O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good:
for his mercy endureth forever.
O give thanks unto the God of gods:
for his mercy endureth forever.
O give thanks unto the Lord of lords:
for his mercy endureth forever.
To him who alone doeth great wonders:
for his mercy endureth forever.
To him that by wisdom made the heavens:
for his mercy endureth forever.
To him that stretched out the earth above the waters:
for his mercy endureth forever.
To him that made great lights:
for his mercy endureth forever:
the sun to rule by day:
for his mercy endureth forever:
the moon and stars to rule by night:
for his mercy endureth forever.
To him that smote Egypt in their first born:
for his mercy endureth forever:
and brought out Israel from among them:
for his mercy endureth forever:
with a strong hand and a stretched out arm:
for his mercy endureth forever.
Webster's Dictionary: Mercy
- From the Latin merces "price paid for something, wages, reward" and the old French mercit or merci "kindness or pity shown to someone"
- #1 A kind and gentle treatment of someone (as a wrongdoer or opponent) having no right to it.
- #2 A blessing as an act of divine love.
Synonyms
- Clemency: a mild or merciful disposition in the person having the power to punish.
- Leniency: the repeated overlooking of mistakes by one not inclined to punish.
- But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath. For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again. - Psalm 78:38-39
- Be merciful until me, O LORD: for I cry unto thee daily. Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul. For thou, LORD, art good, and ready to forgive; and plentious in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. - Psalm 86:3-5
- I will praise thee, O LORD my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore. For great is they mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell. - Psalm 86:12-13
- But thou, O LORD, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plentious in mercy and truth. O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me: give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid. - Psalm 86:15-16
God has the power to punish, and He does at times, but that is not His first inclination. He is not waiting around for the first opportunity to punish us. No, instead, "many a time turned he his anger away". He repeatedly overlooks our mistakes, wrongdoing, and opposition of Him, and treats us with kindness and gentleness, because the price for our sin was already paid by Jesus.
That, as I see it, is the full definition of mercy; that the person showing mercy takes the price upon himself, and therefore can treat someone who doesn't deserve it with kindness and gentleness. Just as the Samaritan, who showed kindness and gentleness to a man who didn't deserve it, by paying the full price of his lodging and care himself. In such a way God shows mercy to us, taking all the cost of it upon Himself. Truly, His mercy endures forever.
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