In this section of Psalm 103, we arrive at the conclusion of the psalm. King David transitions from the loving-kindness that the Holy One, blessed be He, performs with the individual, to the kindness preserved for his children after him, and from there to Hashem's governance across all realms: the world of angels, the world of the celestial spheres, and the terrestrial world below. Ultimately, the psalm returns to its starting point - "Bless Hashem, O my soul" - for the human soul encompasses everything, and it blesses on behalf of all creation.
וְחֶסֶד יְהֹוָה מֵעוֹלָם וְעַד עוֹלָם עַל יְרֵאָיו וְצִדְקָתוֹ לִבְנֵי בָנִים׃ - But the loving-kindness of Hashem is from everlasting to everlasting upon those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children's children.
The Radak explains: although the human body perishes, Hashem's loving-kindness does not perish. If we interpret the verse as referring to the reward of the World to Come, what is being conveyed here is: know that even after the body wastes away, Hashem's kindness will continue to accompany you in the upper world as well. For the soul is not cut off; the soul endures. "From everlasting to everlasting" - for all eternity, Hashem's kindness never ceases.
Why does the verse use the term loving-kindness (chesed)? Because it mentions here "those who fear Him." A person who acted out of love deserves reward by strict justice. But one who acted out of fear or awe - the fact that the Holy One, blessed be He, rewards him is an act of loving-kindness. Here the verse refers to those who fear, not those who love; this is a lower level, and therefore the reward they receive is an aspect of chesed. This kindness, the Radak notes, is an abundance of goodness: Hashem bestows upon them far more good than they actually deserve.
It has been explained previously that if we were to reflect deeply upon this, serving out of fear alone is quite degrading. Rav Dessler says: what does it mean to serve out of fear? It is as if a person says to the Holy One, blessed be He: "To tell the truth, Master of the Universe, I would not serve You, nor would I fulfill a single mitzvah, except that Your gun is pointed at my temple, and so I am forced to act." However, because we are formed from clay, and because "He knows our inclination," and because we are surrounded by trials and difficulties, even serving Hashem out of fear is considered an achievement. The essential thing is that we serve Hashem, with an aspiration to reach love. Yet the mere fact that one serves the Holy One, blessed be He, only out of fear implies, so to speak, that were it not for that, he would disregard His commandments. How much reward is deserved for that? Very little. Thus, the fact that Hashem grants us full reward even for service performed out of fear - that is "the loving-kindness of Hashem is from everlasting to everlasting upon those who fear Him." Hashem gives far beyond what is deserved, because one who is merely a "fearer" has not yet reached the perfection of divine service.
The Radak explains: just as Hashem preserves the good for us in the World to Come, so does He preserve the good for our children in this world. This is the meaning of "and His righteousness to children's children" - whatever good we performed here, Hashem guards and preserves for our offspring. Just as we today draw sustenance from the service of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov, and the Holy One, blessed be He, remembers the loving-kindness of the Patriarchs for their descendants. This is what we recite in the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy: "Preserver of loving-kindness for thousands of generations."
And one must have proper intent (kavanah) during the Thirteen Attributes. This has been noted several times: the entire efficacy of the Thirteen Attributes depends on having proper intent when reciting them, and it is regarding this that our Sages said they never return empty-handed, as the Holy One, blessed be He, established a covenant regarding them. But if we lack intent, merely reciting words like "chata'ah venakeh" without paying attention - it is deeply unfortunate. A person recites this many times during the days of Selichot without paying attention to what he is saying. It is far better to recite it once properly - that possesses true power, never returns empty-handed, and achieves its effect in every circumstance. Take an explanation of the text once; it is not complicated. Understand what we are saying, and then each time you recite it, think about what you are saying. If you cannot keep up with the chazzan's pace at the speed of light - recite it at the speed of sound. Shift down a gear, recite more slowly, but maintain proper intent.
The phrase "preserving kindness for thousands" [Notzer chesed la'alafim] is explained in two ways. First: the Holy One, blessed be He, preserves the kindness of our forefathers for thousands of generations, meaning we still draw from the merits of the Patriarchs and Hashem remembers on our behalf the kindness they performed. Second: this applies to each and every individual, as it says here, "and His righteousness to children's children" - Hashem remembers our merits, preserves our kindness and our good deeds for a thousand generations, and protects this for our children after us. This, too, stems from the attribute of His mercy, may He be blessed.
