{"id":228,"date":"2014-03-12T10:05:46","date_gmt":"2014-03-12T14:05:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pibcny.com\/blog\/?p=228"},"modified":"2017-02-12T09:16:41","modified_gmt":"2017-02-12T14:16:41","slug":"knowing-god-he-is-merciful","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/pibcny.com\/blog\/2014\/03\/12\/knowing-god-he-is-merciful\/","title":{"rendered":"Knowing God\u2014He Is Merciful"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the beginning of this Psalm we are challenged to “bless the LORD” as a response to our remembering the “benefits” of God. \u00a0As we read through the remainder of the Psalm, the mercy of God comes to the forefront. \u00a0Let us c<\/span>onsider together the mercy of the God we worship.<\/p>\n

The \u201cprecious truths\u201d that are contained here should lift our souls in worship to the Lord.\u00a0 Our hearts should overflow with worship as we \u201cbless the LORD<\/i>.”<\/p>\n

First we see how His mercy is manifested to us.\u00a0 David speaks of the reality and out pouring of God\u2019s mercy as he states,<\/p>\n

“The LORD<\/b> is<\/i> merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.” (Psalm 103:8)<\/span><\/p>\n

The mercy of God is rooted in His great love wherewith He loves us, but it is also displayed in His forgiveness.\u00a0 David most likely had Psalm 32 on his mind as he wrote these words.<\/p>\n

<\/b>“ H<\/strong>e<\/b> will not always chide [or contend \/ rebuke<\/i>]: neither will He<\/b> keep His<\/b> anger [or hold a grudge<\/i>] forever.” (Psalm 103:9)<\/span><\/p>\n

God will not always contend with His people, or manifest His displeasure.\u00a0 The implication is that He does rebuke His people when they have sinned, but there does come an end to His rebuke.\u00a0 He mercifully forgives those who repent and He ceases from continuing to hold one’s sin against them.<\/p>\n

God does not seek to bring us to ruin when we sin.\u00a0 He desires to restore us to the fellowship with Him that our sin had hindered.\u00a0The wrath of God comes to an end at the necessary time. In speaking of God’s mercy toward the Israelites the Psalmist \u00a0says,<\/span><\/p>\n

“But He <\/b>[God<\/b>], being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned He His<\/b> anger away, and did not stir up all His<\/b> wrath. For He<\/b> remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.” (Psalm 78:38-39)<\/span><\/p>\n

As the Israelites were in the wilderness they kept sinning, experiencing the judgment of God, then repenting and God continued to forgive. Over the course of history they turned away from God, He judges them, they repented and He forgave them. \u00a0In this we also see how patient the Lord is.<\/p>\n

“He<\/strong> hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.” (Psalm 103:10)<\/span><\/p>\n

Notice that the mercy of God is undeserved.\u00a0 If God gave us what we deserved then we all would die but He mercifully gives us what we NEED.<\/p>\n

In verses 11-18 we can see how God\u2019s mercy is measured.\u00a0 The dimensions of God\u2019s mercy are infinite.<\/p>\n

“For as the heaven is high above the earth, so<\/i> great is His<\/b> mercy toward them that fear Him<\/b>.” (Psalm 103:11)<\/span><\/p>\n

David speaks of the infinite height of God’s mercy or its vertical dimension.<\/p>\n

“As far as the east is from the west, so<\/i> far hath He<\/b> removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:12)<\/span><\/p>\n

Then David speaks of the infinite width of God’s mercy or its horizontal dimension.<\/p>\n

Consider the words of commentator John Phillips as he states,\u00a0“So we take a point on earth and draw a line vertically into infinity.\u00a0 We also draw a\u00a0 line horizontally into infinity\u2014\u201cso far hath He removed our sins from us<\/i>.\u201d\u00a0 There is a point on this planet where those two infinite lines intersect\u2014the point is Calvary!\u00a0 We draw all our lines from the cross.\u00a0 The upright of the cross, driven like a stake into the ground, is where we begin our vertical line.\u00a0 We extend it up into infinity.\u00a0 The crossbar of the tree, flung wide as though to embrace the world, is where we begin our horizontal line into infinity.\u00a0 That is how the Lord measures His mercy\u2014in terms of the cross.” (Exploring Psalms Volume Two, pg. 128)<\/p>\n

The dimensions of the mercy of God are such that it can meet the greatest need of mankind\u2014our need for salvation.<\/p>\n

“Like as a father pitieth [is compassionate toward<\/i>] his<\/i> children, so<\/i> the LORD<\/b> pitieth them that fear Him<\/b>.” (Psalm 103:13)<\/span><\/p>\n

The dimension of God’s mercy is also seen in its depth. David illustrates it for us with a father’s natural love for his own children.\u00a0 Our heavenly Father has shown the depth of His mercy in sending His Son to pay sins penalty.\u00a0 Here we see the tenderness of a loving Father as He provides for the needs of His children. Such amazing love!<\/p>\n

“For\u00a0He<\/b>\u00a0knoweth our frame;\u00a0He<\/b>\u00a0remembereth that we\u00a0are<\/i>\u00a0dust.” (Psalm 103:14)<\/span><\/p>\n

God knows us (Psalm 139:1-6)!\u00a0 He knows what we NEED and He responds by providing for them (Philippians 4:19).<\/p>\n

The duration of the mercy of God is infinite as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

“As for<\/i> man, his days <\/span>are<\/i> as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.\u00a0For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.” (Psalm 103:15-16)<\/span><\/p>\n

Consider man\u2019s mercy.\u00a0 David compares us to a dandelion which may seem full at one moment and then the next be completely empty.\u00a0 The wind comes and removes its short-lived beauty and soon thereafter even the plant itself is no more.\u00a0 Often this is the extent of our mercy just like the brevity of our own lives.<\/p>\n

“But the mercy of the LORD<\/b> is<\/i> from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him<\/b>, and His<\/b> righteousness unto children’s children;\u00a0To such as keep His<\/b> covenant, and to those that remember His<\/b> commandments to do them.” (Psalm 103:17-18)<\/span><\/p>\n

Thankfully God\u2019s mercy is infinitely different\u2014His mercy does not end.\u00a0In comparison to God, man doesn’t even live for hardly a moment.\u00a0 The only reason that it may seem like a long time is because of perspective.\u00a0 To us, who can’t fathom eternity, it is a lifetime and therefore that is all we know.\u00a0 But God exists outside of time and His eternal greatness so far exceeds us that our moment of life hardly seems to exists. \u00a0Often this is the length of our mercy as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

Charles Spurgeon wrote these words, “How vast the contrast between the fading flower and the everlasting God! How wonderful that His mercy should link our frailty with His eternity, and make us everlasting too!” (The Treasury of David)<\/p>\n

As you meditate upon these precious truths of God\u2019s mercy can you help but break out in praise to the Lord?<\/p>\n

“Bless the\u00a0LORD<\/b>, O my soul: and all that is within me,\u00a0bless<\/i>\u00a0His<\/b>\u00a0holy name.\u00a0Bless the\u00a0LORD<\/b>, O my soul, and forget not all\u00a0His<\/b>\u00a0benefits:” (Psalm 103:1-2)<\/span><\/p>\n