Mercy is a concept integral to an understanding of God’s dealings with humankind. In English translations of the Bible, it comes to expression in phrases such as “to be merciful, ” “to have mercy on, ” or “to show mercy toward.” The corresponding term, “merciful, ” describes a quality of God and one that God requires of his people.The Old Testament. Mercy: A Part of God’s Nature. Although people have the capacity for showing mercy, especially toward those with whom they already have a special relationship ( 1 Kings 20:31 ; Isa 49:15 ; Jer 31:20 ; cf. 1 Macc 2:57), a lack of mercy is more natural to the human condition ( Prov 5:9 ; 12:10 ; Isa 13:18 ; 47:6 ; Jer 6:23 ; 50:42 ; cf. Wisd. of Sol. 12:5). Mercy is, however, a quality intrinsic to the nature of God. It is for this reason that in some situations “merciful” was a sufficient description of God ( Psalm 116:5 ; cf. Tobit 6:17). Sometimes it appears alongside other qualities as one expression of his nature that God’s children particularly observe and recount ( Exod 34:6 ; Deut 4:31 ; 2 Chron 30:9 ; Psalm 86:15 ; Dan 9:9 ; Jonah 4:2 ). The experience of God’s people is that God’s mercy, unlike human mercy, cannot be exhausted ( 2 Sam 24:14 ; Lam 3:22 ). Yet divine mercy is not blind or dumb; although God tolerated Israel’s rebellion with mercy for a very long time ( Nehemiah 9:17 Nehemiah 9:19 Nehemiah 9:31 ; Jer 3:12 ), ultimately ungodliness in Israel was met by a withdrawal of God’s mercy, leading to judgment ( Lamentations 2:2 Lamentations 2:21 ; Zech 1:12 ). But even in judgment and discipline God’s mercy can be seen and hoped for ( 2 Sam 24:14 ; Psalm 57:1 ; Isa 55:7 ; 60:10 ; Jer 31:20 ; Hab 3:2 ; cf. Tobit 6:17), for it is part of the basic disposition of love toward his people, and it directs his actions ultimately in ways that benefit his people.
1 Kings 20:31
31 His officials said to him, “Look, we have heard that the kings of Israel are merciful. Let us go to the king of Israel with sackcloth around our waists and ropes around our heads. Perhaps he will spare your life.”
Isaiah 49:15
15 “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!
Jeremiah 31:20
20 Is not Ephraim my dear son, the child in whom I delight? Though I often speak against him, I still remember him. Therefore my heart yearns for him; I have great compassion for him,” declares the LORD.
Proverbs 5:9
9 lest you lose your honor to others and your dignity to one who is cruel,
Proverbs 12:10
10 The righteous care for the needs of their animals, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.
Isaiah 13:18
18 Their bows will strike down the young men; they will have no mercy on infants, nor will they look with compassion on children.
Isaiah 47:6
6 I was angry with my people and desecrated my inheritance; I gave them into your hand, and you showed them no mercy. Even on the aged you laid a very heavy yoke.
Jeremiah 6:23
23 They are armed with bow and spear; they are cruel and show no mercy. They sound like the roaring sea as they ride on their horses; they come like men in battle formation to attack you, Daughter Zion.”
Jeremiah 50:42
42 They are armed with bows and spears; they are cruel and without mercy. They sound like the roaring sea as they ride on their horses; they come like men in battle formation to attack you, Daughter Babylon.
Psalm 116:5
5 The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.
Exodus 34:6
- And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness,
Deuteronomy 4:31
31 For the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your ancestors, which he confirmed to them by oath.
2 Chronicles 30:9
9 If you return to the LORD, then your fellow Israelites and your children will be shown compassion by their captors and will return to this land, for the LORD your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn his face from you if you return to him.”
Psalm 86:15
15 But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
Daniel 9:9
9 The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him;
Jonah 4:2
2 He prayed to the LORD, “Isn’t this what I said, LORD, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.
2 Samuel 24:14
14 David said to Gad, “I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the LORD, for his mercy is great; but do not let me fall into human hands.”
Lamentations 3:22
22 Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.
