Psalms 103:7
in Psalms 103He made known His ways to Moses, His deeds to the people of Israel.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
He made known his ways unto Moses, His doings unto the children of Israel.
KJV
He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.
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This verse in Psalms 103
Commentary
12 notes on this verseHe made known his ways unto Moses. Moses was made to see the manner in which the Lord deals with men; he saw this at each of the three periods of his life, in the court, in retirement, and at the head of the tribes of Israel. To him the Lord gave specially clear manifestations of his dispensations and modes of ruling among mankind, granting to him to see more of God than had before been seen by mortal man, while he cornmaned with him upon the mount. His acts unto the children of Israel.
This site's exposition
executes righteousness and justice
on Psalms 103:6-8
Verse 6 puts God's government on the side of the wronged, and verse 7 names where Israel learned it, from Moses. Verse 8 is the LORD's name for Himself, spoken to Moses at Exodus 34:6, abounding in loving devotion and slow to anger. The psalm is quoting God's own words.
This site's exposition
He made known His ways to Moses
Moses asked at Exodus 33:13 to be shown the LORD's ways, and this verse records the answer. Israel saw the deeds, the plagues and the sea. Moses was given the ways behind them, the character that verse 8 goes on to name.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"He made His ways known unto Moses" [Psalm 103:7]. ...For the Law was given with this view, that the sick might be convinced of his infirmity, and pray for the physician. This is the hidden way of God. Thou hadst long ago heard, "Who healeth all thine infirmities." Their infirmities were as yet hidden in the sick; the five books were given to Moses: the pool was surrounded by five porches; he brought forth the sick, that they might lie there, that they might be made known, not that they might be healed. The five porches discovered, but healed not, the sick; the pool healed when one descended, and this when it was disturbed: [John 5:2-4] the disturbance of the pool was in our Lord's Passion. ...Since therefore this is a mystery there, he teacheth that the Law was given that sinners might be convinced of their sin, and call upon the Physician in order to receive grace. ...Therefore, as I had begun to say, because this is a great mystery in the Law, that it was given with this view, that by the increase of sin, the proud might be humbled, the humbled might confess, the confessing might be healed; these are the hidden ways, which He made known to Moses, through whom He gave the Law, by which sin should abound, that grace might more abound. ..."He hath made known His good pleasure unto the children of Israel." To all the children of Israel? To the true children of Israel; yea, to all the children of Israel. For the treacherous, the insidious, the hypocrites, are not children of Israel. And who are the children of Israel? "Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile." [John 1:47]
...and that we received this law in our very nature, and that our Creator entrusted to us the impartial rule of conscience, these I say, are proofs of the greatest grace and unspeakable lovingkindness. And the recovery of this law after it had become corrupt, by means of the written (Law), this too was the work of grace. For what might have been expected to follow was, that they who falsified the law once given should suffer correction and punishments; but what actually took place was not this, but, on the contrary, an amending of our nature, and pardon, not of debt, but given through mercy and grace. For to show that it was of grace and mercy, hear what David saith; "The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed; He made known His ways unto Moses, His acts unto the children of Israel": and again; "Good and upright is the Lord, therefore will He give laws to them that are in the way."
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Or by his ways we may understand his precepts, the way which he requires us to walk in; and by his acts, or designs (as the word signifies), his promises and purposes as to what he will do with us.
He made known his ways unto Moses,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
He made known his ways unto Moses. Moses was made to see the manner in which the Lord deals with men; he saw this at each of the three periods of his life, in the court, in retirement, and at the head of the tribes of Israel. To him the Lord gave specially clear manifestations of his dispensations and modes of ruling among mankind, granting to him to see more of God than had before been seen by mortal man, while he cornmaned with him upon the mount. His acts unto the children of Israel. They saw less than Moses, for they beheld the deeds of God without understanding his method therein, yet this was much, very much, and might have been more if they had not been so perverse; the stint was not in the revelation, but in the hardness of their hearts. It is a great act of sovereign grace and condescending love when the Lord reveals himself to any people, and they ought to appreciate the distinguished favour shown to them. We, as believers in Jesus, know the Lord's ways of covenant grace, and we have by experience been made to see his acts of mercy towards us; how heartily ought we to praise our divine teacher, the Holy Spirit, who has made these things known to us, for had it not been for him we should have continued in darkness unto this day, "Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us and not unto the world?" Why hast thou made us "of the election who have obtained it" while the rest are blinded? Observe how prominent is the personality of God in all this gracious teaching— "He made known." He did not leave Moses to discover truth for himself, but became his instructor. What should we ever know if he did not make it known? God alone can reveal himself. If Moses needed the Lord to make him know, how much more do we who are so much inferior to the great law-giver?
