This description of God goes back to Exodus 34:6, and becomes one of the most repeated refrains in Scripture. Repeated over twenty times in the Bible, we hear it here in Psalm 86. God is compassionate and gracious. Slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. Knowing this about the character of God, the poet of Psalm 86 cries out for help:
I call on you in the day of my distress, for you will answer me.
Exodus 34's description of God sits behind the mystery of Jonah. God sends Jonah to preach to the Assyrians. But Jonah runs. We're never told why. It's a mystery. But when God relents and spares the Assyrians, Jonah finally spits out the answer in a fit of rage:
But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. And he prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster."
Jonah fled because he knew God would forgive his enemies. Because that is who God is and what God does. God is compassionate and gracious. Slow to anger and abounding steadfast love.
Even toward the people we hate.
