5 The Lord is full of grace and righteousness; truly, he is a God of mercy.
And the Lord went past before his eyes, saying, The Lord, the Lord, a God full of pity and grace, slow to wrath and great in mercy and faith; Having mercy on thousands, overlooking evil and wrongdoing and sin; he will not let wrongdoers go free, but will send punishment on children for the sins of their fathers, and on their children's children to the third and fourth generation.
But when the mercy of God our Saviour, and his love to man was seen, Not by works of righteousness which we did ourselves, but in the measure of his mercy, he gave us salvation, through the washing of the new birth and the giving of new life in the Holy Spirit, Which he gave us freely through Jesus Christ our Saviour; So that, having been given righteousness through grace, we might have a part in the heritage, the hope of eternal life.
And the law came in addition, to make wrongdoing worse; but where there was much sin, there was much more grace: That, as sin had power in death, so grace might have power through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Whom God has put forward as the sign of his mercy, through faith, by his blood, to make clear his righteousness when, in his pity, God let the sins of earlier times go without punishment; And to make clear his righteousness now, so that he might himself be upright, and give righteousness to him who has faith in Jesus.
One generation after another will give praise to your great acts, and make clear the operation of your strength. My thoughts will be of the honour and glory of your rule, and of the wonder of your works. Men will be talking of the power and fear of your acts; I will give word of your glory. Their sayings will be full of the memory of all your mercy, and they will make songs of your righteousness. The Lord is full of grace and pity; not quickly angry, but great in mercy.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 116
Commentary on Psalms 116 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 116
Ps 116:1-19. The writer celebrates the deliverance from extreme perils by which he was favored, and pledges grateful and pious public acknowledgments.
1, 2. A truly grateful love will be evinced by acts of worship, which calling on God expresses (Ps 116:13; Ps 55:16; 86:7; compare Ps 17:6; 31:2).
3, 4. For similar figures for distress see Ps 18:4, 5.
gat hold upon me—Another sense ("found") of the same word follows, as we speak of disease finding us, and of our finding or catching disease.
5-8. The relief which he asked is the result not of his merit, but of God's known pity and tenderness, which is acknowledged in assuring himself (his "soul," Ps 11:1; 16:10) of rest and peace. All calamities [Ps 116:8] are represented by death, tears, and falling of the feet (Ps 56:13).
9. walk before the Lord—act, or live under His favor and guidance (Ge 17:1; Ps 61:7).
land of the living—(Ps 27:13).
10, 11. Confidence in God opposed to distrust of men, as not reliable (Ps 68:8, 9). He speaks from an experience of the result of his faith.
11. in my haste—literally, "terror," or "agitation," produced by his affliction (compare Ps 31:22).
12-14. These are modes of expressing acts of worship (compare Ps 116:4; Ps 50:14; Jon 2:9).
13. the cup of salvation—the drink offering which was part of the thank offering (Nu 15:3-5).
14. now—(compare Ps 115:2). "Oh, that (I may do it)" in the presence, &c.
15, 16. By the plea of being a homeborn servant, he intimates his claim on God's covenant love to His people.
17-19. An ampler declaration of his purpose, designating the place, the Lord's house, or earthly residence in Jerusalem.