Mercy and Truth!

(Another post from the past! In our Jesus Discovery Group, we are currently discussing "Grace and Truth" [John 1:14-18]. "[Jesus] came from the Father, full of grace and truth." The OT equivalent is "Mercy and Truth", so I thought I'd share these blog posts which I posted in August 07.)

Okay, I'm coming to the definitions.

But firstly, I did a study through the Old Testament and found this pair together a number of times. So before I share the definitions I'll give you the Scripture passages I found. I pray God's Word will minister to your heart. (All the Scriptures are from the New King James Version.)

Oh, just one more thing....

... I do need to mention here, that "mercy" is often translated as "lovingkindness". So sometimes you will notice lovingkindness and truth.

Show me Your ways, O LORD;
Teach me Your paths.
Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
On You I wait all the day.
Remember, O LORD, Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses,
For they are from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions;
According to Your mercy remember me,
For Your goodness’ sake, O LORD.
(Psalm 25:4-7)

Good and upright is the LORD;
Therefore He teaches sinners in the way.
The humble He guides in justice,
And the humble He teaches His way.
All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth,
To such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.
For Your name’s sake, O LORD,
Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.
(Psalm 25:8-11)

I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart;
I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation;
I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth
From the great assembly.
Do not withhold Your tender mercies from me, O LORD;
Let Your lovingkindness and Your truth continually preserve me.
(Psalm 40:10-11)

Have mercy upon me, O God,
According to Your lovingkindness;
According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,
Blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin.
For I acknowledge my transgressions,
And my sin is always before me.
Against You, You only, have I sinned,
And done this evil in Your sight—
That You may be found just when You speak,
And blameless when You judge.
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts,
And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.
(Psalm 51:1-6 - It's only through truth that we can receive mercy.)

I will cry out to God Most High,
To God who performs all things for me.
He shall send from heaven and save me;
He reproaches the one who would swallow me up. Selah
God shall send forth His mercy and His truth.
(Psalm 57:2-3)

Show us Your mercy, LORD,
And grant us Your salvation.
I will hear what God the LORD will speak,
For He will speak peace
To His people and to His saints;
But let them not turn back to folly.
Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him,
That glory may dwell in our land.
Mercy and truth have met together;
Righteousness and peace have kissed.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
And righteousness shall look down from heaven.
Yes, the LORD will give what is good;
And our land will yield its increase.
Righteousness will go before Him,
And shall make His footsteps our pathway.
(Psalm 85:7-13)

Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us,
But to Your name give glory,
Because of Your mercy,
Because of Your truth.
Why should the Gentiles say,
“So where is their God?”
(Psalm 115:1-2)

Praise the LORD, all you Gentiles!
Laud Him, all you peoples!
For His merciful kindness is great toward us,
And the truth of the LORD endures forever.
Praise the LORD!
(Psalm 117:1-2)

Let Your mercies come also to me, O LORD—
Your salvation according to Your word.
So shall I have an answer for him who reproaches me,
For I trust in Your word.
And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,
For I have hoped in Your ordinances.
So shall I keep Your law continually,
Forever and ever.
And I will walk at liberty,
For I seek Your precepts.
I will speak of Your testimonies also before kings,
And will not be ashamed.
And I will delight myself in Your commandments,
Which I love.
My hands also I will lift up to Your commandments,
Which I love,
And I will meditate on Your statutes.
(Psalm 119:41-48)

Who is a God like You,
Pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage?
He does not retain His anger forever,
Because He delights in mercy.
He will again have compassion on us,
And will subdue our iniquities.
You will cast all our sins
Into the depths of the sea.
You will give truth to Jacob and mercy to Abraham,
Which You have sworn to our fathers from days of old.
(Micah 7:18-20)

Do they not go astray who devise evil? But mercy and truth belong to those who devise good. (Proverbs 14:22)

In mercy and truth atonement is provided for iniquity; and by the fear of the LORD one departs from evil. (Proverbs 16:6)

Mercy and truth preserve the king, and by lovingkindness he upholds his throne. (Proverbs 20:28)