PSALMS OF THE HEART 4

 

Mercy's Embrace by Annie Henrie Nader

Book Four (Psalms 90-106): Shifts focus to God’s eternal reign and comfort during hard times.

For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations (100:5)

The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy (103:8)

For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him (103:11)

But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him…(103:17)

I have noticed that the scriptures focus a lot on Christ’s greatest attribute, that of mercy. I have also noticed that the medium the prophets have used for this is the tradition of ‘remembering’. Even Psalms bring this to light. They remind Israel to remember the Abrahamic covenant (105:9; 42) and their deliverance from Egypt’s captivity (106:7,21).

God’s admonition to ancient Israel to remember their deliverance from ‘the house of bondage’ was so engrained in them that they took it to the new promised land in ancient America. Some notable references to this important part of their history in the Book of Mormon are: 1 Nephi 4:2,3; 17:23-42; Mosiah 7:19; Alma 36:28-29.  Remembering became a legacy amongst God’s people. King Benjamin spoke of ‘remembering’ 15 times in his farewell speech to motivate his people to obedience to God (Mosiah 1:3,4,6,7,17; 2:40 twice, 41 twice; 4:11,28,30; 5:11,12; 6:3).

Remembering God’s mercy in our lives brings us to accept His most notable role, that of being an Advocate before the judgment bar of God: “…for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.” (98:9)

When we come before that judgment bar, we will need mercy more than ever before. This mercy will be offered only to the penitent and is not to be used as excuse for our lack of repentance, as a lot of people tend to do (see Alma 42:24,25; Ether 12:24; D&C 38:14; 50:16; 101:9)

I used to think, through my study of the scriptures, that the Saviour was overly merciful, especially to the House of Israel which He called the ‘backsliding’ ‘rebellious house’ (see Jeremiah 3:6,8,11,12,14,22; Ezekiel 12:2,3,9,25). Then one year I had a great insight into the Saviour’s mercy. I realised He could have never endured the cross if it wasn’t for his abundant mercy towards those lesser than Him. It was that mercy in Him that drove Him through the last leg of His suffering journey.

“I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever……” (89:1)

Will You come and carry me

When all my strength is gone?

Will Your mercy spill from You

When I can walk no more?

 

Will Your mercy lift me higher

To glimpse my eternal home?

Will I see my soul there

Before Your gilded throne?

 

When the sum of my life is done

Will You bring me home to keep?

I’ll want to kneel and honour You

Before Your Mercy Seat.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN