12-13. According to Psalm 103:14, what does Jehovah remember about us, and what does this move him to do?

¹² Read Psalm 103:14. David speaks of Jehovah as “remembering that we are dust.” With those words, David explains one of the reasons why Jehovah is ready to forgive repentant worshippers: He is ever mindful of our sinful nature. To understand this better, let us take a closer look at David’s words.

¹³ David says that Jehovah “well knows how we are formed.” He formed Adam “out of dust from the ground” and well knows that perfect humans have natural limitations​—for example, the need to eat, sleep, and breathe. (Gen. 2:7) But when Adam and Eve sinned, being dust took on added meaning. As their offspring, we inherited a sinful nature that makes us prone to doing wrong things. Jehovah is not just aware of our sinful nature; David speaks of him as “remembering” it. The Hebrew word used here can mean to take positive action. We might sum up the meaning of David’s words this way: Jehovah understands that we will fall short at times; when we do, he is moved to respond to our heartfelt repentance by showing us mercy and forgiveness.​—Ps. 78:38, 39.

If we carry persistent guilt for past sins, we can ask ourselves: ‘Am I forgetting what Jehovah remembers​—that is, am I forgetting that he is mindful of my sinful nature and will forgive a repentant sinner like me?