Nehemiah 9:17
17 They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed among them. They became stiff-necked and in their rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery. But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore you did not desert them,
Nehemiah 9:19
1 Kings 20:31
31 His officials said to him, “Look, we have heard that the kings of Israel are merciful. Let us go to the king of Israel with sackcloth around our waists and ropes around our heads. Perhaps he will spare your life.”
Isaiah 49:15
15 “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!
Jeremiah 31:20
20 Is not Ephraim my dear son, the child in whom I delight? Though I often speak against him, I still remember him. Therefore my heart yearns for him; I have great compassion for him,” declares the LORD.
Proverbs 5:9
9 lest you lose your honor to others and your dignity to one who is cruel,
Proverbs 12:10
10 The righteous care for the needs of their animals, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.
Isaiah 13:18
18 Their bows will strike down the young men; they will have no mercy on infants, nor will they look with compassion on children.
Isaiah 47:6
6 I was angry with my people and desecrated my inheritance; I gave them into your hand, and you showed them no mercy. Even on the aged you laid a very heavy yoke.
Jeremiah 6:23
23 They are armed with bow and spear; they are cruel and show no mercy. They sound like the roaring sea as they ride on their horses; they come like men in battle formation to attack you, Daughter Zion.”
Jeremiah 50:42
42 They are armed with bows and spears; they are cruel and without mercy. They sound like the roaring sea as they ride on their horses; they come like men in battle formation to attack you, Daughter Babylon.
Psalm 116:5
5 The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.
Exodus 34:6
- And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness,
Deuteronomy 4:31
31 For the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your ancestors, which he confirmed to them by oath.
2 Chronicles 30:9
9 If you return to the LORD, then your fellow Israelites and your children will be shown compassion by their captors and will return to this land, for the LORD your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn his face from you if you return to him.”
Psalm 86:15
15 But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
Daniel 9:9
9 The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him;
Jonah 4:2
2 He prayed to the LORD, “Isn’t this what I said, LORD, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.
2 Samuel 24:14
14 David said to Gad, “I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the LORD, for his mercy is great; but do not let me fall into human hands.”
Lamentations 3:22
22 Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.
Nehemiah 9:17
17 They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed among them. They became stiff-necked and in their rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery. But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore you did not desert them,
Nehemiah 9:19
- Because of your great compassion you did not abandon them in the wilderness. By day the pillar of cloud did not fail to guide them on their path, nor the pillar of fire by night to shine on the way they were to take.
Nehemiah 9:31
31 But in your great mercy you did not put an end to them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful God.
Lamentations 2:2
2 Without pity the Lord has swallowed up all the dwellings of Jacob; in his wrath he has torn down the strongholds of Daughter Judah. He has brought her kingdom and its princes down to the ground in dishonor.
Lamentations 2:21
21 “Young and old lie together in the dust of the streets; my young men and young women have fallen by the sword. You have slain them in the day of your anger; you have slaughtered them without pity.
Zechariah 1:12
12 Then the angel of the LORD said, “LORD Almighty, how long will you withhold mercy from Jerusalem and from the towns of Judah, which you have been angry with these seventy years?”
2 Samuel 24:14
14 David said to Gad, “I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the LORD, for his mercy is great; but do not let me fall into human hands.”
Psalm 57:1
- Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.
Isaiah 55:7
7 Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
Isaiah 60:10
10 “Foreigners will rebuild your walls, and their kings will serve you. Though in anger I struck you, in favor I will show you compassion.
Jeremiah 31:20
20 Is not Ephraim my dear son, the child in whom I delight? Though I often speak against him, I still remember him. Therefore my heart yearns for him; I have great compassion for him,” declares the LORD.
Habakkuk 3:2
2 LORD, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, LORD. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy.
closing prayer; Heavenly Father we pray that all people that read this understand your mercy and how important it is in their lives, and that it helps thier walk with you.
For those who wish to become a child of our heavenly Lord, or strengthen thier faith, please pray the following prayer below.
Dear Heavenly Father, I want to be a part of your family. You said in Your Word that if I acknowledge that You raised Jesus from the dead, and that I accept Him as my Lord and Savior, I would be saved. Thank you, Heavenly Father, for forgiving me, saving me, and giving me eternal life with You. Amen!”
By saying this prayer, we believe you are born again.
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