Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts; let them proclaim your power. I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor and your wonderful miracles. Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue; I will proclaim your greatness. Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness; they will sing with joy about your righteousness. The Lord is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. The Lord is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all his creation. – Psalm 145:4-9 (NLT)
Today we’re focusing on praising God for His goodness. Verse 7 tells us God’s goodness is so great that generation after generation will tell the story of it and sing about it. That is true today, isn’t it? Thousands of years after this Psalm was penned, we’re still in awe of God’s goodness!
Let’s take a closer look at three characteristics of God mentioned in verses 8-9 that comprise His goodness:
His mercy
God’s attitude towards the guilty (sinners like us!) is that of great mercy (some translations say “graciousness” instead. He offers pardon to all who repent. Even though we don’t deserve His great mercy, He offers it freely. The Treasury of David commentary says:
His “works of mercy out-shine all His other words, and declare Him more than any of them. In nothing will the glory of God be for ever so illustrious as in the vessels of mercy ordained to glory.”
In other words, God’s mercy is His greatest and most glorious attribute. It is His biggest achievement and the thing for which we should praise Him the most.
He is slow to anger.
God is the most patient being there ever was and ever will be. After all, He is the ultimate manifestation of Love (1 John 4:8), and Love is always patient (1 Corinthians 13:4). He desires that everyone should repent (2 Peter 3:9, 1 Timothy 2:4) and is patient with those who have yet to do so.
His compassion on all his creation
Some translations of this verse say the Lord is “full” of compassion. He feels greatly for the weak the suffering. His compassion is infinite, deep and there is no room for forgetfulness or harshness in it. Though we may not feel like He is being compassionate to those who suffer, and we may not always be able to recognize it, this verse assures us He is.
Not only is God compassionate on humans, this verse appears to tell us He is compassionate towards everything He has created, “from the highest angel to the meanest worm…” (Matthew Henry Commentary).
Our challenge
Even in the midst of the anxiety, depression and impatience we may experience during infertility, this verse reminds us that there is always something for which we can praise God: His goodness. Let us keep that in the front of our minds as we walk this journey.
Image courtesy of Boss Fight. This post is linked up with several blog hops. You can see everywhere I link up here. I am greatly indebted to the Matthew Henry Commentary & The Treasury of David Commentary for helping me understand this passage.
Connect with me on {Facebook} | {Pinterest} | {Twitter}| {Instagram}