"The LORD takes pleasure in them that fear Him, in those that hope in His mercy" (Psalm 147:11).

“He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man. The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy” (Ps. 147:10-11).

The LORD takes no delight in the strength of men nor does He delight in the strong things that men trust. But He takes pleasure in them that fear Him, in those that hope in His mercy!

Does our Lord and Savor delight to save sinners? Does the holy and just God of heaven and earth delight in mercy? Oh yes! He has given His word on it (Micah 7:18)! He delights in mercy, and therefore delights when a poor sinner seeks Him for His mercy, and waits upon Him in hope to show mercy (Luke 18:13)!

How many times in the NT can you find when Jesus turned away sick, foul, plagued, needy sinners who cried to Him!? Not one! But how many instances do you find where our Savior stooped and stopped and turned and went to a place or enter a house to heal or raise and save sinners while His enemies hounded Him, or when He was busy with other things? I can think of several: Bartimaeus is one. The woman with an issue of blood is another. The woman at the well is a third. The woman taken in adultery... Aren’t the Gospels full of such accounts of Jesus saving sin-sick, dying, even dead sinners (Matt. 8:17; 9:11-13; Isa. 53:4-5)?! Why? Why did He have such compassion on the foul and worthless and helpless? Because He delights in mercy! Because He takes delight in those that hope in His mercy! His meat and drink is to do the will of God (John 4:34). It is His delight!

What a blessed description the LORD gives here of our God and Savior, JESUS (Matt. 1:21)! What a word this is to trembling, sin-burdened souls (Isa. 55:1-3; Matt. 11:28; Rev. 22:17)! Who but a sinner taught by God will hope in God’s mercy from Christ (Psa. 25:11; 65:3)? David did. He said, “If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared” (Ps. 130:3-4)! David feared God with a healthy, holy, reverential awe because He knew the LORD as the one true God who is both just and forgives iniquity and transgression and sin for Christ’s sake (Ex. 34:7; Isa. 45:21-25; Eph. 4:32; 1 John 1:9).

The greatest revelation of God’s person is found in His words here: that He delights in mercy, that there is forgiveness from God for Christ's sake, that He takes delight in them that hope in His mercy (Ex. 33:18-19; 34:6-8)! Every NT epistle confirms and echoes this truth: “Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Tim. 1:2)!

God is gracious to sinners in Christ! That is the Gospel. Oh, what good news it is to this sinner. It makes me cling to Him all the more tightly (Acts 11:23). “What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him” (Hosea 14:8).

Rick Warta