Meditation on the Text of the Week

Streams of Mercy, Never Ceasing

But the lovingkindness of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children's children, to those who keep His covenant and who remember His precepts to do them.
Psalm 103: 17-18

Psalm 103 is one of the best loved Psalms amongst the faithful. It speaks of the mercies of God, the forgiveness of sins, His redemption of His people, and His pardon. It speaks of all of these in such exuberant terms. It declares that these wonderful blessings from God's hand are not rare, scarce or niggardly, but abundant, full, rich and overwhelming. God does not bestow His mercy or His favour as one might add a smidgin of spice to a meal. He pours it out in a profusion that overwhelms and astounds.

We are told that as high as the heavens are above the earth, so vast is His lovingkindness towards those who fear Him. As far removed as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our sins from us. His compassion is such that He always keeps in mind that we are as weak children, like ephemeral dust. He never forgets nor grows impatient with the frailty of our human condition. (Psalm 103: 12—14)

The profuse abundance of His mercies and goodness manifests itself in one particularly glorious way. The frailty of our lives means that they are soon over. We are little more than a temporary flowering of a wild plant. It blooms in beauty, but within hours is fading; the wind blows and there is suddenly nothing left. (Psalm 103: 15) But God's mercy upon us has not ceased, even though we have ceased to be upon earth. His mercies flow to our descendants who remain upon the earth after us, to our children and their children. The fact of God's grace overflowing also to one's children and to their grandchildren is a central part of the abundance and outpouring of overwhelming richness of God's mercy. It is so great that it cannot be contained or restrained to one generation—as our text declares.

We find this truth to be a “mouth-stopper”. The everlasting aspect of the mercies of God is not just that we as individuals depart this planet at death and are ushered into the presence of God. Now this is certainly true as Scripture elsewhere plainly declares. But that is not what the Psalmist has in view here. The “everlasting” nature of God's mercies has to do with their flowing down not just to me, but to children's children, to my descendants.

Now, of course, this necessitates that one's children and grandchildren in their day and generation are faithful, repentant believers, who fear God and keep His covenant, and who remember His precepts and commandments so as to keep them. (Psalm 103:18). For God's mercies and pardon and forgiveness flow only to those who believe upon Him and entrust themselves to Him. But such faithfulness and such responsiveness is also a gift from God. It comes about as children and grandchildren are first regenerated by the Holy Spirit, then are granted the gift of faith.

When God draws near to a people and overwhelms them with His goodness and love there are inevitable and indubitable signs of His presence. One of the clearest evidences is found in one's children and children's children walking faithfully before the Lord, keeping His covenant. It is a clear indication that we have been overwhelmed by His grace and lovingkindness.

Now, here is a strange thing. If parents believe God and receive with humility the promises contained in our text, it will affect everything they do with their children and grandchildren. They will always expect and require faithful and believing responses on the part of their offspring. They will not tolerate the works, attitudes, or fruits of unbelief. They will discipline their children unto fear and reverence of the Lord. These become the very streams and riverbeds created by God along which His mercies pour down upon our descendants.

And we, for our part, cry out with David, “Bless the Lord, O my soul—and all that is within me bless His holy name.”