Seemingly, one might ask: "to children's children" implies only until the third generation, yet we say "preserving kindness for thousands," which implies even up to two thousand generations? Likewise, Moshe said, "to those who love Him and keep His commandments for a thousand generations" - why a thousand generations, when you said two thousand? Rather, these numbers are not meant to be restrictive. When we say "and His righteousness to children's children," it does not mean grandchildren and no further, but to their grandchildren's children forever. And when it says "a thousand generations," it includes two thousand and three thousand as well; the verse does not intend to limit it strictly to one thousand. Just as people say, "even in a thousand it is not nullified" [afilu be'elef lo bateil] - there are things that are not nullified even in a ratio of one to a thousand, which does not mean that in one thousand it is not nullified but in two thousand it is, rather that it is not nullified at all.
Radak adds that "the kindness of Hashem is from eternity to eternity upon those who fear Him" can also be interpreted as referring to this world: after a person passes away, Hashem's kindness, granted as reward for his good deeds, will extend to his children after him, as well as "His righteousness to children's children." According to this approach, the entire verse speaks of this world.
Radak cites Midrash Shocher Tov: kindness is from eternity to eternity, but righteousness extends only up to three generations, to children's children. What is the explanation? Kindness [chesed] is an expression of piety [chasidut] - when a person acts beyond what was commanded, and the Holy One, blessed be He, preserves this kindness for his children after him from eternity to eternity. Righteousness [tzedakah], by contrast, is fulfilling that which one is obligated to do; it does not involve the quality of piety, and therefore "His righteousness is to children's children" - up to three generations. Righteousness here corresponds to a tzaddik, while kindness corresponds to a chasid. What is the definition of a tzaddik? One who fulfills exactly all that he was commanded. And a chasid is one who conducts himself with piety and fulfills beyond his strict obligation. Therefore, the tzaddik receives reward to children's children, while the chasid receives reward from eternity to eternity.
Therefore, one must always pay attention to this point, because with many people one sees a kind of flippancy. They tell you: "Is it not enough what the Torah forbade?", and "anyone who is stringent is foolish," and "that is only for the exceptionally meticulous [mehadrin]," and "there is no need to overdo it," and "do not exaggerate," and all kinds of phrases of this sort. Yet our Sages said that to the extent a person is meticulous in the details of the mitzvot, it demonstrates the purity of his soul; whereas one whose soul is blemished tends toward leniencies. This is truly staggering. One who is constantly searching: "Isn't there a lenient opinion here? I heard there are differing views among the Halachic authorities..." - his soul is flawed. Why search for leniencies?
When arriving at a wedding, does anyone say: "We do not have to eat meat, fish is enough; we do not have to take more than an appetizer, who obligated me?" On the contrary, there one says, bring more and add to it, and do not hold back from either. In matters one loves, one seeks more - and in spirituality a person must know how to act in the same way. This does not mean that every level suits every individual; at times a practice is beyond one's level, and if taking on stringencies leads to frustration, it is better to advance gradually. But the point is the attitude: the mindset that says there is no need to be stringent, asking, "Why are you being so strict?" On the contrary, the quality of piety is an immense and lofty virtue, for through it the reward endures from eternity to eternity. Whereas one who does only what is explicitly written is a tzaddik - he fulfills everything written, but never beyond that, not one gram more. And that extends only to three generations, not from eternity to eternity. From here one can see how fitting it is for a person to seek and perform mitzvot with beautification [hiddur] and piety, to the best of his ability.
The Malbim explains: in contrast to the body, which does not endure long, the soul exists forever. The body is temporary and the soul is eternal; therefore, "the kindness of Hashem is from eternity to eternity upon those who fear Him" - after a person departs from this world, divine kindness accompanies him to the World to Come, where he will live in eternal delight, as it says, "delights at Your right hand forever." That is the meaning of "from eternity to eternity." Moreover, his righteousness is also preserved for him here in this world for his children's children. And who are those "children's children"? The next verse comes to address this.
לְשֹׁמְרֵי בְרִיתוֹ וּלְזֹכְרֵי פִקֻּדָיו לַעֲשׂוֹתָם׃ - To those who keep His covenant, and to those who remember His precepts to perform them.
The Radak explains: If the children keep His covenant and remember His precepts - meaning His mitzvot, which He entrusts into our hands - remembering them verbally and studying them in order to perform them. For the entire purpose of study is in order to do. If "those who remember His precepts" merely mentions verbally that such-and-such a mitzvah exists, but in practice does not fulfill it, this is of little value. And even if nowadays there are mitzvot that we are unable to fulfill, our desire and aspiration are to perform them: one who studies Masechet Zevachim longs for the time when he will merit bringing a korban, when he will merit fulfilling the mitzvot that we currently have no way of keeping. The aspiration is always "to do them."
And as for what is stated here, that the Holy One, blessed be He, remembers the kindness of the fathers for the children - this means that when the children are upright, they receive their own reward and the reward of their fathers, as is written in the Torah: "showing kindness to thousands of generations to those who love Me and keep My commandments." And even if they are not good, the Holy One, blessed be He, bestows goodness upon the children in the merit of the fathers, as is written: "And I will remember for them the covenant of the ancients," even though they are not upright on their own merits.
Ibn Ezra writes: "Those who keep His covenant" refers to those who fear Him, while "those who remember His precepts to do them" refers to those who love Him. "Those who keep His covenant" guards what is stated in the covenant, what is written in the Torah. But "those who remember His precepts to do them" are those whose eyes are always set on His precepts, never forgetting them for a single moment, and this is already the level of love.
It has often been said: a person who does not look for ways to discharge his duty quickly, who does not say, "Tell me what my obligation is and I will do it, let us just get it over with," but genuinely asks what the inner will of Hashem is, how to bring contentment (nachat ruach) to Hashem, blessed is He - this is the true and holy aspiration. But one who says, "Just tell me what I am obligated to do, what is the bare minimum," relates to the Holy One, blessed be He, and to His service as a slave does to his labor, as something one merely wants to finish. A person must know that mitzvot should be approached with a desire to perform them in full perfection, without looking for leniencies. Some people constantly search: Is there no one who is lenient? Is there no opinion to rely upon here? As the witty play on words goes, "and all the people saw the leniencies (kulot)." No, my friend - ask what the will of Hashem is, what the Holy One, blessed be He, truly desires, and in accordance with that, perform things properly and completely, without detracting from the mitzvot. This, says Ibn Ezra, is the category of those who love Him: "Those who remember His precepts to do them" - constantly mindful of Hashem's mitzvot, His precepts before them, so that at every opportunity they merit performing yet another mitzvah.
The Radak cites Midrash Shocher Tov: Rabbi Tanchuma said, this is comparable to a widow who had a son. As long as her son had not married, he depended on her - mother would prepare, mother would cook, mother would do the laundry, mother did everything. Once he married, his mother said to him: "I know that you no longer need me as you did before; you are now married and have a wife to care for you. But just remember me."
So it was all the days Israel were in the desert: the manna fell for them and the well sprang up for them, and they were able to be keepers of the Torah and toil in it - "to those who keep His covenant." For the Torah was given only to those who ate the manna: one had no need to labor at any work, spending the entire day in the Beit Midrash of Moshe Rabbeinu, sitting and learning Torah. But when they arrived in the Land and every man sat beneath his vine and beneath his fig tree, and each person had to go out to his daily toil and provide for his livelihood - then it became "and to those who remember His precepts to do them." The Holy One, blessed be He, says like that mother: "Remember Me" - remember Me, and do not neglect the Torah and the mitzvot even when you are preoccupied with the toil of your day.
יְהֹוָה בַּשָּׁמַיִם הֵכִין כִּסְאוֹ וּמַלְכוּתוֹ בַּכֹּל מָשָׁלָה׃ - Hashem has established His throne in the heavens, and His kingdom rules over all.
The Radak explains: Just as an earthly king sits upon a throne, and the throne is elevated above all else, so it is with the heavens - the heavens are, as it were, the throne of the Holy One, blessed be He, and everything, both the earth and the heavens, is beneath Him and under His dominion. And this is the meaning of "and His kingdom rules over all": the eyes of Hashem gaze upon the entire earth, and everything is subject to His governance and providence. Since everything is His handiwork and everything is under His sovereignty, all must bless Hashem. Therefore, the psalm continues, "Bless Hashem, His angels, mighty in strength, who perform His word, obeying the voice of His word" - beginning with the celestial beings and concluding with the terrestrial, for Hashem established His throne in the heavens, and that throne is high above all, even above the heavens themselves. It follows that both heaven and earth are subject to His authority, and consequently, all must praise and laud Him.
