Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 145:8
The LORD [is] gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.
8. Taken almost verbatim from Exo 34:6, Jehovah’s great revelation of Himself as a God of condescending grace and infinite compassion, Whose Will is love, and Whose wrath is only manifested in the last resort against the hardened and impenitent. Cp. Psa 103:8; Psa 86:15; Joe 2:13; Jon 4:2; Neh 9:17; Neh 9:31.
of great mercy ] Lit. great in lovingkindness.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The Lord is gracious – See Psa 86:5, note; Psa 86:15, note.
And full of compassion – Kind; compassionate; ready to do good. See the notes at Psa 103:8.
Slow to anger – See Psa 103:8, where the same expression occurs.
And of great mercy – Margin, great in mercy. His greatness is shown in his mercy; and the manifestation of that mercy is great: great, as on a large scale; great, as manifested toward great sinners; great, in the sacrifice made that it may be displayed; great, in the completeness with which sin is pardoned – pardoned so as to be remembered no more.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 145:8
Slow to anger, and of great mercy.
Sin a provocation and a misery
I. The provocative power of sin. God is susceptible of provocation.
1. He is not cold intellect.
2. He is not indifferent to moral conduct.
3. His nature revolts at sin.
4. However great His displeasure, He controls it.
II. The misery-producing power of sin. It has turned our Eden into a vale of tears. (David Thomas, D. D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 8. The Lord is gracious] His holy nature is ever disposed to show favour.
Full of compassion] Wherever he sees misery, his eye affects his heart.
Slow to anger] When there is even the greatest provocation.
Of great mercy.] Great in his abundant mercy. These four things give us a wonderful display of the goodness of the Divine nature.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
8, 9. (Compare Psa 103:8;Psa 111:4).
over all, &c.restson all His works.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The Lord [is] gracious,…. These are the epithets of our Lord Jesus Christ, and may be truly and with great propriety said of him; he is “gracious”, kind, and good, in the instances before mentioned; he is full of grace, and readily distributes it; his words are words of grace; his Gospel, and the doctrines of it, are doctrines of grace; his works are works of grace, all flowing from his wondrous grace and mercy:
and full of compassion: or “merciful” d, in the most tender manner; hence he came into the world to save sinners, and in his pity redeemed them; and when on earth showed his compassion both to the bodies and souls of men, by healing the one and instructing the other; and particularly had compassion on the ignorant, and them that were out of the way; pitying those that were as sheep without a shepherd, as the blind Jews under their blind guides were; and is very compassionate to his people under all their temptations, afflictions, trials, and exercises; see Heb 2:17;
slow to anger; to the wicked Jews, though often provoked by their calumnies and reproaches, and by their ill behaviour to him in various instances; yet we never read but once of his being angry, and that was through grief at the hardness of their hearts, Mr 3:5; and likewise to his own disciples, who were often froward and perverse, and of bad spirits, very troublesome and afflictive to him, yet he patiently bore with them:
and of great mercy; a merciful High Priest, typified by the mercy seat, where we may find grace and mercy at all times; through whom God is merciful to sinners, and to whose mercy we are to look for eternal life.
