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I. THE NATURE OF HIS FORGIVENESS. The Bible generally sets Divine forgiveness forth under figures corresponding to the aspects in which sin stands before the mind of the writer at the time. For example —

1. When sin appears as a debt, an unfulfilled obligation, then pardon is spoken of as cancelling.

2. When sin appears as an estrangement from God, then forgiveness is represented as reconciliation.

3. When sin appears as an indictment, forgiveness is spoken of as justification.

4. When sin appears as a pollution, forgiveness is represented as a cleansing.

5. When sin appears as a disease, forgiveness is represented as a healing.

6. When sin appears as an obstruction between the soul and God, forgiveness is represented as a clearing. There are three points of contrast between Divine forgiveness and human.

(1) In human governments forgiveness is exercised with most cautious limitations. There is no such limitation to the exercise of this prerogative in God.

(2) In human forgiveness there is no guarantee against future criminality. But the God-pardoned man is a changed man.

(3) Human forgiveness can never put the criminal in such a good position as he had before his transgression. But in Divine forgiveness the criminal is raised to a higher status even than that of innocence.

II. THE SOURCE OF HIS FORGIVENESS. Anger in God is not passion. but principle; not antagonism to existence, but to the evils that curse existence. Here is the source of forgiveness, "He delighteth in mercy."

1. Forgiveness as a merciful act. It is not an act of equity but of compassion; not of justice, but of love.

2. This act of mercy is the delight of God. Mercy is a modification of benevolence.

(1) If He delights in mercy, then hush forever the pulpits that blasphemously represent Him as malign.

(2) If He delights in mercy, then let no sinner despair on account of the enormity of his sins.

(3) If He delights in mercy, may we not hope that one day there will come an end to all the misery of the moral universe?

III. THE COMPLETENESS OF HIS FORGIVENESS (ver. 19).

1. The entire subjugation of all sins. Sin is the enemy of all enemies. Divine forgiveness is the destruction of sin in us.

2. The entire submersion of all sin. Forgiveness is deliverance from sin. Figures employed — "Blotting out of a thick cloud." "Thou hast cast all my sins behind Thy back." Casting sins "into the depths of the sea." "Remembering sin no more." All true forgiveness involves forgetfulness.

(Homilist.)

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KJV: Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.

WEB: Who is a God like you, who pardons iniquity, and passes over the disobedience of the remnant of his heritage? He doesn't retain his anger forever, because he delights in loving kindness.