“But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for He is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.”

These are the words of Jesus. The first part of the verse describe behavior that is rewarded by God. This is contrary to our nature, and can only be possible with God’s help. The latter part of the verse reveals an aspect of God’s nature. We are told that He is kind unto the unthankful and the evil.

There are few things in scripture that are directly stated to be God’s will. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” It is God’s will that we be thankful to Him regardless of our circumstances. There is much for which we can be thankful. On the other hand, speaking of mankind, Paul wrote in Romans 1:21, “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful…”. Jesus said in Luke 6:35 that God is kind to the unthankful.

How is He kind to the unthankful? Jesus said in Matthew 5:45, “… for He maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” Sad to say, we have become accustomed to these blessings from God. Of course the sun rises every day! Of course there is rain for the crops! Of course! Jesus said that these things are sent by God and they come on the evil and the good and on the just and the unjust. This is what God promised to Himself. At the end of the flood God said in His heart “… I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake… While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” (Genesis 8:21, 22) By sending His rain God is keeping His promise to all of creation. And it comes on the evil and the good, the just and the unjust.

Jesus also said that God is kind to the evil. This is incredible to think about because all evil is against His law; it is an offense to Him. In Numbers 14:26, 27 we read, “And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me.” The evil was in that the people of Israel murmured against Him. In the context, the LORD had lead them from Egypt to the land that He had promised them. When they got to the border, God told them to go in and take the land. But they refused because they feared the people in the land. God called their refusal to take the land, and their desire to return to Egypt, murmuring. They refused to believe Him.

In any case, in Numbers 14 the LORD called them an evil congregation. And Jesus said in Luke that God is kind to the evil. In what way was God kind to Israel? In Nehemiah 9:19-21 the priests of Nehemiah’s day rehearsed God’s history with Israel, and how they harkened not to His commandments. Then they said, “Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way wherein they should go… and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst… forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not.” As they wandered in the wilderness, under His judgment, He continued to meet their physical needs, supplying food and water, and sustaining their clothes, and leading them in the way they went. He did not forsake them.

At the beginning of Luke 6:35 Jesus told His disciples, “But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest…” This came out of His teaching in Luke 6:27, 28, “… Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.” Solomon used similar words in Proverbs 25:21, 22, “If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: for thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee.” Paul quoted the words of Solomon in Romans 12:20. The teachings of Jesus, Solomon, and Paul, about how we are to treat our enemies, are the same. This is a challenge for anyone. Believers have the Holy Spirit living in them to give help in these things.

The things about God’s personality that were discussed above were used by Jesus in this verse to be the example for us. He is kind to the unthankful and to the evil. In other words, God is not expecting of us anything that He Himself is unwilling to do!

Awake, my soul, to joy­ful lays,
And sing thy great Re­deem­er’s praise;
He just­ly claims a song from me;
His lov­ing-kind­ness is so free!

He saw me ru­ined in the fall,
Yet loved me not­with­stand­ing all;
He saved me from my lost es­tate;
His lov­ing-kind­ness, O how great!

Thro’ migh­ty hosts of cru­el foes,
Where earth and hell my way op­pose,
He safe­ly leads my soul along;
His lov­ing-kind­ness is so strong!

Often I feel my sin­ful heart
Prone from my Je­sus to de­part;
And tho’ I have Him oft for­got,
His lov­ing-kind­ness chang­es not!

Then I shall mount and soar away
To the bright world of end­less day;
Then shall I sing with sweet sur­prise
His lov­ing-kind­ness in the skies. (Samuel Medley)

“Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!”

Psalm 107 reveals the mercy of God. The first and last verses speak of it. The Psalm tells about four situations that show His mercy. These are in verses 1-8, 9-15, 16-21, and 22-31. In each, people found themselves in difficulties. In each, the people looked to God, and in each God delivered them. Each section ends with a note of praise to God.

