“Focusing On The Mercy Of God” (Ready to Worship S3E7)

March 11, 2016

Season 3, Episode 7
For Friday, March 11, 2016
“Focusing On The Mercy of God”

HOST: Wade Webster

Show Notes:

Mercy was often on David’s mind as he entered into worship. The term mercy appears ninety-nine times in the book of Psalms. It occurs twenty-six times in the One Hundred and Thirty-Sixth Psalm alone. Every verse of the 136th psalm contains the word mercy. David’s heart was clearly focused on the mercy of God as he penned this psalm. Since the psalms were written for worship, it is clear that God wanted His people in the Old Testament to focus on His mercy as they worshipped. Since the Old Testament was written for our learning (Rom. 15:4), I believe that we should also focus on mercy as we worship today.

Episode Transcript:

Justice, mercy, and grace are important words in Scripture. Sometimes we ask for justice, but that isn’t what we really want or need. Mercy is what we really want, and grace is what we really need. So what is the difference between justice, mercy, and grace. Someone has given the following description of each of these terms:

Justice is getting what we deserve.

Mercy is not getting what we deserve.

Grace is getting what we don’t deserve.

As sinners, none of us really wants justice. After all, justice would mean death. The wages of sin are death (Rom. 3:23; 6:23). Repeatedly, the Bible prescribes death for sin. In the simplest of terms, Ezekiel declared, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die” (Ezek. 18:20). What we really want is not justice, but mercy. What we really need is not justice, but grace.

Perhaps, no man understood the need for mercy as much as David. David deserved to die. He committed adultery and murder, two sins for which the death penalty was specifically prescribed in the Old Testament. David did not want justice. He wanted mercy; and, he needed grace.

It seems that mercy was often on David’s mind as he entered into worship. The term mercy appears ninety-nine times in the book of Psalms. It occurs twenty-six times in the One Hundred and Thirty-Sixth Psalm alone. Every verse of the 136th psalm contains the word mercy. David’s heart was clearly focused on the mercy of God as he penned this psalm. He was praising God for not giving him what he deserved. Let’s take just a minute to read the psalm:

Psalm 136

O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good:

for his mercy endureth for ever.

O give thanks unto the God of gods:

for his mercy endureth for ever.

O give thanks to the Lord of lords:

for his mercy endureth for ever.

To him who alone doeth great wonders:

for his mercy endureth for ever.

To him that by wisdom made the heavens:

for his mercy endureth for ever.

To him that stretched out the earth above the waters:

for his mercy endureth for ever.

To him that made great lights:

for his mercy endureth for ever:

The sun to rule by day:

for his mercy endureth for ever:

The moon and stars to rule by night:

for his mercy endureth for ever.

To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn:

for his mercy endureth for ever:

And brought out Israel from among them:

for his mercy endureth for ever:

With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm:

for his mercy endureth for ever.

To him which divided the Red sea into parts:

for his mercy endureth for ever:

And made Israel to pass through the midst of it:

for his mercy endureth for ever:

But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea:

for his mercy endureth for ever.

To him which led his people through the wilderness:

for his mercy endureth for ever.

To him which smote great kings:

for his mercy endureth for ever:

And slew famous kings:

for his mercy endureth for ever:

Sihon king of the Amorites:

for his mercy endureth for ever:

And Og the king of Bashan:

for his mercy endureth for ever:

And gave their land for an heritage:

for his mercy endureth for ever:

Even an heritage unto Israel his servant:

for his mercy endureth for ever.

Who remembered us in our low estate:

for his mercy endureth for ever:

And hath redeemed us from our enemies:

for his mercy endureth for ever.

Who giveth food to all flesh:

for his mercy endureth for ever.

O give thanks unto the God of heaven:

for his mercy endureth for ever.

Since the psalms were written for worship, it is clear that God wanted His people in the Old Testament to focus on His mercy as they worshipped. Since the Old Testament was written for our learning (Rom. 15:4), I believe that we should also focus on mercy as we worship. Although there is no section of New Testament Scripture like the One Hundred and Thirty-Sixth Psalm, mercy is a New Testament word. There are sections of Scripture that encourage us to focus on mercy. For example, there is an especially beautiful passage in the book of Titus. Paul wrote:

For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 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; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:3-7).

Because of our disobedience, we deserved to die. However, we didn’t get what we deserved. We received mercy and grace. As we get ready to worship this week, let’s focus our minds on the mercy of God. We worship a God who doesn’t give us what we deserve. We worship a God that gives us mercy.

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