4 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
REDEMPTION is a word which has gladdened many ears, when there was no heavenly sound in its blessed chime. Apart from any theological use of it, the word is a very sweet one, and has been melodious to many hearts. In those days when piracy was carried on continually along the coast of Africa, when our fellow Christian subjects were caught by corsairs, and carried away captive, you can well understand how the burdened soul of the manacled slave, chained to the oar of his galley, was gladdened by the hope that possibly there would be redemption.
REDEMPTION is a word which has gladdened many ears, when there was no heavenly sound in its blessed chime. Apart from any theological use of it, the word is a very sweet one, and has been melodious to many hearts. In those days when piracy was carried on continually along the coast of Africa, when our fellow Christian subjects were caught by corsairs, and carried away captive, you can well understand how the burdened soul of the manacled slave, chained to the oar of his galley, was gladdened by the hope that possibly there would be redemption. His cruel master, who had forced him into his possession, would not willingly emancipate him; but a rumour came, that in some distant nation they had raised a sum of money to purchase the freedom of slaves—that some wealthy merchant had dedicated of his substance to buy back his fellow-countrymen; that the king himself upon his throne had promised to give a liberal redemption that the captives among the moors might return to their home. Truly I can suppose the hours run happily along, and the dreariness of their toil would be assuaged, when once that word “redemption” had sounded in their ears. So with our fellow-subjects and our fellow-men, who once were slaves in our West India settlements. We can well conceive that to their lips the word redemption must have been a very pleasing song. It must have been well nigh as sweet to them as the marriage peals to a youthful bridegroom, when they knew that the noble British nation would count down the twenty millions of their redemption money; that on a certain morning their fetters should be snapped asunder, so that they should no more go out to the plantations to sweat in the sun, driven by the whip, but they should call themselves their own, and none should be their masters to possess thir flesh, and have property in their souls.
He made known his ways unto Moses - From the earliest part of our history he has been our protector and defense. His wonderful acts in behalf of the children of Israel are so many proofs of his mercy, power, and goodness; and so many reasons why we should now trust in him.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
He made known his ways unto Moses - This is another ground of praise - that God had “revealed his will;” that this had been done in an indubitable manner to Moses; and that these revelations had been recorded by him for the instruction and guidance of his people. The word “ways” here means his laws; his methods of administration; the principles on which he governs mankind, and the conditions on which he will save people. There is no higher ground of gratitude to God than the fact that he has given a revelation to mankind. His acts unto the children of Israel - His methods of doing things have been made known to them; and his acts - his interpositions - have been in their favor.
The words behind it
6 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| יוֹדִ֣יעַ | yodia' | he made known | H3045 → | 945 times |
| דְּרָכָ֣יו | derakhav | ways his | H1870 → | 707 times |
| לְמֹשֶׁ֑ה | lemosheh | to Moses | H4872 → | 765 times |
| לִבְנֵ֥י | livnei | to [the] people of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יִ֝שְׂרָאֵ֗ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| עֲלִילֽוֹתָיו׃ | alilotav | deeds his | H5949 → | 24 times |
יוֹדִ֣יעַhe made known
yodia'H3045 →945 times
דְּרָכָ֣יוways his
derakhavH1870 →707 times
לְמֹשֶׁ֑הto Moses
lemoshehH4872 →765 times
לִבְנֵ֥יto [the] people of
livneiH1121 →4930 times
יִ֝שְׂרָאֵ֗לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
עֲלִילֽוֹתָיו׃deeds his
alilotavH5949 →24 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Exodus 33:13Now if indeed I have found favor in Your sight, please let me know Your ways, that I may know You and find favor in Your sight. Remember that this nation is Your people.”
it leads to
- Psalms 119:33
Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes, and I will keep them to the end.
- Psalms 25:4
Show me Your ways, O LORD; teach me Your paths.
- Psalms 27:11
Teach me Your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path, because of my oppressors.
- Psalms 86:11
Teach me Your way, O LORD, that I may walk in Your truth. Give me an undivided heart, that I may fear Your name.
- Psalms 119:33
Through
Psalms 147:19He declares His word to Jacob, His statutes and judgments to Israel.
it leads to
- Malachi 4:4
“Remember the law of My servant Moses, the statutes and ordinances I commanded him for all Israel at Horeb.
- Psalms 78:5
For He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers to teach to their children,
- Deuteronomy 33:2–4
He said: “The LORD came from Sinai and dawned upon us from Seir; He shone forth from Mount Paran and came with myriads of holy ones, with flaming fire at His right hand.
- Malachi 4:4
Through
Deuteronomy 34:10Since that time, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face—
it leads to
- Exodus 33:11
Thus the LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young assistant Joshua son of Nun would not…
- Exodus 33:11
Where this verse is studied
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1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 103; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 4; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 351: “Plenteous Redemption” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms; John Chrysostom, HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 14; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
