Bible Strands
Psalms 86:15
But You, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — A psalmist under mortal threat (v. 14) pauses his plea to name the character of the God he is addressing, before asking for mercy (v. 16).
The words — אֶ֥רֶךְ אַ֝פַּ֗יִם (erekh appayim) literally means "long of nostrils," the Hebrew idiom for slow to anger, painting a face that does not flare.
The thread — Psalms 103:8 repeats the nearly identical formula, and Ephesians 2:4 picks up the "rich in mercy" thread in the New Testament.
Why it lands — The psalmist does not argue his own innocence; he points to God's nature as the ground for mercy, which means the reader is invited to do the same when approaching God in need.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.
Cross-references
- Ephesians 2:4 But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,
- Psalms 103:8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion.
- Psalms 130:7 O Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is loving devotion, and with Him is redemption in abundance.
- Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
- Psalms 86:5 For You, O Lord, are kind and forgiving, rich in loving devotion to all who call on You.
- Psalms 145:8 The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in loving devotion.
- Nehemiah 9:17 They refused to listen and failed to remember the wonders You performed among them. They stiffened their necks and appointed a leader to return them to their bondage in Egypt. But You are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in loving devotion, and You did not forsake them.
- Joel 2:13 So rend your hearts and not your garments, and return to the LORD your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion. And He relents from sending disaster.
- Psalms 85:10 Loving devotion and faithfulness have joined together; righteousness and peace have kissed.
- Micah 7:18 Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity and passes over the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance—who does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in loving devotion?