Here too, the Radak cites Midrash Shocher Tov. Rabbi Berachiah said: You find four "proud ones" in the world - four majestic beings, that is, beings of distinction: the lion, the ox, the eagle, and man. Among wild beasts, none is prouder than the lion, which exalts itself over all beasts; the lion does not flee from any other animal but attacks, for the lion is the king. Among domesticated animals, none is prouder than the ox - "and abundant crops come through the strength of an ox" - the ox possesses tremendous power, and not without reason do the Hindus worship the cow, as it represents power among animals. Among birds, none is prouder than the eagle, soaring above all others. And who is proud above them all? Man, who rules over all of them - "You placed everything under his feet." We have never seen a lion take a man captive, but we have seen many lions captured by human beings, and likewise the ox and the eagle - all are subjugated to man, as it is written: "and rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the heavens," an expression of subjugation and dominion.
What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He placed these four proud beings on the Throne of Glory: He set into His Throne the likeness of an ox, the likeness of a lion, the likeness of an eagle, and the likeness of a man, and the Holy One, blessed be He, sits upon the Throne - above all of them, as it says, "for He is exalted above the arrogant." This is not in the sense of arrogance and humiliation, but in the sense of being elevated above all. And this is how the Targum renders "ki ga'oh ga'ah": "For He is exalted above all the proud" - He towers above all possessors of power and authority. And this is the meaning of "and His kingdom rules over all."
The Malbim explains: "Hashem established His throne in the heavens" - the throne, meaning the leadership and governance, He established, as it were, in heaven, for the governance of the world follows the laws of nature, and the laws of nature were instituted in heaven. Yet even so, "and His kingdom rules over all" - Hashem also exercises individual divine providence. The laws of nature are fixed, but "His kingdom rules over all" means that when He wills it, Hashem alters and overturns the orders of nature in an instant. His kingdom rules over all, directing each and every thing according to what is required at that moment. If the sea must now be split - the sea splits; if manna must be brought down - Hashem brings down manna. That is, according to the considerations of reward and punishment, the Holy One, blessed be He, rules even over those things that seemingly operate by fixed natural laws - teaching you that they are not fixed independently, but everything is from Hashem. Although He established in heaven the fixed natural order, nevertheless His kingdom rules over all to change anything at any given moment, according to the need of the hour, to dispense reward or punishment and the like.
בָּרְכוּ יְהֹוָה מַלְאָכָיו גִּבֹּרֵי כֹחַ עֹשֵׂי דְבָרוֹ לִשְׁמֹעַ בְּקוֹל דְּבָרוֹ׃ - Bless Hashem, His angels, mighty in strength, who fulfill His word, hearkening to the voice of His word.
The Radak says: The angels are the highest in rank among all created beings, and through their power comes the motion of the celestial spheres and stars. (We explained previously regarding the celestial spheres that the ancients believed there was an actual physical sphere in the heavens, and the sun and moon revolved within that sphere.) Therefore it says, "mighty in strength, who fulfill His word," for by Hashem's commandment and directive they carry out their function, and are thus called "fulfillers of His word." "Hearkening to the voice of His word" - they always do what He commands them, and are always ready, says the Radak, to hear whatever He may instruct them at any time.
The Ibn Ezra says that through them decrees also descend from heaven: just as an angel of Hashem smote the camp of Sancheriv, and as is written regarding Moshe, "and He sent an angel," and as is written in Yeshayahu, "and the angel of His presence saved them." "Mighty in strength" - for no force and no creature can stand before them. And if you should ask: Did not Yaakov defeat the angel? On this the Radak says that the angel was acting under orders, having come by Hashem's command, and consequently it was also ordained that Yaakov would prevail over him.
What is the meaning of "hearkening to the voice of His word"? The Radak explains: When a human being performs Hashem's commandments, he hopes for reward, for "trustworthy is your Employer to pay you the reward of your labor." But with the angels, there is no reward. What then is their hope, what is their reward, what is their delight? The Radak says: Their reward, their delight, and their glory is "to hearken to the voice of His word," and in this lies all their praise. What is the praise of an angel? That it be said of him that he listens to the voice of Hashem - and this is the greatest praise. And as we have discussed in the past, the greatest praise a human being can attain is to be in the category of an "eved Hashem" (a servant of Hashem). What is a servant? I possess nothing of my own; everything is Hashem, blessed be He. The most distinguished title ever earned by a mortal human being was: "Remember the Torah of Moshe My servant," "and it was after the death of Moshe the servant of Hashem" - there is no title more distinguished than this. So too with the angels, the greatest title of honor is "to hearken to the voice of His word."
