an intensely personal commitment, motivating believers to consciously align their personal adoration with the entire universe's declaration of God's glory.