How does Psalm 116:5 connect with God's nature in Exodus 34:6-7? Psalm 116:5 – A Snapshot of God’s Character “The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.” • Gracious — He freely gives favor we do not deserve. • Righteous — His ways and judgments are always right. • Compassionate — He is moved by our need and acts to relieve it. Exodus 34:6-7 – God’s Self-Revelation “And the LORD passed in front of Moses and proclaimed, ‘The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness, maintaining loving devotion to a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin. Yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished; He will visit the iniquity of the fathers on their children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation.’” Shared Attributes • Compassionate (Psalm 116:5; Exodus 34:6) • Gracious (Psalm 116:5; Exodus 34:6) • Righteous/Justice (Psalm 116:5 “righteous”; Exodus 34:7 “will by no means leave the guilty unpunished”) These passages echo the same three-fold portrait: mercy that rescues, grace that forgives, and justice that never compromises. Grace and Compassion in Covenant Relationship • Exodus 34 unfolds at Sinai, where God binds Himself to Israel in covenant love. • Psalm 116 is a personal testimony of rescue (“You have delivered my soul from death,” v. 8). The psalmist’s trust rests on the very attributes God announced to Moses. • The covenant God of Israel proves just as faithful in an individual crisis as He is to the nation. Righteousness and Mercy Held Together • God’s righteousness guarantees that evil will be judged (cf. Psalm 9:7-8). • His compassion guarantees that the repentant find forgiveness (cf. Psalm 103:8-12; 1 John 1:9). • Both meet perfectly at the cross, where “He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Romans 3:26). Living in Light of This Revelation • Confidence when praying—our cries reach a gracious, compassionate Listener (Psalm 116:1-2). • Comfort in hardship—His covenant mercy spans generations (Exodus 34:6; Lamentations 3:22-23). • Commitment to holiness—because He is righteous, we pursue righteousness (1 Peter 1:15-16). • Assurance of forgiveness—His grace is greater than our sin (Ephesians 2:4-5). |
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