Radak further cites Midrash Shocher Tov: "'Bless the Lord, His angels' - if the verse is speaking of celestial beings, it already states, 'Bless the Lord, all His hosts.' Why the repetition? Rather, it speaks exclusively of terrestrial beings; 'His angels' are not heavenly angels, but human beings. And from where do we know that terrestrial beings are called angels? As it says, 'And He sent an angel, and brought us out of Egypt' - was he an angel? Surely it was Moshe! From this you learn that prophets are called angels. And so it says, 'Then spoke Chaggai, the Lord's messenger [angel].' Rabbi Yehudah bar Simon says: 'And the angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal' - this refers to Pinchas. And the Rabbis cite another source: 'And his appearance was like the appearance of an angel of God, very awesome.' Perforce, you learn that prophets are called angels."
Prophets are also called angels because they are emissaries carrying out the word of Hashem, for a mal'ach is a messenger, related to the word melachah (work). At times, this refers to actual angels, as Rashi comments on "And Yaakov sent angels" - actual angels; and at times it refers to human messengers, as when Moshe Rabbeinu sent messengers to the king of Edom. Regarding prophets, however, they are called angels also because they resemble angels and are holy like angels.
The Midrash addresses a difficulty in the phrasing of the verse: "'Performers of His word, hearkening to the voice of His word' - it should have said 'hearkeners of His word' first, and then 'performers,' for one first hears and only then acts. Rather, to whom does it refer? To the Jewish people who stood at Sinai and preceded action to hearing: 'Who revealed this secret to My children?' - a secret that the angels employ, as it is said of them, first 'performers of His word,' and afterward 'hearkening to the voice of His word.'"
First I perform, and only then will I hear, seek to understand, and delve deeper - but first I will do. A skeptic, by contrast, says: if I do not understand, I will not do; first explain it to me so that I may accept it logically, why it is good, what tefillin give me, how it helps, and why I am obligated. Meanwhile, he studies, reaches the age of seventy, and perhaps he will reach conclusions and perhaps not, or he may pass away before that. Not so the Jewish people: Na'aseh ve-nishma ("We will do and we will hear"). Hashem commanded - I perform. This does not exempt me from delving deeply, for afterward comes the "we will hear": I will reflect and study the matter until I arrive at full understanding. But I will never make action contingent upon comprehension. First and foremost, one performs, and only then hears what the rationale, reasoning, and logic behind each mitzvah are.
The Malbim explains that here David concludes his words by mentioning Hashem's providence in three realms. The first is the blessing and bounty that Hashem channels into the angelic realm, which is why it says, "Bless the Lord, His angels." The angels are called this because they stand engaged in the work of Hashem, ready for His mission to go and perform actions, and even override the laws of nature. If there is a need for "Sun, stand still at Giv'on, and moon, in the valley of Ayalon," or hailstones raining down from the heavens, and other such miraculous interventions - it is for this purpose that the angels exist, and they are above the Throne.
The governance of the Throne is the World of Beriah, the governance of the cosmic system, the constant order. And there is a governance above the Throne, which is the realm of the angels - "Seraphim stood above Him": he sees Hashem sitting on a throne, with seraphim standing above Him. The realm of the seraphim represents the governance above the standard, fixed natural order - what is known as the governance of the system. They are above the Throne, with no fixed laws or constant routine, for the Holy One, blessed be He, does not conduct miraculous governance on a constant basis. And as mentioned several times in the name of the Chazon Ish, nature is simply the more constant will of the Holy One, blessed be He. There is no fundamental difference between a miracle and nature; both are the will of Hashem. There is a continuous will - that is nature, the system's governance; and there is a temporary will, wherein at a specific moment the Holy One, blessed be He, chooses to suspend the laws of nature for reasons that arise according to the circumstance. Therefore they are called "His angels," for an angel is sent on a mission only at designated and necessary times; they stand ready before Him for dispatch and do not operate continuously.
