The Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 100:5

The Pulpit Commentary · Joseph S. Exell and contributors · Public domain

The goodness of God.

The word "good" is used as the one supremely suitable for God. But we are not left to our own guidance to find out what is included in the term. We are told that God's goodness is made up of two things:

"Goodness is a very comprehensive quality. It is love, kindness, benevolence, that which leads you to wish well and to do good to those around you; and the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord, because it is so full of his works and ways, which are the fruits and manifestations of his goodness."

I. THE GOODNESS OF GOD AS MERCY. He is gracious, kind, pitiful. Mercy is the grace of our dealing with those who are weaker than we are; and with those who have wronged us. It has in it the idea of "dealing otherwise with us than according to our stern deserts." Take this as chief point, and illustrate from God's gracious ways with his people Israel. Make this provide for a careful reading of our own life histories, so as to discern the Divine mercies in them.

II. THE GOODNESS OF GOD AS TRUTH. Here his faithful promise keeping. And it is noticed that there is this steadfast sameness of God to all generations. He always has been, and he always will be, "the faithful Promiser." "Hath he said, and shall he not do it?" Deal with this point in the same way. Find proofs of the Divine faithfulness in the story of ancient Israel; and make what is found illustrate the faithfulness and truth of the Divine dealings with us. For practical applications, show:

1. "The goodness of God ought to be one of the strongest barriers that can be raised up against sin.

2. The goodness of God should 'lead us to repentance.'

3. The goodness of God should lead us to do good to others.

4. The goodness of God to us in this world should inspire us with confidence in his goodness to us in the world to come." The goodness of God may be thought of as the infinite fountain; the mercy of God is the ever freshly flowing stream; and the eternal truth and righteousness is the ocean out to which God's mercy flows.—R.T.

HOMILIES BY C. SHORT

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