The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The phrase "slow to anger" doesn't just mean God isn't quick to get mad; it implies He patiently endures wrongdoing, showing immense restraint. This isn't a passive waiting, but an active decision to withhold judgment, giving space for repentance. It reveals a God whose love is so great that His patience with us is a deliberate act of His very being.
The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The psalmist begins by calling his soul to bless God, recounting God's benefits like forgiveness and healing, and then expands to God's dealings with all of Israel, upholding their rights and showing them compassion. This verse bursts forth as the foundational reason for all those mercies, echoing God's own self-declaration to Moses, emphasizing His patient, abundant love rather than quick judgment. This understanding of God's character is what makes His actions towards His people, and indeed all creation, so remarkable and worthy of praise.
This verse isn't just a beautiful description; it's a divine self-declaration, echoing through millennia. What does it mean that God intentionally repeats these very words?
The language here is deeply significant. When the psalmist writes, 'The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love,' he's intentionally recalling God's self-revelation to Moses in Exodus 34:6. This wasn't a casual remark; it was part of the foundational covenant name God gave for Himself.
We often hear 'slow to anger,' but what does that truly reveal about God's patience and His heart for us?
The phrase 'slow to anger' (or 'longsuffering') is more than just God not getting angry quickly. It speaks to His incredible patience and His desire for repentance.
Ask a follow-up
The Bible speaks of God's 'steadfast love' repeatedly. What makes this love so central, and why is it described as 'abounding'?
The phrase 'abounding in steadfast love' (often translated as 'plenteous in mercy' or 'great in mercy') points to the boundless, rich, and inexhaustible nature of God's loyal love.
Understand the original words
rachum · Hebrew Adjective
The deep, compassionate love of God, often likened to the tenderness of a parent. It denotes God’s sympathy toward His people in their misery and His disposition to forgive.
channun · Hebrew Adjective
God's unmerited favor toward the undeserving. It signifies His kindness and willingness to provide benefits to those who have no claim upon Him.
erekh appayim · Hebrew Adjective Phrase
The attribute of God describing His patience and restraint in judgment. It signifies His endurance toward those who provoke Him, waiting to lead them to repentance.
chesed · Hebrew Noun
A profound, covenant-keeping love that is loyal, faithful, and reliable. It is the bedrock of God's relationship with His people, extending beyond mere duty to steadfast commitment.
This verse isn't just a poetic description; it's a direct echo of God's self-revelation to Moses centuries earlier, functioning as a core tenet of Israel's faith that resonated through prophetic messages and worship.
c. 1446 BC
Revelation at Sinai
God reveals His character to Moses, declaring 'The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.' This foundational declaration shapes Israel's understanding of God.
c. 1000 BC
David's Reign
King David, the traditional author of Psalm 103, lives and reigns during a period of relative peace and prosperity for Israel, allowing for reflection on God's enduring character.
c. 1000 BC— this verse
Psalms 103 Written
David, likely reflecting on God's faithfulness through his own life and Israel's history, composes Psalm 103. The verse directly echoes the revelation given to Moses, emphasizing God's core attributes.
c. 750 BC
Prophet Joel's Ministry
Joel calls the people to repentance, urging them to 'return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love.' This shows the continued relevance of God's revealed character.
c. 620 BC
Prophet Jeremiah's Ministry
Jeremiah also reflects on God's character, noting that 'He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor repaid us according to our iniquities.' This highlights God's restraint of judgment.
This passage is the foundational confession of God's character, directly echoed by the psalmist, highlighting God's enduring mercy and slowness to anger as revealed to Moses.
Joel 2:13This prophecy reinforces the idea of God's gracious and compassionate nature, urging repentance by emphasizing His readiness to relent and His abundant mercy.
Nehemiah 9:17This prayer recounts God's historical faithfulness, specifically mentioning His 'graciousness and compassion, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love,' underscoring this as a consistent attribute throughout Israel's history.
Romans 2:4Paul speaks to the undeserved kindness of God, linking His goodness and patience (slowness to anger) to lead people to repentance, reflecting the very character described in Psalm 103:8.
James 5:11James refers to Job's experience to illustrate God's profound compassion and mercy, calling Him 'rich in pity and mercy,' which directly parallels the psalmist's description of God 'abounding in steadfast love'.
pulpitPsalms 103:8: "The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy."
Verse 8. - The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. This was a part of the revelation made to Moses (Exodus 34:6), whose words the psalmist closely echoes, both here and in Psalm 86:15 (comp. also Psalm 111:4; Psalm 112:4; Psalm 145:8).
bensonPsalms 103:8: "The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy."
Psalm 103:8-10 . The Lord is merciful and gracious — See on Exodus 34:6 . Slow to anger — Not speedily punishing sinners, but patiently waiting for their repentance. He will not always chide — Or contend by his judgments with sinners, but is ready to be reconciled to them, namely, upon their repentance, as is manifest from innumerable texts, and from the whole scope and design of the Scriptures. Neither wi…
The phrase "slow to anger" doesn't just mean God isn't quick to get mad; it implies He patiently endures wrongdoing, showing immense restraint. This isn't a passive waiting, but an active decision to withhold judgment, giving space for repentance. It reveals a God whose love is so great that His patience with us is a deliberate act of His very being.
The psalmist begins by calling his soul to bless God, recounting God's benefits like forgiveness and healing, and then expands to God's dealings with all of Israel, upholding their rights and showing them compassion. This verse bursts forth as the foundational reason for all those mercies, echoing God's own self-declaration to Moses, emphasizing His patient, abundant love rather than quick judgment. This understanding of God's character is what makes His actions towards His people, and indeed all creation, so remarkable and worthy of praise.
The psalmist begins by calling his soul to bless God, recounting God's benefits like forgiveness and healing, and then expands to God's dealings with all of Israel, upholding their rights and showing them compassion. This verse bursts forth as the foundational reason for all those mercies, echoing God's own self-declaration to Moses, emphasizing His patient, abundant love rather than quick judgment. This understanding of God's character is what makes His actions towards His people, and indeed all creation, so remarkable and worthy of praise.
"The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever." — The phrase "slow to anger" doesn't just mean God isn't quick to get mad; it implies He patiently endures wrongdoing, showing immense restraint. This isn't a passive waiting, but an active decision to…
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Last reviewed October 2026