d “misericors”, V. L. Tigurine version, Musculus, Piscator, Cocceius, Michaelis.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
This memorable utterance of Jahve concerning Himself the writer of Ps 103, which is of kindred import, also interweaves into his celebration of the revelation of divine love in Psa 145:8. Instead of the expression here, however, is ( Ker, as in Nah 1:3, cf. Psa 89:29, with Makkeph ). The real will of God tends towards favour, which gladly giving stoops to give ( ), and towards compassion, which interests itself on behalf of the sinner for his help and comfort ( ). Wrath is only the background of His nature, which He reluctantly and only after long waiting ( ) lets loose against those who spurn His great mercy. For His goodness embraces, as Psa 145:9 says, all; His tender mercies are over all His works, they hover over and encompass all His creatures. Therefore, too, all His works praise Him: they are all together loud-speaking witnesses of that sympathetic all-embracing love of His, which excludes no one who does not exclude himself; and His saints, who live in God’s love, bless Him ( written as in 1Ki 18:44): their mouth overflows with the declaration ( ) of the glory of the kingdom of this loving God, and in speaking ( ) of the sovereign power with which He maintains and extends this kingdom. This confession they make their employ, in order that the knowledge of the mighty acts of God and the glorious majesty of His kingdom may at length become the general possession of mankind. When the poet in Psa 145:12 sets forth the purpose of the proclamation, he drops the form of address. God’s kingdom is a kingdom of all aeons, and His dominion is manifested without exception and continually in all periods or generations ( as in Ps 45:18, Est 9:28, a pleonastic strengthening of the expression , Psa 90:1). It is the eternal circumference of the history of time, but at the same time its eternal substance, which more and more unfolds and achieves itself in the succession of the periods that mark its course. For that all things in heaven and on earth shall be gathered up together ( , Eph 1:10) in the all-embracing kingdom of God in His Christ, is the goal of all history, and therefore the substance of history which is working itself out. With Psa 145:13 (cf. Dan. 3:33, Dan 4:31, according to Hitzig the primary passages) another paragraph is brought to a close.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
8. Jehovah is gracious, etc. He opens up the goodness of which he spoke by using several expressions, as that God is inclined to mercy, (for such is the proper meaning of the word חנון, channun,) and that he helps us willingly, as one sympathizing with our miseries. It is to be noticed that David has borrowed the terms which he here applies to God from that celebrated passage in Exo 34:6; and as the inspired writers drew their doctrine from the fountain of the law, we need not wonder that they set a high value upon the vision which is there recorded, and in which as clear and satisfactory a description of the nature of God is given us as can anywhere be found. David, therefore, in giving us a brief statement of what it was most important we should know in reference to God, makes use of the same terms employed there. Indeed no small part of the grace of God is to be seen in his alluring us to himself by such attractive titles. Were he to bring his power prominently into view before us, we would be cast down by the terror of it rather than encouraged, as the Papists represent him a dreadful God, from whose presence all must fly, whereas the proper view of him is that which invites us to seek after him. Accordingly, the more nearly that a person feels himself drawn to God, the more has he advanced in the knowledge of him. If it be true that God is not only willing to befriend us, but is spoken of as touched with sympathy for our miseries, so as to be all the kinder to us the more that we are miserable, what folly were it not to fly to him without delay? But as we drive God’s goodness away from us by our sins, and block up the way of access, unless his goodness overcome this obstacle, it would be in vain that the Prophets spoke of his grace and mercy. (280) It was necessary, therefore, to add what follows, that great is his mercy, that he pardons sins, and bears with the wickedness of men, so as to show favor to the unworthy. As regards the ungodly, although God shows them his long-suffering patience, they are incapable of perceiving pardon, so that the doctrine on which we insist has a special application to believers only, who apprehend God’s goodness by a living faith. To the wicked it is said —
“
To what end is the day of the Lord for you? the day of the Lord is darkness and not light, affliction and not joy.” (Amo 5:18.)
We see in what severe terms Nahum threatens them at the very beginning of his prophecy. Having referred to the language used in the passage from Moses, he adds immediately, on the other hand, to prevent them being emboldened by it, that God is a rigid and severe, a terrible and an inexorable judge. (Nah 1:3.) They therefore who have provoked God to anger by their sins, must see to secure his favor by believing.
(280) “ Si la bonte de Dieu ne surmonte cest empeschement, c’est en vain que les Prophetes traitteroyent de sa grace et misericorde.” — Fr.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(8) Comp. Psa. 86:15; Psa. 103:8; Psa. 111:4.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
DISCOURSE: 742
THE GOODNESS OF GOD TO MAN
Psa 145:8-9. The Lord is gracious and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.
THE great mystery of the Gospel is that which ought chiefly to occupy the Christians mind. But it is well occasionally to contemplate the Deity in a more enlarged view, as a God of providence and grace. The Psalmist in particular abounded in such meditations, and found them exceeding sweet unto his soul. In the psalm before us his heart was greatly enlarged; and I pray that our hearts may be enlarged also, whilst we consider,
I.
