“They refused to listen, and did not remember Your wondrous deeds which You had performed among them; so they became stubborn and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But You are a God of forgiveness, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness; and You did not forsake them.” (Nehemiah 9:17)

“Nevertheless, in Your great compassion You did not make an end of them or forsake them, for You are a gracious and compassionate God.”
(Nehemiah 9:31)

Not an uncommon epithet of God, this description evokes Exodus 34:6-7, where God reveals the back side of His glory to Moses in the cleft of the rock. That was just after Moses had led the people out of captivity to relocate in the Promised Land. Now in Nehemiah’s time, just after returning to the land from their Babylonian-Assyrian captivity, the people acknowledged (in the Levites’ words) that their God was gracious and compassionate. He never changes, even when disciplining His people for their wayward ways.

The Levites led the way in repentance with fasting, in sackcloth and with dirt upon them; they confessed their sins; they returned to reading the book of the Law of Yahweh; and they worshipped Yahweh (Neh 9:1-4). Then the Levites summarized biblical history, beginning with creation (vss. 5-6), the call of Abram who was renamed Abraham and God’s promise to him (vss. 7-8), the Egyptian captivity (vs. 9), the Exodus (vss. 10-12), the giving of the Law to Moses (vss. 13-14), provisions of manna and water in the wilderness wanderings (vs. 15), and the people’s rebellion against God (vss. 16-17a). But—and this is a great insight into their own history—in the midst of their rebellion, God was gracious and compassionate (vs. 17b). The history of God’s dealing with His people, according to this account, amounted to this: God never left them, even when they blatantly engaged in idol worship!

Eventually, God did bring them into the Promised Land of Canaan (albeit 40 years later) and fulfilled His promises to Abraham of a huge descendancy living in the land (Neh 9:23-25). Yet, once settled in the land and enjoying the promises, they again strayed from God. Despite the Lord’s many gracious and compassionate warnings of judgment, they continued in their sin, until He sent them into captivity again (Babylonian-Assyrian). Now, having returned to the land, the Levites reminded them they are there because God has always been and continues to be gracious and compassionate.

Lord, at times You chastise us for our sin, yet You are the God of the eons who works everything to our good, because You are gracious and compassionate.