“O LORD our God, you answered them; you were a forgiving God to them, but an avenger of their wrongdoings” (Psalm 99:8 ESV).
The LORD answered those who prayed on behalf of His people. The psalmist specifically mentions Moses, Aaron, and Samuel (v. 6), who served as intercessors before God. When they cried out, God heard their prayers and forgave His people. Yet His forgiveness did not mean He overlooked their rebellion. He pardoned their sins while still judging their sinful deeds. God was both merciful and holy, gracious and just. His forgiveness never compromised His righteousness.
Today, God has provided a greater Mediator, His own Son, Jesus Christ. He is our El Nasah, the God who forgives. In Christ, God has answered our deepest need, forgiven our sins, and judged our wrongdoing. But here is the wonder of the gospel: Christ received the punishment that was ours so that we might receive the acceptance that is His.
At the cross, God’s holiness and forgiveness do not conflict; they converge. God’s judgment against sin and His mercy toward sinners are revealed in the same saving act. As Paul declares, God is both “just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Romans 3:26).
In Psalm 99:8, holiness and forgiveness are held together in the character of God. At the cross, they are revealed together in the saving action of God. We can therefore approach our holy God with reverence and our forgiving Father with confidence.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Jesus to bear the judgment we deserved and secure the acceptance we could never earn. Keep us from taking Your mercy lightly or doubting Your grace. May we worship You with reverence, trust You with confidence, and live in grateful obedience. In Jesus’ name, Amen.