Our Kind and Merciful God
Kindness and mercy are part of the character of God. The God of the Old Testament sometimes gets a bad reputation as a vengeful, angry God who sends plagues upon people. Certainly, God is capable of these things when provoked. But the heart of God for his people is always kindness and mercy first.
It thrills him to hear us thank him for the goodness of his heart. Telling him gives a double blessing—it blesses us to speak forth words of thanks and praise and it blesses him to hear them. (Psa 118:1)
Psalm 118
Tell the LORD how thankful you are, because he is kind and always merciful.
Let Israel shout, “God is always merciful!” Let the family of Aaron the priest shout, “God is always merciful!” Let every true worshiper of the LORD shout, “God is always merciful!”
When I was really hurting, I prayed to the LORD. He answered my prayer and took my worries away. The LORD is on my side, and I am not afraid of what others can do to me. With the LORD on my side, I will defeat all of my hateful enemies. It is better to trust the LORD for protection than to trust anyone else, including strong leaders.
Nations surrounded me, but I got rid of them by the power of the LORD. They attacked from all sides, but I got rid of them by the power of the LORD. They swarmed around like bees, but by the power of the LORD, I got rid of them and their fiery sting. Their attacks were so fierce that I nearly fell, but the LORD helped me. My power and my strength come from the LORD, and he has saved me.
From the tents of God’s people come shouts of victory: “The LORD is powerful! With his mighty arm, the LORD wins victories! The LORD is powerful!”
And so my life is safe, and I will live to tell what the LORD has done. He punished me terribly, but he did not let death lay its hands on me.
Open the gates of justice! I will enter and tell the LORD how thankful I am.
Here is the gate of the LORD! Everyone who does right may enter this gate.
I praise the LORD for answering my prayers and saving me. The stone that the builders tossed aside has now become the most important stone.
The LORD has done this, and it is amazing to us. This day belongs to the LORD! Let’s celebrate and be glad today. We’ll ask the LORD to save us! We’ll sincerely ask the LORD to let us win.
God bless the one who comes in the name of the LORD! We praise you from here in the house of the LORD. The LORD is our God, and he has given us light! Start the celebration! March with palm branches all the way to the altar.
The LORD is my God! I will praise him and tell him how thankful I am.
Tell the LORD how thankful you are, because he is kind and always merciful.
