“O give thanks unto the Lord: for He is good, for His mercy endureth forever”
Psalm 136:1
For this perfection of the Divine character God is greatly to be praised. Three times over in as many verses does the Psalmist here call upon the saints to give thanks unto the Lord for this adorable attribute. And surely this is the least that can be asked for from those who have been such bounteous gainers by it.
When we contemplate the characteristics of this Divine excellency, we cannot do otherwise than bless God for it. His mercy is “great” (1 Kings 3:6), “plenteous” (Psalm 86:5), “tender” (Luke 1:78), “abundant” (1 Peter 1:3); it is “from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him” (Psalm 103:17). Well may we say with the Psalmist, “I will sing aloud of Thy mercy” (Psalm 59:16). “I will make all My goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy” (Exodus 33:19). Wherein differs the “mercy of God from His grace”? The mercy of God has its spring in the Divine goodness.
The first issue of God’s goodness is His benignity or bounty, by which He gives liberally to His creatures as creatures; thus has He given being and life to all things.
The second issue of God’s goodness is His mercy, which denotes the ready inclination of God to relieve the misery of fallen creatures. Thus, “mercy” presupposes sin.
