MANIFESTATIONS OF MERCY

“The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy” – Psalm 103:8

The LORD is Merciful, and has diverse MANIFESTATIONS of HIS MERCY. God is full of Mercy; great in Mercy, and rich in Mercy!

God is FULL of Mercy; so full His Mercy overflows: “The earth, O LORD, is FULL of Your MERCY” (Psa.119:64a).

God is GREAT in Mercy: “The LORD is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and GREAT in MERCY” (Psa.145:8).

God is RICH in Mercy: “But God, who is RICH in MERCY, because of His great love with which He loved us” (Eph.2:4).

Psalm 103 reveals Seven Manifestations of Mercy for our edification. Here, is an overview of these, namely:

Mercy in His Person: “The LORD is merciful and gracious…” (v.8a). The first and most significant manifestation of Mercy is the Person of God Himself. Psalm 103 opens with these words: “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name.” Verse 8 says: “The Lord is merciful.” That means, “Merciful is His name”! The Lord shows mercy. He demonstrates acts of Mercy, but He is the very Personification of Mercy. The Lord is merciful: Mercy involves who He is.

Mercy in His Provisions: “Bless the LORD and forget not all His benefits” (v.2). It is His Mercy that makes all of His provisions possible and His benefits available: “Who forgives…who heals….Who redeems…who crowns….Who satisfies…” (vv.3-5). One verb after another tells us about the benefits that flow from our Lord. In His Mercy, God provides healing, forgiveness, and redemption; and crowns and satisfies us. God does it all because He is merciful.

Mercy in His Patience: “The LORD is….slow to anger” (v.8b). God is patient and longsuffering; hence He abounds in mercy (v.8c). To be patient means to take a long time to boil – slow to anger. We should be glad that God is not spontaneous in anger. He is angrier at what people do than at their persons. We likewise should be angry at sin; but loving toward people, no matter how sinful they are. The Mercy of God involves patience: “He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever” (v.9).

Mercy in His Punishment: “He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities” (v.10). That is, God is Merciful, even in Judgement. When God does punish us for our sins, it is done in Mercy; or else, we would have been totally consumed. If God would punish you according to what you really deserve, you would be in big trouble! Aren't you glad?

Mercy in His Pardon: “For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us” (vv.11-12).

Mercy in His Pity: “As a father pities his children, so the LORD pities those who fear Him” (v.13).

Mercy in His Plan: “But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children's children, to  such as keep His covenant, and to those who remember His commandments to do them” (vv.17-18).

Beloved, please join me praying prophetically for the revelation and enjoyment of God’s Mercy.

Father-God, as I come before Your Throne of Grace, meditating on Your Mercy, I pray in the precious Name of Jesus:

• Grant me access into Your heart of Mercy
• Cause me to understand Your Character of Mercy through Your revealed Word
• Help me to behold and be impacted by the revelation of Mercy in Your Person
• Help me to believe and receive the benefits and provisions of Your Mercy
• Help me to obtain through faith and patience the promises of Your Mercy
• Let Your Mercy moderate Justice and temper punishment towards me and all mine
• Let me continually enjoy full Pardon through Your Mercy.
• As a Father pities his children, let me enjoy Your empathy all through life.
• Let Your Mercy strengthen and sustain me and all mine!