Compassion and lovingkindness are very similar. When they are mentioned together, are they just repeated for emphasis? Here in today’s commentary, we will look into the fine point of their definitions.
Commentary:
Psalm 25:1-2. The first two verses were made into a song. “Unto Thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. O my God, I trust in Thee. Let me not be afraid; let not my enemies triumph over me.”
Psalm 25:3. That prayer is answered when we wholeheartedly depend on God. The word “wait” is קָוָה (qāwâ) in Hebrew. It implies that the person endures patiently in confident hope that God will deliver. There is no wavering or doubt in this wait.
Psalm 25:4-5. Wholehearted trust leads to a desire to imitate. A son who trusts and depends on his father naturally picks up the ways of his father. The phrase “a chip off the old block” rings true in life and even spiritually.
Unlikely our earthly father, the Heavenly Father is not seen by eyes. Therefore, the psalmist calls out to God to make known His ways. The desire to follow is so strong that the psalmist is willing to wait all the time. The phrase “all the day” in Hebrew means always. It expresses that the desire that God’s business comes first in life.
Psalm 25:6-7. The psalmist knows that no one is righteous. He humbly asks the Lord to have compassion and lovingkindness on him.
The word compassion is רָחָם (rāḥām) in Hebrew. The root word refers to deep love, often between people with family bond, like a father to a son or a nursing mother to her infant. In compassion, the father will forgive repenting son, despite his great offense, and restore him to his rightful place.
The word lovingkindness is חֶסֶד (ḥesed) in Hebrew. It means steadfast love. This love is rooted in the faithfulness of God in keeping his covenant. The giving of the kindness is not based the action of the recipient. God freely gives because it is His character. While compassion is rooted in a relationship and requires repentance, lovingkindness is rooted in the characteristic of God.
Some says forgiveness is forgetting. If someone truly forgives another person, he will forget the offense. When God forgives, it is not that He forgets because God knows everything. What the psalmist says is not forgetting but not remembering it. In other words, the psalmist petitions God not to bring it up.
Meditation:
God has compassion and lovingkindness for David. He also has them for all believers who trust in Him. As we trust in Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we have become His children. God will have compassion because we are His sons and daughters.
God also enters into a covenant with all believers. He will fulfill His part of the covenant. The steadfast love is freely given because He is faithful and true.
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for your compassion and lovingkindness. Let us with on you always. Let us imitate you in every ways. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.