Psalm 103:12 in Context
Psalm 103:12 read in its full chapter context. See the verses before and after, plus historical setting and flow of thought.
"As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us."
— Psalm 103:12 (KJV)
Where This Verse Sits
Psalm 103:12 appears in Psalms chapter 103, verse 12. David wrote this psalm of thanksgiving, likely in his later years around 970 BC. East and west—unlike north and south which meet at the poles—never converge, creating an infinite distance. David deliberately chose this directional metaphor to express the completeness and permanence of God's forgiveness.
The Verse Itself
"As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us."
— Psalm 103:12 (KJV)
Flow of the Passage
To grasp Psalm 103:12 fully, read it inside the surrounding paragraph. The verses before set up the argument, and the verses after show its outworking. Psalms 103 as a whole carries forward the theme of forgiveness, and this single verse is one beat in that larger movement.
David uses a powerful image to describe God's forgiveness. East and west never meet—they are infinitely apart. That's how completely God removes our sins.
Cross-References
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