Endurance (Part 3)―Expressing
the Inexpressible
Those familiar with the King James Version are
familiar with the use of italics by the translators to express an
underlying sense or meaning that was left unexpressed by its authors
in the original text. The use of italics was deemed an
intellectually honest vehicle for conveying what was clearly
intended by an author even though it was not expressly stated. A
case in point is Psalm 136—the classic passage regarding the mercy
of God!
There is a phrase in Psalm 136 that is the most
often-used phrase in all of scripture: “for his mercy endureth for
ever.” The exact phrase is employed thirty-five times with
twenty-six occurring in Psalm 136. Now, we would all agree that if
God uses a word thirty-five times, it behooves us to
study-enquire as to its significance. Should an entire phrase
with thirty-five repetitions command any less of out attention? It
tells me that God wants us to know with unequivocal certainty that
at the very core of his being is a mercy that has no expiration
date!
In Psalm 136, the word endureth is italicized,
which means there is no actual Hebrew word for translation into
English. What the translators faced was the Hebrew word chesed
modified by the adjectival phrase “for ever.” Strict translation:
“His mercy for ever.” Expanded translation: “His mercy [is a] for
ever [kind of mercy]. Translator quandary: What word can we insert
that both captures the writer’s intent and smoothes out a slavish
translation without doing harm to the original text? In other words,
how do we express the inexpressible? Endureth was the word
they chose. It captures the durative nature of Divine mercy as well
as the essence of a mercy that CANNOT be worn down, exhausted or
depleted by fallen sinners and their collective demands upon it. It
simply endures for ever!
The first mention of the phrase came from the mouth
of David as the nation of Israel celebrated the return of the ark of
the covenant to Jerusalem after a hiatus among the Philistines (1
Chronicles 16:1-36). His oration to Israel took the form of a Psalm
that would become a permanent part of Israel’s songbook (16:7). As
he concluded his tribute, he said: “O give thanks unto the Lord; for
he is good, and his mercy endureth for ever” (16:34). David’s
declaration is the basis for Psalm 136. Goodness and mercy have
ALWAYS been traveling companions (Psalm 23:6). God DOES good to men
because he IS good! If we connect the dots, we see that the mercy
and goodness of God are both peas from the same pod, and will endure
as long as the Godhead exists!
The phrase “for the mercy of God endureth for ever”
is the refrain-chorus for each of the twenty-six affirmations made
by the Psalmist. Each statement of fact serves as a basis for Israel
to give thanks to their God for his mercy on their behalf (136:1).
Psalm 136 encapsulates Israel’s history from its captivity in Egypt
to its establishment in the land. Many have sought to draw a
distinction between grace and mercy, saying that the former is God
giving sinful men what they do NOT deserve while the latter is God
withholding from them what they DO deserve. But Psalm 136 reveals
that mercy is a larger umbrella with broader applications. Let’s
consider a few.
First, the LORD is the God of gods, the Lord of lords
(136:2-3). Egypt was full of gods. Many cultures have a multiplicity
of gods. Count them, round them up. They’re ALL subservient to the
ONE true God. The world is full of lords (men who exert authority
over others). In every case, each operates under the ultimate
authority of the LORD. The mercy in these realities lies is the fact
that if I, as a sinner saved by grace, submit to and operate under
the authority of the Lord Jesus, I need not fear another lord or
god. I am free indeed because the LORD is who he is…and I am in him!
If these great truths were the starting point for David in
enumerating the mercies of God, they just might be a good place for
all of us to start!
Second, the LORD “alone doeth great wonders” (136:4).
The magicians in Egypt did wonders aplenty, but were trumped at
every turn by God’s greater wonders. In David’s mind, no wonder can
be considered great if another wonder is able to blow it away. Such
are the wonders of God! Therefore we must conclude that God ALONE is
capable of great wonders! The mercy here is that “greater is he that
is in you than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4). Whatever the
god of this world does to blow you away, the greater God is able to
blow him away!
Lastly, the LORD “giveth food to all flesh” (136:25).
He provides both bird and beast with their daily bread. He lavishes
mercy upon them inasmuch as they are the work of his hand. Moreover,
the “flesh” to which he gives food includes rebellious sinners,
including those that crucified his Son. Thus the “goodness of God”
is in active and full pursuit of lost men to lead them to repentance
(Romans 2:4).
Our ability to endure
whatever we encounter in life is contingent upon the endurance of
God’s mercy! We are ABLE to endure because his mercy DOES endure!.
Take mercy out of the equation, and the game is over for us all! BUT
his mercy endureth for ever! This was the word chosen by the
KJV translators in their effort to express the inexpressible! And as
you and I get together with family during this Thanksgiving season,
let’s be sure to put the mercy of God at the top of the list of
things for which we are thankful!
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