The character of God, as here portrayed
Let us view it,
1.
Generally
[Look at the state of the world around us. See how all mankind are involved in guilt and misery! See how incapable they are of restoring their fallen nature in any respect to purity or peace! But God Almighty is gracious unto them, for his own great names sake: and is full of compassion towards them, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and live. Their rebellion against him is most daring and universal: yet does he endure them with much long-suffering, being slow to anger, and of great mercy. Were not this his character, another deluge would come and sweep away every living thing; or fire from heaven would descend, as on the cities of the plain, to consume us in an instant. But, instead of breaking forth in wrath to destroy us, he is daily loading the whole world with benefits. The most evil and unthankful of the human race are visited by him in mercy, and replenished by him with all things that are needful for them. Above all, he has given up his beloved Son, to die in the place and stead of his rebellious creatures, to expiate their guilt, and to make atonement for their sins. He has commanded his Gospel also to be preached to them, even to the very ends of the earth, and a free salvation to be offered to every child of man. In this respect he makes no difference between Jews or Gentiles: He is good to all without exception; and his tender mercies are over all his works.]
2.
In our own personal experience
[Where is there one amongst us who is not a living witness for God, in reference to these things? Who has had any claim upon him? Who has not, on the contrary, greatly offended him, and that times without number? Who cannot look back to some particular period of his life, when God might, if I may so speak, have cut him off with advantage, and made him a signal monument of his fiery indignation? And who, in the midst of all his rebellion, has not been loaded with benefits? Not only have we received temporal blessings in abundance, but spiritual blessings also; so far, at least, as we could be prevailed upon to receive them. We all have experienced the strivings of his good Spirit in our hearts and consciences: and if we would have listened to his voice, there is not one amongst us who should not have been guided into all truth, and been made a partaker of the salvation that is in Christ Jesus. He has waited to be gracious unto us; and at this very moment does he follow us with his overtures of mercy, saying, As I live, I have no pleasure in the death of a sinner, but rather that he should turn from his wickedness and live. Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways: for why will ye die, O House of Israel!]
From viewing the character of God, let us proceed to notice,
II.
The reflections naturally suggested by it
We cannot but see here,
1.
Our base ingratitude
[What might we justly expect to be the state of our minds towards such a God as this? Methinks, we might well be filled with wonder and amazement at his forbearance towards us, and be striving to answer all the purposes of his grace by turning towards him with our whole hearts. But how is it with us? We are, for the most part, altogether insensible of his mercy. We receive his benefits very nearly as they are received by the brute creation, without any distinct acknowledgment of him, or any heartfelt gratitude towards him. Scarcely of any mercy whatever are we sensible, but by the loss of it: when it is gone, we see what we have enjoyed: but, whilst we possess it, it makes very little impression on our minds. Even the great mercy of Salvation, that which fills all heaven with wonder, is scarcely contemplated by us at all. Perhaps in the whole of our lives, we never spent one hour in adoring him for the gift of his only dear Son, and in imploring mercy at his hands in the Saviours name! Say, Brethren, whether this have not been your sad experience? and whether it do not mark you as basebeyond expression or conception base?]
2.
Our awful desert
[Take only this view of your state, and then say what you deserve at the hands of a holy God. What would you think a fellow-creature would deserve at your hands, if he should deal thus with you? Suppose you had exerted yourselves all your days to make him happy, and that with unbounded beneficence and inconceivable self-denial; and suppose, that, notwithstanding this, he never testified any regard for you, never concerned himself about you, never sought to please you, never obeyed any of your commands, but trampled under foot your authority, and made use of all the favours which you heaped upon him, for no other end than to wound your feelings and cast dishonour upon your name: would you not say, You are unworthy of my compassion, and shall be an object of it no longer. I have been slow to anger against you, and of great mercy towards you; but my patience is now exhausted, and can find no more scope for exercise. The mercies you have so despised shall be now withdrawn, and you shall be left to eat the fruit of your own doings? If, then, you would think this an equitable retribution from one creature to another, judge what is due to yourselves from the hands of an offended God. You need not ever have committed one heinous sin to subject you to the wrath of God: this ingratitude alone will justify the infliction of his heaviest judgments on your souls.]
