Bible Strands
Psalms 103:11
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His loving devotion for those who fear Him.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The psalmist addresses the worshiping community, shifting from recounting God’s past dealings to declaring His present character during a moment of corporate reflection. The speaker directs the audience’s attention to God’s nature as the basis for their reverence.
The words — The Hebrew גָּבַר (gaVar) literally means “it is strong,” intensifying חַסְדּוֹ (chasDo), “His covenant loyalty,” to denote an overwhelming measure of steadfast love.
The thread — This spatial metaphor for divine mercy appears in Psalms 36:5 and 57:10, while Luke 1:50 extends the same scope of mercy to a generational audience.
Why it lands — The text states that God’s loyalty operates on an unmeasurable scale, requiring the reader to align their fear of Him with the reality of His boundless commitment.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
Cross-references
- Psalms 57:10 For Your loving devotion reaches to the heavens, and Your faithfulness to the clouds.
- Luke 1:50 His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation.
- Psalms 36:5 Your loving devotion, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, Your faithfulness to the clouds.
- Psalms 103:17 But from everlasting to everlasting the loving devotion of the LORD extends to those who fear Him, and His righteousness to their children’s children—
- Ephesians 2:4 But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,
- Proverbs 25:3 As the heavens are high and the earth is deep, so the hearts of kings cannot be searched.
- Isaiah 55:9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.
- Psalms 89:2 For I have said, “Loving devotion is built up forever; in the heavens You establish Your faithfulness.”
- Ephesians 3:18 will have power, together with all the saints, to comprehend the length and width and height and depth
- Job 22:12 Is not God as high as the heavens? Look at the highest stars, how lofty they are!