The Lord Is Merciful and Gracious – Psalm 103:8-18

Outlines in Psalms

This outline is a companion to three previous outlines:  And Forget Not All His Benefits - Psalm 103:1-5     
                                                                                       Bless the Lord, O My Soul - Psalm 103:1-2, 20-22     
                                                                                       Bless His Holy Name - Psalm 103    

The two themes that tie this central portion of Psalm 103 together are as follows:  (1) the mercy of the Lord that He displays toward us, and (2) the fear of the Lord that we are to maintain toward Him.

Psalm 103:8 – “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.”

Psalm 103:11 – “For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.”

Psalm 103:13 – “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.”

Psalm 103:17 – “But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children.”

  I.  The Character of Our Lord’s Reviving Mercy

      Psalm 103:8 – “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.”

      A.  Our Lord is graciously merciful.  
      B.  Our Lord is slow to anger.  
      C.  Our Lord is plenteous in mercy. 

 II.  The Conduct of Our Lord’s Reviving Mercy

      Psalm 103:9-10 – “He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.  He hath not dealt with us
      after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.”

      A.  Our Lord mercifully does not always chide (chasten) us for our sin.
      B.  Our Lord mercifully does not eternally (for ever) retain His anger against our sin.
      C.  Our Lord mercifully does not justifiably deal with us according to the full guilt of our sin.

III.  The Comparatives concerning Our Lord’s Reviving Mercy

      Psalm 103:11-14 – “For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear
      him.  As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.  Like as a father
      pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.  For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that
      we are dust.”

      A.  Our Lord’s mercy toward them that fear Him (through broken-hearted repentance) is as great as the 
           height of heaven is above the earth.
      B.  Our Lord’s mercy to remove our transgressions from us (through forgiveness and cleansing) removes 
           them as far as the east is from the west.
      C.  Our Lord’s mercy to pity them that fear Him (through loving restoration) is like as a loving father pities his 
           own dear children.

IV.  The Contrast with Our Lord’s Reviving Mercy

      Psalm 103:15-18 – “As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.  For the wind
      passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.  But the mercy of the LORD is
      from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children; to
      such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.”

      A.  Our personal existence is fleeting and without permanence.
      B.  Our Lord’s mercy is from everlasting past unto everlasting future.
      C.  Our Lord’s faithfulness continues from generation to generation.

 V.  The Candidates for Our Lord’s Reviving Mercy

      Psalm 103:11 – “For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.”

      Psalm 103:13 – “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.”

      Psalm 103:17-18 – “But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him,
      and his righteousness unto children’s children; to such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his
      commandments to do them.”

      A.  Our Lord’s reviving mercy is poured out on those who fear his chastening to repent of sin humbly.
           (See Proverbs 28:13-14)
      B.  Our Lord’s reviving mercy is poured out on those who keep his covenant to serve Him only.
      C.  Our Lord’s reviving mercy is poured out on those who remember His commandments to do them faithfully.

Posted in Outlines in Psalms, Grace and Mercy of God, Anger of the Lord, Judgment of Our Lord, Forgiveness of Sin, Spiritual Revival, Lovingkindness of the Lord, Faithfulness of Our Lord, Fear of the Lord, Repentance of Sin

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