The Harmonious Juxtaposition

Friday, January 15, 2016

7:28 AM

Psalm 85:8-13 (KJV)

8 I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.

9 Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land.

10 Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

11 Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.

12 Yea, the LORD shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase.

13 Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps.

We have in this passage four of the greatest words in the Hebrew language , or any language for that matter, coming together in a powerful way.

Dr. Henry Morris has called this "The Harmonious Juxtaposition"

Mercy and truth - met togetherThink of how hard it is for mercy and truth to be together. Have you ever been with people who just can't get along very well? It can get so tense when you are in the same room with them. Truth is absolute holiness without error or hypocrisyMercy is overlooking error and hypocrisyYet these are said to meet in friendship and even righteousness and peace kissed each other.This Mercy and Truth is the same couplet that is used in the New Testament to describe Jesus as full of Grace and Truth John 1:14,17I like what Dr. Henry Morris wrote on this in a devotional, "

"The words "mercy" (Hebrew checed, also often translated by "kindness" or "lovingkindness") and "truth" (Hebrew emeth) occur more often in the psalms than in any other book. In fact, "mercy" occurs more in the psalms than in all the rest of the Old Testament put together. Though at first these two concepts seem opposed to each other (for how can God's truth, which abhors sin, be compatible with His mercy, which forgives sin?), nevertheless they are "met together," for "his salvation," according to the previous verse, "is nigh them that fear him" (v. 9).

"Mercy and truth" (or "lovingkindness and truth") are brought together at least sixteen times in the Old Testament, including ten times in the psalms. And when God's eternal truth can be united with His loving mercy, both mediated through His Holy Word, there is great blessing indeed! "All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies" (25:10). "I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name" (138:2). The first time the phrase is found in the Bible is in the prayer of Abraham's servant, thanking God for "his mercy and his truth" (Genesis 24:27).

God's mercy and truth, of course, are really met together only in Jesus Christ, through whom God can both "be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus" (Romans 3:26). He is "our peace" (Ephesians 2:14) and is "made unto us . . . righteousness" (1 Corinthians 1:30). He is "the truth" (John 14:6) and will show in the ages to come "the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:7)." HMM

About two years ago I was priveleged to hear Sis. Margaret Hollenbeck sing for at least the last time I heard her this song;

Mercy Walked In

Gordon Mote, Sheri Easter

I stood in the court room the judge turn my way

It looks like you're guilty now what do you say

I spoke up your honor I have no defense

But that's when mercy walked in

Mercy walked in and pleaded my case

Called to the stand God's saving grace

The blood was presented that covered my sin

Forgiven when mercy walked in

Praise the lord

I stood there and wondered how could this be

That someone so guilty had just been set free

My chains were broken I felt born again

The moment that mercy walked in

Ooohhh

The blood was presented that covered my sin forgiven when mercy walked in hmmmm

Songwriters: Stuart Hine

Mercy Walked In lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

From <https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&rlz=1C1EODB_enUS706US707&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=Mercy+Walked+IN+lyrics>

Righteousness and peace - kissed each other

We don't often think of mercy and truth walking together but they met in Christ and was shown in great power and truth in the Cross.