The Mercy of God

A Sermon by Christopher W. Burke

Psalms 51:1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

Introduction:

First of all this afternoon we want to consider some definitions of Mercy:

-First, lets notice Strong’s definitions of Mercy:

-There are actually 3 Hebrew words for mercy in the Old Testament:

1) First, mercy means to be gracious, to show favor, to show pity.

2) Secondly, mercy means goodness, kindness, faithfulness.

3) Thirdly, mercy means to love, to have mercy, to be compassionate, and to have tender affection for another.

-Secondly, Easton’s Bible Dictionary Defines Mercy as:

“Compassion for the miserable”; with the object of mercy being misery.

-Thus for there to be a display of compassion, there must be miserable souls in need of mercy.

-When we consider these various meanings of the word mercy collectively, we can see that God’s mercy provides all that His people need for both physical and spiritual life.

Secondly, God’s Mercy and His truth meet together in Christ:

How can a holy and righteous God be merciful to sinful men?

Psalms 85:10 Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

The only basis upon which God can show mercy to sinful men and at the same time satisfy His justice and His righteousness, is through the sacrifice of Christ. Outside of Christ there is no expectation or hope of mercy, but only wrath. (Bring out the gospel…)

Thirdly, God’s mercy is everlasting and unfailing:

Psalms 100:5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

Lamentations 3:22 It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.

-God’s mercy is everlasting. His mercy endureth forever. His mercies are also unfailing to His people. They never cease nor fail to accomplish there purpose in our lives. Another good reason why we can believe in eternal security, beloved, is because God’s tender mercies are everlasting and unfailing toward His people.

Fourthly, God’s Mercies are a multitude for number:

Psalms 69:16 Hear me, O LORD; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.

Beloved, God has a tender mercy designed for our every need!

We only have 1 point this afternoon; but there are 10 sub-points!

1. Who needs God’s Mercy?

Let’s notice some numerical facts about the word mercy used in the Bible:

-The word mercy, not counting other word derivatives, is found 261 times in Bible.

-The word mercy and all other word derivatives are found 394 times in Bible.

-The word mercy is found 99 times in the Psalms.

-Mercy must be very important for God’s Word to speak so often of our need for it. But the question is, who can see their need for mercy? Beloved, human pride does not want to admit that it needs mercy. Pride, beloved, is the greatest enemy of lost sinners who desperately need God’s mercy. Lost sinner, you must cast off your old sinful pride to see your need for God’s mercy! We who are saved must also cast off our pride to see our constant need for God’s tender mercies upon our lives.

-Mercy means “compassion for the miserable”. Who are the miserable in need of mercy? Are not all men vile sinners by nature and by choice? Are not all men plagued with the curse of sin and death? Are not all men weak and frail and ready to fall into hell if left to themselves? Who are those that need the Lord’s compassion? King David did, beloved!!!, as we read in our text. David, the man after God’s own heart, needed mercy. David needed the Lord’s compassion and His favor. David saw that he was weak and frail and sinful, and stood in constant need of the Lord’s mercies. Which one of us is greater than David, and don’t stand in constant need of God’s tender mercies?

-This afternoon, let us consider just a few of the multitude of tender mercies that the Lord bestows upon His children, that we may see just how much we need His mercy:

1. First, we need mercy for salvation:

Psalms 85:7 Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation.

Psalms 86:13 For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.

Psalms 109:26 Help me, O LORD my God: O save me according to thy mercy:

Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Who needs mercy? All those who would ever be saved!

2. Secondly, we need mercy for forgiveness:

Psalms 51:1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

Who needs mercy? All those who have sins that needs forgiven.

3. Thirdly, we need mercy for strength and for healing:

Psalms 6:2 Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed.

Who needs mercy? All those who are weak and faint, and need the Lord’s healing.

4. Fourthly, we need mercy when we are afflicted:

Psalms 25:16 Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted.

Who needs mercy? All those who are lonely (desolate); and all who are poor and needy.

5. Fifthly, we need God’s mercy to hear prayers:

Psalms 27:7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.

Who needs mercy? All those who need to have their prayers answered.

6. Sixthly, we need mercy for happiness in life (does God want us to be happy?):

Psalms 90:14 O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

Who needs mercy? All those who want to be happy and enjoy life.

7. Seventhly, we need mercy to uphold us:

Psalms 94:18 When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O LORD, held me up.

Who needs mercy? All those who feel life they are ready to fall.

8. Eighthly, we need mercy to protect us from our enemies:

Psalms 59:16 But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.

Psalms 136:24 And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Who needs mercy? All those who need protection from their enemies.

9. Ninthly, we need mercy to preserve us to the end:

Psalms 40:11 Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.

Psalms 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Who needs mercy? All those who need for God to preserve them.

10. Tenthly, we need mercy for sanctification and salvation complete:

Psalms 138:8 The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.

Who needs mercy? All those who desire to be perfect. All those who desire for the Lord to finish the work He started within their souls.

Conclusion:

Have you seen your need for the mercy of God in salvation?

If so, have you experienced the mercy of God in salvation?

If not, may the Lord enable you to cast off your foolish human pride, all fall at His feet, and plead for His mercy upon you a sinner in need of His salvation!

As a saved child of God this afternoon do you, like David, see your need for the Lord’s mercies every hour of every day of your life? May the Lord help us to become as little children, and to see our total dependence upon Him and His multitude of tender mercies.