But of GOD that Showeth mercy - DONNYC Sunday service

We who, Paul says, were dead in trespasses and in sins. We who in a time past walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience - among whom we all had our way of life in times past in the lusts of the flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature children of wrath! Those who deserved the pangs of hell will be enjoying the pleasures of heaven. Those whose prospect was the excruciating torments of the lake of Gehenna, is now the ecstasy of eternal glory with God and His Christ for ever - all of mercy! Isn't that wonderful? Is it any wonder that three times in Psalm 136, the Psalmist invites God's people to thank the Lord for His mercy. That's what it begins with, look at it: 'O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever'.

We believe that this Psalm was, perhaps, sung by two choirs - perhaps one of the choirs was a choir made up of priests and Levites, and the other individual singing was the high priest. You can just imagine the high priest singing out: 'O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good', and that great congregation of priests replying back: 'His mercy endureth for ever'. Do you think we could do that this morning? I'll say the first bit, you say the second: [Pastor Legge:] O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good...[Congregation:] for his mercy endureth for ever - powerful! Can you imagine it? How it would have sunk into the hearts of those sinners looking to a slain lamb, how God - who delivered them from Egypt - was merciful, and His mercy endured for ever! And this Psalm, like an 'interleaved' Bible, was teaching these Israelites to interleaf all things in life with the thought of the glorious mercy of God. Is it any wonder that Joseph Adison said this, as he penned his hymn: