Psalm 103:8-13 - October 8, 2009

Ps 103:8-13 "The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. 9 He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; 10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. 13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him" NIV

Psalm 103:8-13 carries the essence of the cross and lays the theological foundation of forgiveness in very clear and simple terms. Verse 8 is such a rich beginning to this section, “the Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in love.” When you picture God do you picture a compassion and graciousness? You should. To many times messages have portrayed God as an angry Lord rather than a lover! Yet the word of God clearly states that he is slow to anger and rich in love! Our God is patient and willing to forgive, reaching out to us with a measure of love that is greater than the human mind can conceive.
For most of us our personal experiences have robbed us of an accurate understanding of the measure of God’s love and forgiveness. Verse 10 establishes a right view of God’s grace and should fill the heart of every believer with joy and hope “he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.” How comforting to know that we will not get what we deserve. John 3:16 portrays the great measure of God’s love as revealed through the cross as Christ became a ransom for our sins. We deserved wrath and received mercy instead. We deserved pain and He took it in our place.
Psalm 103:8-13 is all about the love of God. It seeks to depict the love of God in images that we can understand. “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him.” Do not accept the lie that questions and doubts the measure of God’s love for you. It is endless. It is eternal. God is looking for a heart of reverence to be formed within us. He is seeking to train us in the benefits of honoring Him and His ways. When a man grasps the wisdom and love of God it becomes so much easier to submit to His standards for our lives because we can rest knowing that they are motivated by love. God is not hovering over us reminding us of our failings. When He sees sin in the lives of those who fear Him He is not only quick to forgive but He removes our transgressions far from us. That is good news!
Verse 13 powerfully places God’s manner of forgiveness into a tender context as He declares through the scriptures “As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.” Do not accept any image of God in your mind that does not also include the image of God as a loving Father towards those who fear Him. Let your heart find hope in the knowledge that His love compels Him to forgive readily those who walk in a reverent fear rather than the sins of presumption and disregard for God. Remember the God of love who is slow to become angry and delights in pouring out the generous gift of His forgiveness towards the humble in heart.