Number 2
You will arise and have compassion on Zion; for it is time to be gracious to her, for the appointed time has come. Psalm 102:13 NASB
Be gracious – “Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, ‘The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in faithfulness and truth;’” (Exodus 34:6). What’s number 2 in God’s self-disclosure? The first is raḥûm (compassionate). That means the second is ḥānan (to be gracious), translated in the NASB as “merciful.” This is the second most important characteristic of God. But what does it mean?
The NASB’s rendition of the Hebrew ḥannûn as “merciful” doesn’t quite do the job. “Merciful” means acting toward someone with benevolence when it is within your power to punish or harm. It’s a term describing a deliberate choice not to do what legal or social verdicts require. But ḥannûn is a wider concept. It “depicts a heartfelt response by someone who has something to give to one who has a need.”[1] While someone might be merciful for any number of reasons, including personal gratification or enhancement (for example, showing mercy in order to be well-thought of by peers), ḥannûn comes from the heart. And it’s not just about setting aside judgment. ḥannûn is the experience of being moved to offer benevolence in any form possible simply because there is a need, without personal consideration of gain or reputation. That’s why ḥannûn is often associated with kindness toward the poor or needy with no expectation of reward of any kind. In fact, the epitome of ḥannûn is giving to those who cannot pay back.
God’s action toward sinners is ḥannûn. His action is based on need alone, not on consideration of legal precedent, not on reputation, not on any form of gain. God cares, and because He cares, He acts with benevolence toward those who are not only undeserving but who have no means of repaying His kindness. “To be gracious” is to bestow favor from the heart alone. Fortunately for us, ḥannûn is a part of God’s essential character. Because He cares, we have hope.
The psalmist knows the character of God. He deliberately chooses words that reach back to the event with Moses. The psalmist has not made his case like Job. He does not claim righteousness or innocence. What he claims is that God is merciful, even if he is not deserving. His complaint goes nowhere if it is based on self-proclaimed worth. So it is with all of us. Who can stand before the Holy God of Israel and demand God’s intervention? Who is worthy of such a claim? But God does intervene, as the history of Israel abundantly attests. Why? Because He cares. Like the psalmist, our complaints may end up in the mud at the bottom of the well, but that isn’t the end of the story. God cares, so compassion and graciousness follow. And the only real appeal we have is God’s true character. We are allowed to pray, “Lord, You care,” because it is in His nature to care. We are allowed to hope because He has promised to care. And at the bottom of the well, that is all we have—but it is enough.
Topical Index: ḥannûn, mercy, graciousness, benevolence, heart, Exodus 34:6, Psalm 102:13
[1] Yamauchi, E. (1999). 694 חָנַן. R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer Jr., & B. K. Waltke (Eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (electronic ed., p. 302). Chicago: Moody Press.