3.
The extreme folly of not turning unto God
[Is God so full of compassion towards you, so patient, so long-suffering, so abundant in mercy; and will you withstand him to the uttermost, till his patience is come to an end, and his mercy is clean gone for ever? Nay, will you make use of all Gods mercies for no better purpose than to aggravate your guilt, and to enhance your eternal condemnation? Think what reflections will press upon your mind in the eternal world, when your hope is perished, and you are lost without a remedy. How bitter will be the thought, that you thus wasted your day of grace, and constrained your God to swear in his wrath that you should never enter into his rest. Methinks the recollection of these things will be the bitterest ingredient in that bitter cup which you will have to drink of to all eternity. Can you conceive, that if such tidings as now sound in your ears were sent to the heirs of perdition that are shut up in hell, they would be so slighted as they are with you? No, verily: there would be in them, at least, a desire to escape from their torment, even though they did not affect the felicity of heaven, But neither the allurements of heaven nor the terrors of hell can move you. I pray you, Brethren, harden not your hearts any longer; but to-day, whilst it is called to-day, avail yourselves of Gods proffered mercy in Christ Jesus, and flee for refuge to the hope that he has set before you.]
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
Reader! do not fail to connect with the view of this verse, the first relation of it in the holy mount, Exo 34:5-7 . And do not fail also to connect with it the grand cause. What is the Lord’s goodness, mercy, and compassion to poor fallen sinners, but Christ and his salvation? In Jesus hath not Jehovah proclaimed his name, and made all his goodness pass before us? Exo 33:13 , to the end. Num 14:17-18 ; Psa 103:8-9Psa 103:8-9 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 145:8 The LORD [is] gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.
Ver. 8. The Lord is gracious, &c. ] See Psa 86:5 ; Psa 86:15 ; Psa 103:8 .
Slow to anger, and of great mercy
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Psa 145:8-13
8The Lord is gracious and merciful;
Slow to anger and great in lovingkindness.
9The Lord is good to all,
And His mercies are over all His works.
10All Your works shall give thanks to You, O Lord,
And Your godly ones shall bless You.
11They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom
And talk of Your power;
12To make known to the sons of men Your mighty acts
And the glory of the majesty of Your kingdom.
13Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.
Psa 145:8 The Lord is gracious and merciful;
Slow to anger and great in lovingkindness This is a direct quote from Exo 34:6-7 and is repeated in Psa 103:8. It not only gives us the characteristics of God’s nature, but again shows one of His mighty acts in history initiated by grace, not by human merit (i.e., the Exodus). See SPECIAL TOPIC: CHARACTERISTICS OF ISRAEL’S GOD .
Psa 145:9 The Lord is good to all,
And His mercies are over all His works God has an everlasting love for humans created in His image (cf. Gen 1:26-27; Gen 3:8). See Special Topic: YHWH’s Eternal Redemptive Plan.
Psa 145:10 All Your works shall give thanks to You, O Lord Compare this with Psa 103:19-22.
NASBgodly ones
NKJV, PESHITTAsaints
NRSV, NJBfaithful
TEVpeople
JPSOAfaithful ones
REBloyal servants
LXXdevout
This Hebrew adjective (BDB 339) is based on the root (hesed, BDB 338, see Special Topic: Lovingkindness [hesed] ). It is predominately used for faithful covenant followers (cf. 1Sa 2:9; Psa 4:3; Psa 12:1; Psa 30:4; Psa 31:24; Psa 37:28; Psa 50:5; Psa 79:2; Psa 85:8; Psa 86:2; Psa 89:19; Psa 97:10; Psa 116:15; Psa 145:10; Psa 148:14; Psa 149:9), but could also refer to
1. priests – Deu 33:8; 2Ch 6:4; Psa 132:16
2. the Messiah – Psa 16:10
3. angels of the heavenly council – Psa 29:1; Psa 103:19-22; Psa 148:2; and this strophe
Psa 145:11-12 These verses can refer to
1. angelic praise – see #3 in Psa 145:10
2. faithful followers’ task of making YHWH known to all humans (i.e., sons of men)
It is hard to decide which is to be preferred. Number 1 represents all creation glorifying its Creator (cf. Psa 103:19-22; Psa 148:2) and number 2 is the purpose of the call of Abraham (see Special Topic: YHWH’s Eternal Redemptive Plan ).
