Lamentations
3:22-23 describes the Father's acute yearning for a wayward people:
Through the Lord's mercies we are
not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
God's
mercy incorporates His covenant of compassion, expressed in His consuming
commitment to bring us into relationship with Himself.
His
mercy is His compassion toward us even when we deserve punishment, His
commitment to restore us even though we deserve to endure the consequences of
our sin, and His covenant of love expressed at the point of our greatest
foolishness.
The
Mercies of the Lord based mostly out of Psalm
103. Here are the characteristics of His mercies:
1. The quality of His Mercies: Tender. Verse 4 reads, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with
lovingkindness and tender mercies.
This
word for “mercies” is racham,
(Strongs # 7256) which also means “womb.” God’s mercy towards us comes from the
deepest place where He “births” His love and compassion for us. Often, when
this Hebrew word is used for mercy it is preceded by the description “tender”
mercies.
2. The origin of His mercies: The Lord. Verse 8, The Lord is merciful
This
verse uses the 2nd Hebrew word for mercy: checed (Strong’s #2617 - Used 248 times). This word indicates God’s
acts of favor, kindness and tenderness towards us.
God’s
mercy is not simply a feeling towards us – His full rescuing power is at the
core of His mercy. Here are all the hurting ones in Psalm 103 who benefit from
His mercy:
V3–those
with iniquities
V3–those
with diseases
V4–those
who are on a path towards destruction
V5–those
who are old and weak
V6–those
who are oppressed
V 10–those
who are sinners
V 13–those
who are fatherless (see also: Hosea 14:3)
3. The measure of His mercies: Plenteous/Abounding. Verse 8, The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in
mercy.
4. The extent of His Mercies: Great – as high as the
heavens are above the earth Verse 11, For as the
heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear
Him
5) The duration of His Mercies: everlasting Verse 17, "But the mercy of
the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him and His
righteousness to children's children."
6. The recipients of His Mercies: …those who fear Him Verse 11, …His mercy toward those that fear Him.
7. The result of His mercies of His Mercies: We wear
mercy as a crown
verse 4 …who crowns you with
lovingkindness and tender mercies
Without
His wonderful tender mercy where would we be? Knowing who I am to the core, and
my many weaknesses as He does; His compelling, drawing covenant love continues
to shower me with mercy – even when I fail. What extraordinary love.
...hope in the Lord;
For with the Lord there is mercy,
And with Him is
abundant redemption.
Psalm 130:7
The Lord takes
pleasure in those...who hope in His mercy.
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