The Sure Mercies of David
By Francis Monroe Burg
Conditions of Pardon—God’s Love and Mercy Provide Complete Cleansing for the Repentant Sinner The reader is invited to follow further the beautiful thoughts of the prophet in Isaiah, the fifty-fifth chapter. After speaking of David as God’s witness to His goodness and mercy toward men, the prophet continues: “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” Verse 7. In connection with the assurance that God is willing to pardon freely, he points out the conditions on which the sinner may receive the blessings that are proffered. He must forsake his sins and all his ways, if pardon and freedom are to be enjoyed by him. This condition of pardon is vitally important, and needs to be emphasized. The New Testament apostle states it in the following familiar language: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9. This is how David received pardon for his guilt. He says: “I acknowledged my sin unto Thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgression unto the Lord; and Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin.” Ps. 32:5. The goodness of God that offers forgiveness for sins, should lead to repentance. Rom. 2:4. This result does follow, for nothing will so tender the heart and lead to deep sorrow and regret for sin as will the readiness of God to pardon and receive. God says, through the same prophet, that He is waiting to be gracious to His people, and that He will be exalted in showing mercy to them. He is waiting to hear their cry and their supplication, and then He will answer them. Isa. 30:18, 19. As already shown, He will “abundantly pardon.” Continuing in chapter fifty-five, Isaiah says: “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Verses 8, 9. We are not to measure Jehovah’s dealings with men by human standards. Finite minds can not grasp nor fathom the infinite love of His great heart. “There’s a wideness in God’s mercy,
Like the wideness of the sea;
There’s a kindness in His justice,
Which is more than liberty.” Finite, mortal man, measuring God by himself, often refuses to extend mercy, or even toleration, toward his fellow man who may have fallen into some “horrible pit.” He allows him no place for repentance even; and if he were to be judge to determine his neighbor’s destiny, the neighbor would have very little hope. Men often refuse to tolerate David. Some of them to-day, as of old, taunt him, saying “Aha, aha.” Ps. 40:15; 70:3. God, however, heard his cry and saw his tears. He forgave his sins, and honored him above his fellows who so mercilessly reviled him. We should be thankful to God that His dealings with sinful men are not according to human standards. Isaiah says of the Messiah who was to come: “He shall not judge after the sight of His eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of His ears: but with righteousness shall He judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth.” Chapter 11:3, 4. We may have some surprises awaiting us if we reach the kingdom of God. We may find some people there that we did not look for; and others may not be there whom we expected to see. Reader, will we be there? Only as we see ourselves the “chief of sinners,” and, with David, repent in tears (Ps. 42:3), and, as he did, confess our guilt before God and accept His forgiving grace, can we hope to be there. Then with David, and with every other fellow man who has repented and believed for pardon, we will join in the anthem of thanksgiving to our Redeemer till all creation is vibrant with the song of praise. Volumes might be written telling the love of God to men, and then we would not have begun. “God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” Eph. 2:4-7. So in all the glad, eternal years, the subjects of grace will swell the great anthem of praise to Him that loved them, and who washed them from their sins in His own blood. Like David, the sinner “saved by grace” is even here so full of praise and gratefulness, that time seems all too short to give expression to his soul’s emotions; and though using his voice and all instruments of music in praise to his Redeemer, and calling upon the hills and the mountains and the very floods to join him, he longs for the eternal years, that he may spend them in endless praise and thanksgiving. “O that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!” Ps. 107:8, 15, 21, 31. “Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in the sanctuary: praise Him in the firmament of His power. Praise Him for His mighty acts: praise Him according to His excellent greatness. Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet: praise Him with the psaltery and harp. Praise Him with the timbrel and pipe: praise Him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise Him upon the loud cymbals: praise Him upon the high-sounding cymbals. Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord.” Psalm 150.