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A God of Mercy

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A God of Mercy

8 minuten leestijd Arcering uitzetten

“The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear Him, in those who hope in His mercy” (Psalm 147:11).

This is a psalm of praise in which the mighty deeds of the Lord are proclaimed. We do not know who the author was, but that is not so important. Luther calls it “a very blessed psalm of thanksgiving.” The poet seeks to extol the Lord, to proclaim His greatness and glory. Therefore he does not speak about what man does, but about the work of God. This is a fruit of grace, for our nature always seeks to glory in the flesh. Much religion is very man-centered. You hear so much about what man does for the Lord, but very little or nothing about what God does to man.

By the grace of God the poet of this psalm speaks differently. It is all about the mighty works of God.

• He builds up Jerusalem.

• He gathers together the outcasts.

• He heals the broken hearts, and He binds up their wounds, sorrows, and griefs.

• He has perfect dominion over the universe, over His creation.

• He lifts up the meek, the humble, the lowly, and the afflicted.

• However, He also casts down, humbles, abases, and lays low the wicked.

Then the poet proceeds to speak about God's providential care for His creatures, and he tells what it is wherein God delights.

Modern man delights in human power, beauty, intellect, gifts, and accomplishments. In this world there is often not much consideration for the weak, the poor and needy ones. It is certainly not considered a virtue to be dependent, to need help from others. No, then man boasts in his own strength, of which the poet speaks in verse 10, “the legs of a man.”

The Lord shows mercy to all those who as poor, needy beggars take refuge unto Him.

However, with God it is so different. God does not delight in human strength and those who rely on it. What a lesson it is to learn this personally! We all try to help ourselves, and God is good for occasions and circumstances in which we need a little extra support or security.

We see the depth of our fall in what we hear and read about today's society. Also our country, which has again commemorated its independence, is so far away from a humble dependence upon the Lord. We boast in the strength of our armies, in our sophisticated weapons, in the high flight of our modern technology. We boast of a strong country that will stand firm in spite of all fears of terrorist attacks. It is indeed to be hoped that we may be a strong nation, but this strength has to come from another Source, and not from ourselves. Then repentance is needed, a turning away from the paths of ungodliness and wickedness, from our provoking the Lord to pour out His judgments upon us. There may well be fear for the future of a world that unashamedly cries, “Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.”

We read in Psalm 2:4, “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision.”

However, this is not only the condition of our nations, but we all are so inclined to lean upon “the legs of a man.” Even God's children often trust so much in what they have experienced or in deliverances of the past, but they so often miss that frame of a dependent, humble beggar at God's mercy seat. It is true, our flesh does not desire to be a beggar. Not long ago, however, during our travels we met an old pilgrim who mentioned a few things concerning who the Lord had been for her. She made the remark, “God likes beggars.” And indeed, that is the place where we belong, and there God will be glorified.

In this psalm the poet says what the Lord does not delight in, but he also mentions what pleases Him. The LORD, the unchangeable God of the covenant, takes pleasure in them that fear Him.

Who are those that fear Him? They are those in whose hearts the Holy Spirit has implanted the filial fear of His great and glorious Name. That fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. This wisdom teaches us what we have become in our fall in Adam, and also what we remain after having received grace. It is the fear of God's Name that humbles the sinner deeply before God, that causes him to mourn and grieve about his sins. It makes him long for restoration of that broken communion with God. It makes him hunger and thirst after Him and ask, “Is there yet a way by which we may escape the punishment and again be received into favor?”

The fear of God's Name makes sinners seek the honor and glory of God. What a wonder if that only remedy, the precious Savior, the Lord Jesus, is revealed. The fear of God makes them willing to follow the Lamb wherever He goes. It causes them to bow under His easy yoke and light burden. It makes them say what Asaph spoke in Psalm 73:28, “But it is good for me to draw near to God.”

By the fear of God they will say, “ O how love I Thy law! it is my meditation all the day.” Then they will love God, His house, His people, His ordinances, and His day, and they will say with Peter, “Lord, Thou knowest all things, Thou knowest that I love Thee.”

The true fear of God brings about the hope in God's mercy. For they understand that there is no other expectation for them. If only the Lord might be merciful to them: upon this mercy they hope. The Lord put this hope into their heart by the Holy Spirit when the gospel was opened to them and precious promises were proclaimed to them.

We read in Psalm 36:5, “Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and Thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.” The poet says in Psalm 130:7, “Let Israel hope in the LORD; for with the LORD there is mercy, and with Him is plenteous redemption.”

God delights in those that hope in His mercy. It is a pleasure to Him when they continually call upon Him and need Him in all their ways. He will not permit the enemy to trample upon or destroy this people. For their Helper is mighty, and their Redeemer is strong; the Lord of Hosts is His Name. He gives them courage and strength in all their afflictions, and courage to fight the good fight of faith. He washes and purifies them from all their iniquities in the precious blood of the Lamb of God, and He fills their hearts with peace. He gives them to behold the kind countenance of God's favor and sometimes leads them into His inner chamber to rest and rejoice in Him.

How is this possible? It is only because of the work of Him for whom there was no mercy, when He had to suffer the wrath of the Judge against sin and descended into the outer darkness of being forsaken by God. This precious Surety, Jesus Christ, carried the wrath of God, but thus He also satisfied the justice of the holy Judge. Now the Lord shows mercy to all those who as poor, needy beggars take refuge unto Him whom He has appointed as a Surety and Savior. The Father was well pleased in His finished work, but He is also pleased in all that love Christ, in those who say, “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.”

Sinner, may you yet cry as the publican did, “God be merciful to me, a sinner.” Flee yet from the wrath to come, when the Ark of refuge is not yet closed and it is still the time of grace. We read in Isaiah 55, “Seek ye the LORD while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near.” But then the prophet also says, “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” When this may be experienced, it cannot be different but that you will have the same desire as the poet of this psalm, that is to praise the Lord and to rejoice in Him and in His work.

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Bekijk de hele uitgave van zondag 1 augustus 2004

The Banner of Truth | 28 Pagina's

A God of Mercy

Bekijk de hele uitgave van zondag 1 augustus 2004

The Banner of Truth | 28 Pagina's