Psalm 103 (5)

To continue with the last post in this series: What is the linkage between verses 7 and 8 in Psalm 103, and how does this speak to us of intercession?

In Psalm 103:7 we see that God made His ways known to Moses, and then in verse 8 we read that, “Yahweh is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.”  Verse 8 speaks directly to God making His ways known to Moses, for Moses knew the ways of God as God revealed Himself to Moses; Israel saw God’s acts, Moses knew God’s ways. To see a person’s actions is one thing, to see a person’s heart is another.

God’s ways express God’s nature, if a distinction can be made, and I really don’t know if it can – human thinking and words often fail us when considering the Divine essence; at least they fail me. I hope you will bear with me. 

We cannot always rightly understand God’s nature from His acts, in fact we can misinterpret them. An example is when God disciplines us (see Hebrews 12:4 – 11). We are reminded in Scripture that God disciplines those He loves (see again Revelation 3:19) and we are reminded of this because our natural tendency is to interpret difficulties and bad times as evidence that God does not love us when the opposite is true.

If we will take the time to ponder two passages of Scripture that provide the backdrop to Psalm 103:7 – 8 I think we’ll gain insight into both Moses knowing the ways of God and into an essential element of intercession.

The first passage is Exodus chapters 33 and 34, with a particular focus on 33:12 – 34:9.

While Moses has been up on Mount Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments, the people of Israel have been making a golden calf to worship. Moses comes down from the mountain, is shocked and angered at the idolatry, breaks the two tablets of stone containing the Commandments, and intercedes with God on behalf of the people (Exodus 32).

In Exodus 33, as Moses communes with God and prepares to once again ascend Mount Sinai to receive, one again, the Ten Commandments, we read:

“Now therefore I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight…” (Exodus 33:13).

“Then Moses said, I pray You, show me Your glory.” (Exodus 33:18).

Moses is asking God to show him His ways so that Moses might know God, and Moses is asking God to show him God’s glory.

Yahweh responds in verse 19, “I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of Yahweh before you…”

Let’s please keep in mind that in the Bible a person’s “name” speaks of that person’s “nature”.

What happens as a result of this?

“Yahweh descended in the cloud and stood there with him as he called upon the name of  Yahweh. Then Yahweh passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “Yahweh, Yahweh God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.” Moses made haste to bow low toward the earth and worship.” Exodus 34:5 – 8.

Do you see Psalm 103:8 in the above? Yahweh is proclaiming His Name, His Nature, His ways, to Moses; He is showing Moses His glory. Psalm 103:7 speaks of Moses knowing the ways of Yahweh, Psalm 103:8 reveals the nature and ways of Yahweh.

In the next post in this series we’ll connect this to intercession; the basis, the ground, of intercession is the nature of God; as we know His nature, as we know His ways, we can intercede on behalf of others.

Are we interceding for others as we navigate the uncertain waters of our times?