And why are they called "mighty in strength"? Because they overturn the system with strength. Anything designed to act against the natural course requires strength (gevurah). Consider man: by nature he loves rest, and when he must get up and do something, it is difficult for him; he must overcome his inclination (lehitgaber) to go and act. By nature, he has tendencies and character traits - for example, he may have a slight temper, and to overcome this he must exert great inner strength. Any act that breaks away from natural tendency is an act of gevurah. And since the role of these angels is to overturn the laws of nature, and through them Hashem brings about miracles, they are "mighty in strength." Furthermore, they are "performers of His word," meaning they do not operate constantly, since miracles occur only by direct instruction from Hashem - when His word is issued, when Hashem gives an instruction, then they act. This is the meaning of "hearkening to the voice of His word": they hear the voice of that command and then set out on their mission.
בָּרְכוּ יְהֹוָה כָּל צְבָאָיו מְשָׁרְתָיו עֹשֵׂי רְצוֹנוֹ׃ - Bless the Lord, all His hosts, His ministers who do His will.
In his explanation of the terms, the Malbim clarifies the distinction between "His angels" (mal'achav) and "His ministers" (meshartav). A mal'ach (angel/messenger) is one dispatched on an honorable, distinguished mission - like an ambassador sent on a diplomatic mission. So it is regarding the angels: Hashem sends them on distinguished missions to perform wonders and suspend the natural order. By contrast, "ministers" are those who stand in constant service; they are not sent on special missions, but rather serve as permanent attendants. And "His hosts" (tzeva'av), the Malbim explains, refers to the celestial army, denoting the hosts of stars that remain constantly at their stations in accordance with Hashem's will.
"Bless Hashem, all His hosts" - this refers to the celestial spheres, the heavenly host, the stars, the moon, and everything associated with them, what is termed the celestial system. They are called "His ministers" (meshartav), because a minister serves continually, unlike an emissary (shaliach) sent periodically. All these celestial bodies, the sun, the moon, and the planets, serve perpetually. And they are "doers of His will" (osei retzono), unlike the angels about whom it was said, "doers of His word, obeying the voice of His word" - whenever a command is spoken: go now and alter the course of nature, perform a miracle. Here, by contrast, it refers to the fixed, perpetual function of the heavenly bodies. Therefore, they are His ministers, as a servant stands continuously to serve his master, and they are doers of His will - they do not wait for a specific instruction, but fulfill the primordial will that Hashem established at Creation, when He established them forever and ever, decreeing a law that will not pass away. This continual will they fulfill without cessation.
בָּרְכוּ יְהֹוָה כָּל מַעֲשָׂיו בְּכָל מְקֹמוֹת מֶמְשַׁלְתּוֹ בָּרְכִי נַפְשִׁי אֶת יְהֹוָה׃ - Bless Hashem, all His works, in all places of His dominion; bless Hashem, O my soul!
Rashi explains: "All His works" - which are in all places where His dominion extends. Wherever Hashem rules, there all His works are found; that is, the entire world, all of reality, the entire universe, all of creation.
The Radak explains: "Bless Hashem, all His works" - this refers to the lower terrestrial creations, for all earthly creations are the handiwork of the Holy One, Blessed be He, and His dominion rests over them, which is the meaning of "in all places of His dominion." This includes the four classical elements and everything formed from them: living creatures, plant life, and inanimate matter - stones, soil, and metals. And when it says "in all places of His dominion," it is because they were created below and above, on land, in the seas, and in the air, and all of them praise Hashem.
And after that, he says, "Bless Hashem, O my soul." Having spoken of the lower realm and the elements, he turns to what is higher - our soul, which is exalted above all earthly creations, for man, through his intellect, rules over all that is below: "You give him dominion over the works of Your hands." The lower creations lack the consciousness to bless and praise; rather, man is the one who blesses and praises Hashem, and it is as though they are blessing through him. As it is written, "Speak to the earth, and it will teach you, and the fish of the sea will tell you" - yet how do the earth and the seas praise Hashem? Look how Iyov uses this phrasing: speak with the earth and it will instruct you, the fish of the sea will tell you. Until now, one might have thought fish are silent - "silent as a fish," "filled his mouth with water" - and suddenly it turns out that the fish of the sea tell you! But this is stated metaphorically: when all living creatures act in accordance with Hashem's will, their very functioning is like a song of praise and adoration to the Holy One, Blessed be He.
