Bible Verses About Mercy

These verses stand as the theological heart of Lamentations, marking a turn from despair to hope. Barnes notes this passage holds "the central place in the whole series of the Lamentations." Matthew Henry underscores daily renewal: "God's compassions fail not; of this we have fresh instances every morning." Gill explains that the Hebrew chesed (mercies/loving-kindness) reflects God's covenant love: "There is an abundance of mercy, grace, and goodness in God, and various are the instances of it" encompassing redemption, regeneration, and forgiveness. The Pulpit Commentary emphasizes that God's mercies themselves are "new every morning" rather than merely our experience of them. All commentaries stress chesed as God's inexhaustible resource, renewed daily and foundational to human survival and hope (BibleHub Commentaries).

Paul presents God's mercy as the wellspring of salvation for spiritually dead sinners. Barnes emphasizes: "God is 'rich' in mercy; overflowing, abundant. Mercy is the riches or the wealth of God." Matthew Henry connects mercy and love: "God's eternal love or good-will toward his creatures, is the fountain whence all his mercies flow to us; and that love of God is great love, and that mercy is rich mercy." Gill explains: "Mercy is a perfection of the divine nature, and is essential to God... God is said to be 'rich' in it, because he is free and liberal in dispensing it" through Christ in redemption, regeneration, and pardon. Meyer's Commentary notes the Greek πλούσιος ἐν ἐλέει (rich in mercy) indicates "exhaustless" compassion—mercy that is not merely adequate but superabundant and inexhaustible (BibleHub Commentaries).

This verse presents mercy as one of three essential requirements God seeks from His people. Barnes emphasizes mercy as integral to justice itself: "To love mercy; all deeds of love. Judgment is what right requires; mercy, what love." Matthew Henry stresses the emotional dimension: "To love mercy—not to use severity, or exercise malice, envy, revenge, enmity, or hatred toward any, but to be compassionate, merciful, forgiving, kind, and beneficent toward all, according to our ability." Gill highlights active practice: "To love mercy; not only to show mercy to miserable objects... but to delight in such exercises; and which a king especially should do, whose throne is established by mercy." The Hebrew chesed encompasses covenant loyalty and steadfast love—not mere sentiment but deliberate, compassionate action reflecting God's own character toward His people (BibleHub Commentaries).

Jesus pronounces blessing on those who show compassion to others. Barnes explains: "Those who are so affected by the sufferings of others as to be disposed to alleviate them" demonstrates piety, and "the merciful shall obtain mercy." Matthew Henry adds: "The merciful are happy. We must not only bear our own afflictions patiently, but we must do all we can to help those who are in misery." Gill describes the merciful as showing compassion "by both sympathizing with them, and distributing unto them" and by showing "mercy to the souls of men, by instructing such as are ignorant." The Pulpit Commentary emphasizes "active kindness to the destitute and to any who are in trouble," laying "more stress on the feeling of pity showing itself in action." Bengel's Gnomen notes the Greek ἔλεος (eleos) "corresponds to the Hebrew chesed" and encompasses comprehensive compassion (BibleHub Commentaries).

David declares God's fundamental character using language from God's self-revelation at Sinai (Exodus 34:6). Barnes notes God is "patient; not soon excited; bearing much, and bearing it long" and that "mercy is not manifested by him in small or stinted measure. It is rich; full; abundant; overflowing; free." Matthew Henry exhorts: "How unlike are those to God, who take every occasion to chide, and never know when to cease!" emphasizing divine patience through the analogy of a compassionate father who "pities them when they have offended, and, upon their submission, forgives them." Gill explains that God's patience extends "even to wicked men" but especially "intends God's longsuffering to his people." His mercy is "large and abundant in it, as appears by the various instances of it, and ways and methods in which he shows it; in election, in the covenant, in redemption, in regeneration, in pardon and eternal life" (BibleHub Commentaries).

Jesus commands believers to pattern their mercy after God's own character. Matthew Henry acknowledges the challenge: "These are hard lessons to flesh and blood" while encouraging grounding in Christ's love to make obedience possible, stating believers should "aim to be merciful, even according to the mercy of our heavenly Father." Gill provides rich context, noting that in Jewish tradition "the Divine Being by no other name, than 'the Merciful'" was commonly invoked. He cites a Targum parallel: "As your father is merciful in heaven, so be ye merciful on earth." The required merciful disposition involves being "tenderhearted, kind, beneficent to all men, friends and foes." Bengel's analysis notes the verbal distinction: γίνεσθε (become) contrasts with ἐστί (is), emphasizing humans must develop mercy while God essentially is merciful. The root word οἰκτίρμονες encompasses "the root of all offices of kindness" (BibleHub Commentaries).

James presents mercy's ultimate triumph over strict judgment. Barnes affirms: "This is obviously an equitable principle, and is one which is everywhere found in the Bible." He adds: "Strict justice would indeed plead for their condemnation, but the attribute of mercy will triumph, and they will be acquitted." Matthew Henry observes: "God deems it his glory and joy, to pardon and bless those who might justly be condemned at his tribunal." Gill explains: "That merciful men, who have shown mercy to the poor saints, will not be afraid of the awful judgment, but rather rejoice or glory... since they will obtain mercy at that day." The Greek verb κατακαυχᾶται (katakauchaō) expresses that "mercy has the joyful confidence that it will overcome the threatening power of judgment." Vincent's Word Studies notes the personification: "While judgment threatens condemnation, mercy interposes and prevails over judgment" (BibleHub Commentaries).

This verse opens the "Great Hallel" with its refrain celebrating God's eternal mercy, repeated 26 times throughout the psalm. Barnes emphasizes: "It is ever the same; it never changes; it is never exhausted; it is found in all his dealings." Matthew Henry defines mercy as "the Lord's disposition to save those whom sin has rendered miserable and vile, and all the provision he has made for the redemption of sinners by Jesus Christ." Gill connects mercy with eternal love: "It is the same with his love, which is from everlasting to everlasting; and continues notwithstanding the sins of his people, the hidings of his face from them, and his chastisements of them." The Hebrew chesed (loving-kindness/mercy) appears as a refrain throughout Psalm 136, emphasizing God's covenantal faithfulness that transcends time and circumstance (BibleHub Commentaries).