The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The LORD is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse isn't just listing God's attributes; it's painting a picture of His relational heart. He isn't just "slow to anger," but "abounding in steadfast love," showing that His generous love is His primary mode, and His anger is the exception, not the rule. This highlights that God's desire is always to draw us close with His deep affection.
The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The LORD is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This psalm is a celebration of God's reign and goodness, moving from general praise to specific attributes. The verses immediately preceding (7-11) describe how people will remember and speak of God's great goodness, righteous kingdom, and power. This verse, 8, then directly quotes God's self-description from Exodus 34:6, providing the foundational reason why people will praise Him: His gracious, merciful, slow-to-anger, and loving nature is the very heart of His character.
Ever feel like you're too far gone, too flawed for God's attention? This verse reminds us that His very nature is to reach out.
The psalm opens with a beautiful declaration of God's character. He is described as 'gracious' and 'full of compassion.'
Graciousness (Channun)
This isn't just passive kindness; it's an active disposition to show favor, especially when it's not deserved. It's God leaning in, offering His goodness freely.
Compassion (Rachum)
This word speaks to a deep, visceral empathy. It's God's 'heart being affected' wherever He sees misery. It's not a detached pity, but a heartfelt response to our brokenness.
We often think of God's anger, but this verse highlights what's even more true about Him: His immense capacity for love and His patience.
The psalm continues by describing God as 'slow to anger' and 'abounding in steadfast love.' This isn't an accident; it's a deliberate contrast that reveals His core nature.
Slow to Anger (Erech Apayim)
This Hebrew phrase literally means 'long of nose,' picturing someone who doesn't quickly flare up in anger. It signifies God's remarkable patience, His restraint in the face of constant provocation. He doesn't rush to judgment.
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Abounding in Steadfast Love (Rabb Chased)
This is God's 'lovingkindness' – a covenantal, loyal, and enduring love. 'Abounding' means overflowing, more than enough. It’s His love that is vast, constant, and seeks to bless, even when we falter.
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Noun
The personal name of the covenant-keeping God of Israel (Yahweh), emphasizing His self-existence and relationship with His people.
channun · Hebrew Adjective
An attitude of favor, kindness, and compassion toward those who are undeserving. It is a central expression of God’s disposition toward His creation.
rachum · Hebrew Adjective
Deep, compassionate sympathy that moves one to action, often associated with the womb or motherly care. It describes God’s tender affection toward His creatures.
erek appayim · Hebrew Phrase/Adjective
A state of patient restraint in withholding immediate judgment or wrath. It highlights God's long-suffering desire for repentance.
chesed · Hebrew Noun
The covenantal, unfailing, and loyal love of God. It encompasses His persistent commitment to His people, rooted in His promise and character.
racham · Hebrew Noun
The active, tangible compassion and pity that God shows toward the world. It is the practical outworking of His love for what He has created.
This verse directly echoes God's self-revelation to Moses at Sinai, emphasizing that His core nature—gracious, merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love—is timeless and unchanging, even as His people experience cycles of faithfulness and unfaithfulness throughout history.
c. 1446 BC
Giving of the Law at Sinai
God gives the Ten Commandments and establishes His covenant with Israel. This event is foundational to understanding God's character and His relationship with His people.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
Revelation of God's Name and Character
During the giving of the Law, God reveals His name and character to Moses, proclaiming Himself 'The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.' This is the source text for Psalm 145:8.
c. 1400 BC
Conquest of Canaan
Following the Exodus, Israel enters and conquers the Promised Land. This period demonstrates God's power and faithfulness, but also Israel's ongoing need for God's mercy.
c. 1000 BC
Reign of King David
David, the likely author of Psalm 145, reigns as king. His life, marked by both great faith and significant sin, highlights the reality of God's forgiving nature.
c. 586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Babylonian Exile
The destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, leading to exile. This devastating event starkly contrasts with God's enduring mercy, and the memory of His character is a source of hope for the exiles.
This is the foundational passage where God reveals His character to Moses, using almost the same words to describe Himself as gracious, merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.
Nehemiah 9:17This passage echoes the description of God's character from Exodus, showing how the people remembered and praised God for His graciousness and mercy during their history.
Joel 2:13In a call to repentance, God is described as gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, highlighting that these attributes are central to His relational nature.
Ephesians 2:4-5This New Testament passage speaks of God's immense love and mercy, showing that even though we were dead in our sins, He made us alive with Christ, directly reflecting His gracious nature.
1 Peter 1:3Peter praises God for His great mercy in giving believers new birth through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, emphasizing the active and powerful nature of God's mercy in our lives.
bensonPsalms 145:8: "The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy."
Psalm 145:8-13 . The Lord is gracious, &c. — See notes on Exodus 34:6-7 ; and Numbers 14:18 . The Lord is good to all — Not only to Israel, but to all mankind, whose hearts he fills with food and gladness, as is said Acts 14:17 ; yea, to all his creatures, to beasts as well as men. All thy works praise thee — They give men and angels just occasion to praise thee; for they set forth thy glory, and ma…
pulpitPsalms 145:8: "The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy."
Verse 8. - The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. Professor Cheyne compares the epithets in a Babylonian hymn to the sun-god; but a closer parallel is to be found in Exodus 34:6, 7, "The Lord God is merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sin" (see also…
The verse isn't just listing God's attributes; it's painting a picture of His relational heart. He isn't just "slow to anger," but "abounding in steadfast love," showing that His generous love is His primary mode, and His anger is the exception, not the rule. This highlights that God's desire is always to draw us close with His deep affection.
This psalm is a celebration of God's reign and goodness, moving from general praise to specific attributes. The verses immediately preceding (7-11) describe how people will remember and speak of God's great goodness, righteous kingdom, and power. This verse, 8, then directly quotes God's self-description from Exodus 34:6, providing the foundational reason why people will praise Him: His gracious, merciful, slow-to-anger, and loving nature is the very heart of His character.
This psalm is a celebration of God's reign and goodness, moving from general praise to specific attributes. The verses immediately preceding (7-11) describe how people will remember and speak of God's great goodness, righteous kingdom, and power. This verse, 8, then directly quotes God's self-description from Exodus 34:6, providing the foundational reason why people will praise Him: His gracious, merciful, slow-to-anger, and loving nature is the very heart of His character.
"The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The LORD is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made." — The verse isn't just listing God's attributes; it's painting a picture of His relational heart. He isn't just "slow to anger," but "abounding in steadfast love," showing that His generous love is His…
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Last reviewed October 2026