GOD’S LOVING KINDNESS
Text: Ps. 103
Intro:
1. In the great fish story of the Bible, Jonah gets angry with God when he doesn’t punish the people of Nineveh
2. He has a most interesting prayer which very clearly highlights the content and condition of his heart:
“O Lord, is this not what I said when I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to flee 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.” Jonah 4:3
3. He voices what had been known by the Israelites since the days and ministry of Moses:
“Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord. 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, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.” Ex. 34:6-7a
4. This is the basis for Psa. 103
I. HE GIVES ME PEACE VV. 1-5
A. This first section is personal, first person
1. He forgives all my sin
2. he heals all my diseases
3. he redeems my life from the pit/death
4. he crowns me with tender love and mercy
5. he restores my vigor/passion---strength of eagles
B. Relationship with God is God given and God restored
C. It is a relationship of peace---tranquility of the soul
1. no worry about sin---God deals with it
2. sickness and death—I’m not anxious, God deals with it
3. He gives me what I need to sustain me, filling my life with
good things.
II. HE IS FAITHFUL TO HIS COVENANT V. 6-18
A. v. 6 He gives righteousness and justice to all who are treated
unfairly
1. he acts rightly toward those who are treated unfairly
2. Ex. 3:7-8 “I have seen the misery, I have heard the cries, I
am concerned about their suffering…I have come down to
rescue them…
B. He revealed his ways (character NLT) to Moses and his deeds to
the people of Israel.
1. Ex. 34:6 “the Lord, the Lord…compassionate, gracious, slow
to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love
to thousands, forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin, yet, I do
not leave the sinner unpunished.”
2. Deut. Chs. 1-6 retells the story of deliverance from Egypt, a
key theme throughout Israel’s history, reminding them of who
and what they were to God
C. The psalmist now details God’s ways/character:
1. He doesn’t constantly accuse, rebuke---look for wrong
2. he doesn’t remain angry forever---no grudges
3. he doesn’t deal with us as our sins deserve, or repay
us/reward us according to our iniquities---merciful, not
immediate justice.
4. v. 11-12 his mercy is infinite---as high as…. As far as…
He has removed our transgression.
5. The Lord is compassionate, just like a father to his children
6. He remembers how we are formed—we are frail dust
7. Man & his glory is fleeting, temporal, But God’s loving-
kindness is from everlasting to everlasting-----TO THOSE WHO
FEAR HIM
8. His righteousness extends to the 3rd generation of those who
fear him, to those who keep his covenant, and remember his
precepts to do them
D. God promises faithfulness---He makes a covenant and keeps it
III. HE IS SOVEREIGN AND IS TO BE PRAISED vv. 19-22
A. God’s throne is in heaven, He rules in his kingdom over all
B. God’s heavenly host are called upon to worship and praise God
C. He shares His glory, authority and sovereignty with no one.
IV. SOME THINGS TO PONDER
A. inner peace and how we attain it
B. covenant loyalty
1. God is faithful to his promises
2. He does what he has promised to do regardless of the
response of the other party in the relationship
3. Thus, he is a model for us---whatever goes on around us does
not dictate how we respond, we can still do what is right, we
can still keep our word, in doing this we reflect the
righteousness of God
C. It is in His faithfulness I draw strength and hope and am thus drawn to Him.
1. wouldn’t the same be true for us?
2. as we act like God, true and faithful regardless of what is done
to us, regardless of how anyone responds to us aren’t we
affording others not only a glimpse of God, but opening up the
possibility that they too can have what we have?
3. Aren’t we providing for others what God provides for us and
thus opens up the future hope?
Concl.
1. We serve a faithful God.
2. We draw on that faithfulness, we rest in its goodness, its hope and security
3. We praise him by not only voicing praise, but by reflecting his character.