Just as we noted regarding the sun: when Yehoshua stopped it, it could no longer continue reciting song. And what is the song of the sun? The very fact that it operates according to the instruction of the Holy One, Blessed be He, every moment it moves - in doing so it praises its Creator, as it were. Once he stopped it - "Sun, stand still at Gibeon" - its song ceased, and someone else had to utter praise to Hashem, which is why "Then Yehoshua sang." Thus, all of inanimate creation, plant life, animal life, and articulate beings praise and laud Hashem by their very existence and creation. And one learns from living creatures: "Go to the ant, sluggard; observe its ways and grow wise" - it teaches through its action. There is no need for speech; its very functioning is the lesson. Likewise, "the fish of the sea will tell you," and likewise, "speak to the earth, and it will teach you."
Therefore, the Radak says: the psalm begins with "Bless Hashem, O my soul" and concludes with "Bless Hashem, O my soul," because man and his lofty soul encompass everything - through his wisdom he understands both higher and lower realms, and therefore the soul praises and lauds the Holy One, Blessed be He, for all of it. What was said about the lower creations praising is only metaphorical; the one who truly offers praise for all of this is man, since everything was created for man's sake, and man praises the Holy One, Blessed be He, for all these matters.
The Malbim explains: "Bless Hashem, all His works" - this refers to the creatures of the lower world, which represent the completion of Creation. "In all places of His dominion" - Hashem's dominion reaches down to the lowliest world, from the lowest realm of creation, dust of the earth, up to the highest plane, for the levels of man's soul - Nefesh, Ruach, Neshamah, Chayah, and Yechidah - are rooted in all the Sefirot above. This is what gives our actions here below an impact on all the worlds. Through what power? Because we are not rooted merely in one specific Sefirah or one specific world; rather, our soul derives from all the worlds of Atzilut, Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah (ABYA). In a sense, it is like a ladder connected to all the worlds, which is why man is able to praise and laud the Holy One, Blessed be He, for everything in creation.
Man's body corresponds to the lower realms, mirroring the nature of the terrestrial world whose laws are fixed. Man's soul, however, corresponds to the realm of the angels. Angels are "mighty in strength" to transcend nature, and what overcomes human nature, the material body, and its base instincts? The soul. The spiritual dimension overcomes the laws of nature and masters man's coarse desires, to the point that a person can act entirely against his natural instinct in the most extreme situations, even sacrificing his life to save others.
Like Captain Elbaz in his time: during a training session, a grenade pin was pulled, and there was terrible fear that it would detonate and kill many soldiers. He looked in every direction to see where he could throw the grenade, but saw that people were in danger everywhere. What did he do? He placed the grenade on the ground and threw himself upon it. He was killed on the spot, and everyone else was saved. Who is capable of such a heroic deed, of laying down his life to save others? It defies nature, for naturally a person seeks to preserve his body, fears the cold, shrinks from heat, and seeks comfort. Thus, the soul corresponds to the angelic realm, where beings transcend the natural order and are mighty in strength to govern nature; similarly, within man resides a spiritual soul from the upper world, from the angelic realms, capable of overriding the nature of the body and heeding the voice of the word of the Holy One, Blessed be He.
Thus, the Malbim explains, the Holy One, blessed be He, incorporated all of Creation and all the worlds into the soul, so that the soul can bless the Holy One, blessed be He, on behalf of all of them. The Malbim refers the reader to examine this further at length in his work "Artzot HaShalom," Derush 3. With this, we conclude Chapter 103 of Tehillim.
The conclusion of the psalm leads us from the individual to the collective: Hashem's lovingkindness upon those who fear Him does not end with the body, but accompanies the eternal soul from everlasting to everlasting, and His righteousness is preserved for the children after him - provided they keep His covenant and remember His precepts to do them, so that the Torah is not forgotten even amid the toil of making a living. We learned that the chasid, who goes beyond his obligation, receives a reward from everlasting to everlasting, whereas the tzaddik, who fulfills only what is required - to children's children; hence, one should not search for leniencies, but rather seek the will of Hashem. "Hashem has established His throne in the heavens" - the fixed natural order of divine governance; "and His kingdom rules over all" - the power to alter everything at any moment. Therefore, David calls upon the three realms to bless: the mighty angels above the Throne, who perform miracles at His word; the heavenly hosts who minister continuously, fulfilling His constant will; and all His works in the physical, lower world. Finally, he returns to "Bless Hashem, O my soul," for man's soul encompasses all the worlds, and within it alone lies the understanding to offer praise and glory on behalf of the entirety of Creation.