In Psalm 107: 4,5, we read, “They (those who the Lord had redeemed from the enemy) wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.” This reminds of the wanderings of Israel after they left Egypt. They knew not where they were going, and needed food and drink. Continuing in verses 6 and 7 we read, “Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses. And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation.” Because they cried unto the LORD, God in His mercy provided them with what they needed and led them to where they were going.

Jesus said in Luke 12:27-30, “Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.” He knows what we need! In Matthew 6:8 Jesus said that God knows what we need before we ask. Just as God in His mercy cared for wandering Israel, so can we trust Him, too.

In Psalm 107:10-12 God wrote, “Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron; because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High: therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help.” Here we hear of those who are afflicted because they ignore God’s Words. Their hearts were brought down by labor, and when they fell down they had nobody to help them. These things God brought upon them because they ignored Him. Continuing, we read in verse 13 and 14, “Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.” Though they were in their troubles for ignoring God, He came to their aid when they asked. What mercy!

In John 8:12 we read, “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” Those who follow Jesus do not sit in darkness because Jesus is the Light of the world. In Luke 4:4, Jesus, quoted from Deuteronomy 8:3, saying, “…It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.” The real source of life is what God says, His words. Obeying Him is life. Ignoring Him brings labor and darkness.

Then in Psalm 107:17, 18 we read, “Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted. Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death.” This goes a step further from the previous. They ignored God’s word, so that they are in their iniquities, and are afflicted. Their souls were famished. They desired nothing of spiritual value. Continuing in verses 19 and 20 we read, “Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses. He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.” They appealed to God in their situation, and God heard and delivered them by sending to them back to the Word that they had ignored. Our souls are fed by spiritual food, God’s Word. Their relief came in paying attention to His Word and obeying Him.

Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” God’s word is what mankind needs to live lives that honor God. And again we see that God was ready to help when they asked. Again we see His mercy.

Psalm 107:24-27 says, “They that go down into the sea see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep. For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end.” A storm on the sea is terrifying. The trials of those who do business in the see were so severe, the storms were so great, that they were like drunken men. Continuing in verses 28 to 30 we read, “Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.” In this case, the trials are in the form of natural disasters which are beyond men’s control. In God’s mercy He is ready and able to help even in the storms.

 In Mark 4:37-39 we read, “And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.” The sea is under God’s control, it calms at His command.

Verses 6, 13, 19, and 28 are identical and tell of the people turning to God; “Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.” It is astounding, and reassuring, to see that no matter their situation, He delivered them from out of their distresses when they cried to Him. In each of these four cases we read of God’s mercy, care, and deliverance for the people.

Verses 8, 15, 21, and 31 are also identical. These verses are appeals to praise God. All of mankind should praise God for His goodness and for His wonderful works on their behalf. Oh, that they would! It is said four times in this psalm. Israel, and by extension, mankind, have gotten themselves into difficulties by ignoring God. Yet He sends relief! He reconciled mankind to Himself through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. God’s heart toward mankind is revealed. What mercy! What grace! What love! What praise is due to Him!

Spiritually speaking, mankind is wandering, under death, under sin, and beset by things that are out of our control. Ultimately, our only hope is to call upon God in our distresses. Psalm 107 reveals that God hears every feeble cry of dependence on Him, and works to deliver those that trust Him. Oh, that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!

The writer ended the psalm with, “Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness (mercy) of the LORD.” This is Who God is. He rightly deserves praise from us, and He is merciful to us. It is wisdom to depend on God even in our failures. He is merciful!

God is good! I will not fear
The trials that await me here;
His promises are true and sure;
His Word forever must endure.

Refrain

O blessèd hope, O joy indeed,
His mercy covers all my need!
God is good! His love to me
Is broad and boundless as the sea.

God is good! His hand supplies;
I cannot need what He denies.
I’ll trust His love from day to day,
And follow where He leads the way.

Refrain

God is good! He will not fail,
Tho’ Satan’s fiery darts assail;
I trust His grace from hour to hour,
And do not fear the tempter’s power.

Refrain (Charles H. Gabriel)