GOODNESS AND MERCY
When our kids were
small, we would often sing a chorus in church “surely goodness and mercy will
follow me, all the days, all the days of my life”, etc. Our
Looking through
scripture, we see the words “goodness and mercy” many times. One such place is
Psalm 23. This Psalm has comforted myriads of people through the ages.
Let’s look at some
more verses.
Goodness –
And the LORD said,
"I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of
you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy
on who I will have mercy, and I will have compassion
on whom I will have compassion.”
2 Chronicles 6:41 Now arise, O LORD God, and come to your resting place, you and the
ark of your might. May your priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation, may
your saints rejoice in your goodness.
Psalm 31:19 How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those
who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you.
Psalm 109:21 But you, O Sovereign LORD, deal well with me for your name's sake;
out of the goodness of your love, and deliver me.
Now, for mercy –
2 Samuel 24:14
Psalm 86:15 But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious,
longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth.
Psalm 89:14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your
throne; Mercy and truth go before Your face.
Psalm 100:5 For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting; and His truth endures to all generations.
Psalm 103:8 The LORD is merciful and gracious; slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
Isaiah 49:13 Sing, O heavens! Be joyful, O earth! And break out in singing, O
mountains! For the LORD has comforted His people, and will have mercy on
His afflicted.
Luke 1:50 And His mercy
is on those who fear Him From generation to generation.
Romans 9:15 For He says to
Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne
of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of
need.
And my favourite one of all: James 2:13 For judgment is
without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy
triumphs over judgment.
“Mercy” is found in scripture
272 times and the word “goodness” is found 48 times.
Goodness is defined in the dictionary as “Goodness (Good-ness)
“The quality of being good in any of its
various senses; excellence; virtue; kindness; benevolence; as, the goodness
of timber, of a soil, of food; goodness of character, of disposition, of
conduct, etc.”
Mercy, according to the dictionary is
“Mercy
1.
Forbearance to inflict harm under circumstances of provocation,
when one has the power to inflict it; compassionate treatment of an offender or
adversary; clemency. "Examples of justice must be made for terror to some;
examples of mercy for comfort to others."
2.
Compassionate treatment of the unfortunate and helpless; sometimes,
favor, beneficence.
3.
Disposition to exercise
compassion or favor; pity; compassion; willingness to
spare or to help. "In whom mercy lacketh
and is not founden."
4.
A blessing regarded as a
manifestation of compassion or favor. "The
Father of mercies and the God of all comfort." 2 Cor.
i. 3.
Synonyms for
“mercy” are leniency,
clemency, and charity.
God seems to
ooze with mercy and goodness and the writers of the scripture all speak of us
being the beneficiaries of these two attributes of God. I can be “good” because
He who is ‘good” lives in me. I can both experience mercy and show mercy
because the God of mercy lives in me.
It is a win-win situation.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days, all the days of my life;
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days, all the days of my life
A pilgrim was I, and a’wandering,
In the cold night of sin I did roam,
When
And now I am on my way home.
He restoreth
my soul when I'm weary,
He giveth me
strength day by day;
He leads me beside the still waters,
He guards me each step of the way.
When I walk thro' the dark, lonesome
valley,
My Saviour will walk with me there;
And safely His great hand will lead me
To the mansions He's gone to prepare.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow
me
All the days, all the days of my life;
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow
me
All the days, all the days
of my life.