Psa 145:13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom This concept of an eternal kingdom is found in Psa 10:16; Psa 29:10; Isa 9:6-7; Dan 2:44; Dan 4:3; Dan 4:34; Dan 6:26; Dan 7:14; Dan 7:26; 2Pe 1:11. See Special Topic: The Kingdom of God .
deed This is where most modern translations insert the missing nun phrase from the LXX, Peshitta and Vulgate, and one Hebrew manuscript of the Dead Sea Scrolls (i.e., 11QPsa), God is faithful in all His words and gracious in all His deeds. This is very similar to Psa 145:17.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
gracious, &c. Compare Exo 34:6, Exo 34:7.
of great mercy = great in lovingkindness, or grace.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Psa 145:8-14
Psa 145:8-14
GOD’S SPECIAL BLESSINGS OF HIS OWN PEOPLE REGARDING THE KINGDOM OF GOD
“Jehovah is gracious, and merciful;
Slow to anger, and of great lovingkindness.
Jehovah is good to all;
And his tender mercies are over all his works.
All thy works shall give thanks unto thee, O Jehovah;
And thy saints shall bless thee.
They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom,
And talk of thy power;
To make known unto the sons of men his mighty acts,
And the glory of the majesty of his kingdom.
Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.
Jehovah upholdeth all that fall,
And raiseth up all those that are bowed down.”
“Thy saints … thy kingdom … his kingdom … thy kingdom … everlasting kingdom … and … dominion” (Psa 145:10-13). These show that the emphasis in this stanza is upon the kingdom of God. During the long and trying inter-testamental period in which Israel had no king, no prince, and no “kingdom,” there were many devout souls who “waited for the kingdom of God.” What an electric shock it must have been when John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judaea, preaching, and saying, “Repent ye, for the kingdom of God is at hand”!
Was it really true? Of course. Christ came into the world for the purpose of establishing the kingdom of God; and no one who knows the New Testament can doubt that he did so. The apostles assured the Christians of the New Testament age that they had indeed been “Translated out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of the Son of God’s love” (Col 1:13). What a pitiful shame it is that our radio and TV programs are loaded with prime-time preachers proclaiming that the kingdom has NOT yet been established!
“Jehovah is gracious, merciful, slow to anger, etc” (Psa 145:8). Other Old Testament passages setting forth the attributes of God are Exo 34:6-7 and Jon 4:2.
“All thy works shall give thanks unto thee, O Jehovah” (Psa 145:10). Reginald Heber, in his immortal hymn, “Holy, Holy, Holy,” honors this line in the last verse.
“Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty!
All thy works shall praise thy name,
In earth and sky and sea.
“Thy saints shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom … and make known to the sons of men God’s mighty acts” (Psa 145:11-12). This sets forth the primary duty of God’s saints, to spread far and near to the fullest extent of their ability the knowledge of God and the salvation he has provided for all men through the Atoning death of His Beloved Son.
“Jehovah upholdeth all that fall” (Psa 145:14). God recognizes that mortal men are prone to stumble and fall, and he is ever ready to support the feeble, strengthen the fainting, sustain the struggling, and lift up the fallen. One of the strongest lessons of the whole Psalter is simply this “No matter what the situation is, take it to the Lord in prayer.”
E.M. Zerr:
Psa 145:8. Compassion denotes the feeling of God for humanity, and graciousness his treatment of them because of it. Slow to anger is one of the marks or indications of this gracious treatment of human beings.
