Gracious and merciful, is He
4 He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered;
The LORD is gracious and merciful.
(Psalm 111:4, ESV)
The LORD, the LORD, is the Holy One of Israel. He has made Himself known by His works; His mighty works have revealed Him.
The works of the LORD are not silent concerning His heart's gracious disposition toward, kind inclination to, and loving condescension for His people—a people who once were not His people—the chosen sons and daughters of Abraham by faith. These are the offspring of the promise made to Abraham and his Seed, drawn from every tribe, tongue, and nation, creating in Christ one new man, indwelt by one Spirit, united as one with the Son and the Father, to the glory and worship of God, Who is One.
In the years of yore, when the LORD made all His goodness pass before him, the LORD proclaimed His Name before Moses:
“‘I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious,
and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.’”
(Exodus 33:19, ESV)
His works of majesty and splendor revealed His unmerited, steadfast love toward the physical sons of Jacob. But His face they could not see, for man, without the covering of God, shall not see Him and live. (Exodus 33:20, ESV)
And yet, the better wine—the much better outpouring of His heart—was still yet to come.
Until Christ.
Christ has taken the cup;
it did not pass from Him.
He has drunk the sour wine of God’s wrath
down to its last dreg,
wrath poured full strength into Him,
the cursed vessel of His anger.
The best wine—the precious blood of the Lamb—now flows for me and my kinsmen, the Redeemed.
The Bridegroom saved the best wine for last,
to the delight of the LORD, the Master of the feast!
(John 2:6-10, ESV)
I look upon the Cross, and I look upon the Son, and I have been revived, cleansed, forgiven, and healed by perfect majesty, the highest splendor, the greatest grace, and the costliest mercy.
Covered by His precious blood, I now look upon the full and immediate Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of the Son, Jesus Christ.
By grace through faith, I can see Him and truly live.
By majestic grace and splendorous mercy, the Light of Christ now shines out of my heart to proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord. (2 Corinthians 4:5-6, ESV)
The greatest works of God have now come, and His disposition toward us, His offspring of promise, is revealed perfectly through them. They reveal deeply costly love.
The LORD so loved all His redeemed, and the harmonious, sacred order He created for us to abide with Him and each other, that He sent His only begotten Son to live a life of pure and holy Light, die our criminal’s death, rise from death’s grave on the third day, triumphantly ascend on a cloud through Heaven’s ancient gates as the King of glory, present Himself worthy before the Ancient of Days and the hosts of His heavenly court, and take His throne to reign now and forevermore over all creation, seen and unseen.
As we look upon the Cross, the LORD causes His wondrous works to be remembered, and we remember gracious and merciful, is He.
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits,
3 who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy
(Psalm 103:2-4, ESV)
