What Is Mercy? Bible Meaning and Quotes

In the Bible, God’s mercy means His pity, compassion, and kindness toward people. His mercy shows up in the believer’s life at salvation, and then God continues to show mercy in forgiveness. Mercy triumphs over judgment but refusing God’s mercy is disastrous.

Definition of Mercy

Theologians have defined “mercy” in clear terms. In The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Edwards said it most graphically:

“God is pleased to show mercy to His enemies, according to His own sovereign pleasure. Though He is infinitely above all and stands in no need of creatures; yet He is graciously pleased to take a merciful notice of poor worms in the dust.”

In a lighter vein, Millard Erickson wrote in Christian Theology,

“God’s mercy is His tenderhearted, loving compassion for His people. It is His tenderness of heart toward the needy. If grace contemplates humans as sinful, guilty, and condemned, mercy sees them as miserable and needy.”

Scripturally, at the root of the word “mercy,” we find several Old Testament Hebrew words.

Mercy in Hebrew

Racham means “to love or have compassion,” to have a disposition of mercy (Psalm 116:5).
Kapporeth means “ransom” and it’s associated with the “mercy seat” in Scripture (Exodus 25:22).
Chesed means “goodness,” “kindness,” or “mercifulness” (Psalm 18:25).

Mercy in Greek

In the New Testament Greek, the words are Eleemon, meaning “to have pity on,” to “show compassion,” or to “be merciful;” (Matthew 5:7).
Oiktirmos also suggests compassion or pity. It’s the idea of divine forbearance in showing compassion and passing over sins. (Romans 12:1).

Meaning of God’s Mercy

1. It’s God’s patience in action. Author and blogger Tim Challies described mercy as “God acting patient. It is God extending patience to those who deserve to be punished,” Challies said. “Mercy is not something God owes to us—by definition mercy cannot be owed—but is something God extends in kindness and grace to those who do not deserve it.”

God is patient in mercy because he is holding off the judgment of justice to a later time. It is not injustice, but rather “choosing not to bring justice immediately.” When we see the holiness of God and the horror of sin, Challies said, “it is mercy that is shocking.”

2. It’s beyond our understanding. Not only do we have a patient God, His mercy is incomprehensible. William Farley wrote in Outrageous Mercy: Rediscovering the Radical Nature of the Cross—quoted by Challies—“The cross displays God’s mercy and grace and justice, and does so with startling clarity.” Farley said, “If you have never been deeply scandalized and offended by the cross, you may have never really heard its message.”

Its message? Mercy beyond our understanding. Because God’s wrath and mercy met at the cross, we can be transformed and made fit for eternity.

Examples of Mercy in the Bible

Adam and Eve

We first learn of God’s mercy in the story of Adam and Eve, when God covered their shame with the skins of a sacrificed animal (Genesis 3:21).

Israel’s Mercy Seat

Then we learn of the mercy seat where God would meet with the priests on Israel’s behalf in Exodus 25:19-22. The Greek word for mercy seat, translated from the Old Testament, is hilasterion—usually translated “propitiation.” We see this word in Romans 3:25. Christ became the once-and-for-all acceptable and wrath-satisfying sacrifice on our behalf.

Jesus Christ

In “What Is the Mercy Seat?”, Stephen Nichols wrote, God desires to meet with His people, and the blood of the spotless lamb is the only means by which that meeting is possible. The mercy seat of the Old Testament and the blood sprinkled upon it by the high priest, prefigured Christ to come.” The mercy seat was as real as the cross to come. Christ is now our mercy seat.

God’s mercy never runs out. “There is no ‘empty’ on the mercy tank in heaven,” wrote Dr. David Jeremiah in The Jeremiah Study Bible. “God just waits for His people to demonstrate that we really mean business. When we come to Him in true repentance, His mercy will just overflow us like the waves of the sea, because He is rich in mercy.” (See Ephesians 2:4-5)

Why Is Mercy Important?

Mercy triumphs over judgment, but refusing mercy is disastrous, inviting judgment. God’s judgment for sin is never unjust. “His judgment is always the result of mercy that was offered and refused,” wrote Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth, “mercy that was offered and spurned.” The Lord is patient and never wants us to perish. He wants us to repent, but those who refuse mercy will receive judgment (2 Peter 3:9; Proverbs 29:1).

Bible Verses about Mercy

Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful (Luke 6:36, ESV); For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment (James 2:13, ESV).
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy (Matthew 5:7, ESV); Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners (Matthew 9:13, ESV).
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16, ESV).
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Peter 1:3, ESV).

God’s mercy shows up in our lives at salvation (Titus 3:5), and He continually shows mercy in forgiveness (1 John 1:9). He extended mercy in protecting Israel—sending prophets to warn them of sin and draw them back to Himself. He still convicts us through the Holy Spirit. His grace and mercy preserve His people.

God shows mercy in His understanding too. Our Great High Priest understands us and calls us to the throne of grace where we can find mercy (Hebrews 4:16). There is also mercy in God’s commission—He wants us to make His mercy look great among the nations (Romans 15:9-13). God even shows loving mercy in His disciplining of us (Hebrews 12:6; Proverbs 3:12).

The wonder of wonders is that God would choose to transform us by His mercies so we can be holy and acceptable to Him (Romans 12:1), worshipping Him in the splendor of holiness (Psalm 96:9). He has truly wrapped His children in mercy from salvation and throughout eternity.

Here are 15 Bible Verses Every Christian Should Know By Heart for you to download and share with loved ones!