Psa 145:9. Good to all does not mean that God makes no distinction between the righteous and the wicked, for he does. But there are certain natural blessings that are created for human beings regardless of their personal character. As an instance of this fact we might consider the case of rain and sunshine in Mat 5:45.
Psa 145:10. This verse is a companion to Psa 19:1. The saints bless God by acknowledging Him as the maker of these great things of the universe which are real blessings, because they meet the needs of human creatures.
Psa 145:11. The praise for God does not stop with the works of creation. The people of God will talk of the power or authority of the kingdom that pertains to the spiritual interests of mankind, and the divine wisdom portrayed therein.
Psa 145:12. Unselfish citizens of the Lord’s institutions will not be content to enjoy its benefits alone. Their joy will prompt them to tell others the glad story.
Psa 145:13. Kingdom is a very general word and may refer to the rule of God among men in all ages. It evidently has that force in this verse. The specific kingdom or dispensation in which David lived was intended to be discontinued at a certain event (the coming of Christ). But in all ages of the world the God of Heaven was destined to have a rule among men which would continue as long as man was on the earth.
Psa 145:14. The good things declared here must be understood in the light of the conditions on which they have been promised. Those who are bowed down and fallen will be helped up if they will reach up and take the hand of the Lord stretched out to them.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Lord is gracious: Psa 86:5, Psa 86:15, Psa 100:5, Psa 103:8, Psa 116:5, Exo 34:6, Exo 34:7, Num 14:18, Dan 9:9, Jon 4:2, Mic 7:18-20, Rom 5:20, Rom 5:21, Eph 1:6, Eph 1:8, Eph 2:4
of great mercy: Heb. great in mercy
Reciprocal: Num 21:8 – General Deu 4:31 – the Lord 2Ch 30:9 – the Lord Neh 9:17 – gracious Neh 9:31 – gracious Psa 36:7 – How Psa 111:4 – full Psa 135:3 – for the Lord Jer 3:12 – for I am Jer 9:24 – lovingkindness Jon 4:11 – and also Nah 1:3 – slow Mat 18:27 – moved Mat 20:34 – Jesus Mar 8:2 – compassion Mar 10:49 – stood Jam 5:11 – the Lord is
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 145:8-13. The Lord is gracious, &c. See notes on Exo 34:6-7; and Num 14:18. The Lord is good to all Not only to Israel, but to all mankind, whose hearts he fills with food and gladness, as is said Act 14:17; yea, to all his creatures, to beasts as well as men. All thy works praise thee They give men and angels just occasion to praise thee; for they set forth thy glory, and manifest thy infinite perfections. And thy saints bless thee Give thanks for thy goodness with grateful hearts. Gods other works praise him, as a beautiful building commends the builder, or a well-drawn picture the painter; but the saints bless him as the children of prudent, tender parents rise up and call them blessed. Of all Gods works, his saints, the first-fruits of his creatures, have most reason to bless him. They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom Of which they are loyal subjects, and the blessings and glories of which they make it their business to publish to the world, that mankind may be thereby induced to submit their hearts and lives to so gracious a sceptre as that of the Messiah, and that his dominion may become as universal in its extent as it is everlasting in its duration.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
145:8 The LORD [is] gracious, and full of {e} compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.
(e) He describes after what sort God shows himself to all his creatures though our sins have provoked his vengeance against all: that is, merciful not only in pardoning the sins of his elect, but in doing good even to the reprobate, although they cannot feel the sweet comfort of the same.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
2. God’s mercy and grace 145:8-10
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
These verses are a classic expression of praise for God’s character. David moved from considering the greatness of God’s acts to reflecting on His motivating attitudes.The same statement in Hebrew occurs in six other places in the Old Testament (Exo 34:6; Neh 9:17; Psa 86:15; Psa 103:8; Joe 2:13; Jon 4:2). God’s grace is His favor and divine enablement that He gives to those who do not deserve it. His mercy is the forbearance He demonstrates to those who deserve His wrath. He is patient with those who arouse His anger with their sinning. His loyal love is amazingly strong and long-lasting. He is good to everyone, even sending rain and many other blessings on the unjust as well as the just.