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Psalm 103:8-12

World English Bible

Yahweh is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness. He will not always accuse; neither will he stay angry forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor repaid us for our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his loving kindness toward those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

In the King James Version

The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

King James Version (Public Domain)

What surrounds this passage

Psalm 103 is a psalm of praise recalling God’s character. These verses describe mercy, anger that does not last, and transgressions carried as far away as east is from west.

The verses on either side

Psalm 103:5-15, World English Bible

  1. who satisfies your desire with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
  2. Yahweh executes righteous acts, and justice for all who are oppressed.
  3. He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the children of Israel.
  4. Yahweh is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness.
  5. He will not always accuse; neither will he stay angry forever.
  6. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor repaid us for our iniquities.
  7. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his loving kindness toward those who fear him.
  8. As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
  9. Like a father has compassion on his children, so Yahweh has compassion on those who fear him.
  10. For he knows how we are made. He remembers that we are dust.
  11. As for man, his days are like grass. As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.

A question to sit with

What are you still holding that this says has already been carried away?

Why this one, and not these

3 passages were considered for this and turned down, each for a reason written at the time.

1 John 1:9
It is conditional. To somebody stuck on what they did, "if we confess" reads as one more requirement to meet before anything changes, which is exactly where they are already stuck.
Romans 8:1
A strong passage, but it assumes a theological frame the reader may not share, and its qualifying clause invites self-examination at the moment self-examination is the problem.
Psalm 51
David’s confession fits somebody seeking to repent. It does not fit somebody who has repented and still cannot put it down.

Written about this passage

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