But these words are found three-quarters of the way through the Psalm.

confession and the prayer of David opens, not with righteousness or

justification, but with mercy.

'Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy lovingkindness: according

unto the multitude of Thy tender mercies' (Psa. 51:1).

Here David brings together three words that stress the 'freeness' (Heb.

chanan 'have mercy'), the 'loving kindness' (Heb. chesed), the 'tender mercy'

(Heb. rachamim 'bowels', 'compassion', 'pity') as the only basis of his plea.

In this, he was followed by the publican whom the Lord pronounced justified

when he cried, 'God be merciful to me a sinner' (Luke 18:13).

The mercy shown to David after he had fallen so low, is echoed in the

experience of the apostle Paul:

'Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I

obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief' (1 Tim. 1:13).

Such is Paul's conclusion.  On the road to Damascus, breathing out

threatening and slaughter, we might have expected that this Pharisee, this

bigot, this persecutor of the name of Jesus of Nazareth, would have been

stricken down with wrath from heaven.  Instead he 'obtained mercy'!

This in turn gives the atmosphere and colour of our most gracious

'Howbeit For This Cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ

might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should

hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting' (1 Tim. 1:16).

No wonder the apostle introduces this verse with the words 'worthy of

all acceptation'.  No wonder he breaks the continuity of his epistle by

bursting forth into a doxology!

May we, who are called under such a dispensation, not only

rejoice in such mercy for ourselves, but learn to look, in pity rather than

with anger, on the poor ignorant though wicked blasphemers who so often cross

our path, and sorely try, alas, our very un-Christlike dispositions.

See Tabernacle (p. 358).

Near and Nigh.  Among the many items of teaching which suggest the difference

of dispensational values in Hebrews and Ephesians, are the references to

nearness.  Hebrews urges its readers saying, 'Let us draw near', but

Ephesians says, 'Ye ... are made nigh' (Heb. 10:22; Eph. 2:13).  The Greek

word used in Ephesians is eggus, but the word used in Hebrews is

proserchomai.  This latter word is not used by Paul anywhere else than in one

reference in 1 Timothy 6:3 where it is translated 'consent'.  No parallel is

found in Paul's other epistles with 'drawing near'.  The word occurs in the

epistle to the Hebrews seven times, which we set out as follows:

A

Let Us ... come boldly unto the throne of grace.

B

They that come unto God.