Grace Abounding

Psalm 103:8 says, "The Lord is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy." In verses 6-10, the psalmist focuses on God's character. Verse 8 falls right in the middle of those verses. Out of the Lord's loving nature, He acts on behalf of His people. God is merciful. He cares for those who are His.

"The LORD is merciful and gracious" (v. 8a). We are all sinners who are guilty and in need of the Lord's mercy. As the psalmist points out, God is both merciful and gracious. By His mercy He pardons sin. In legal terms, through mercy God stays the punishment of sin, even though we deserve that punishment. By His grace He grants us favors that we do not deserve. In both mercy and grace the Lord abounds.

"Slow to anger" (v. 8b). God can certainly be angry; angry with sin. He can reach out and punish the guilty with righteous indignation, but we are told that He is "slow to anger" (v. 8b). God is patient with us beyond measure: "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). God is patient, giving space for repentance and plenty of opportunity to receive His mercy.

"Abundant in mercy" (v. 8c). God's anger is short-lived and never reaches into eternity, as far as believers are concerned. Rather, God is "abundant in mercy" (v. 8c). "Abundant" (v. 8c) means "overflowing." The Lord is rich in mercy and quick to shower His mercy upon us. "Mercy" (v. 8c) is translated from the Hebrew word hesed, which many a Bible scholar has written about. It is the Hebrew word for "love," and is sometimes translated "mercy, lovingkindness, loyalty." It could be rendered as "steadfast love."

Out of His steadfast love, God pours out His mercy upon us. Out of His steadfast love, God pours out His grace upon us. Both His mercy and His grace are showered upon us with abundance. Amen.