Exegeting the Hymns #60 - His Mercy is More

His Mercy is More
w/m - Matt Boswell, Matt Papa

What love could remember no wrongs we have done 
Omniscient, all knowing, He counts not their sum
Thrown into a sea without bottom or shore
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more

Praise the Lord
His mercy is more
Stronger than darkness, new every morn
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more

What patience would wait as we constantly roam
What Father, so tender, is calling us home
He welcomes the weakest, the vilest, the poor
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more

What riches of kindness He lavished on us
His blood was the payment, His life was the cost
We stood 'neath a debt we could never afford
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more

The Modern Hymn movement has been been led, in recent years, by the Getty's and Sovereign Grace music, but there is a new batch of writers who are making a real name for themselves with their timeless, theological songs. Matt Boswell and Matt Papa (Come Behold The Wondrous Mystery) and Matt Merker (He Will Hold Me Fast) are quickly filling in the new canon of congregation-oriented songs with offerings like this one.

Not only is it singable, which is a reasonable (if not feeble) standard, but is the kind of melody that you can’t rid yourself of. Time will tell, but I believe the combination of uplifting theological lyrics, fantastic hook, and enduring melody will make this song one of the greats. It won’t have the benefit of industry-driven airplay, but will be sung by congregations across the country who desire more to their worship than “burger and fries”.

What love could remember no wrongs we have done? Omniscient, all knowing, He counts not their sum. Thrown into a sea without bottom or shore. Our sins they are many, His mercy is more. The paradox of God’s omniscience and “forgetfulness” are on clear display here. By God’s omniscience, I mean the fact that He knows all, past, present, future, and even what would be or could be in every given circumstance. By “forgetfulness”, I am clearly speaking anthropomorphically (attributing human characteristics to God). The term “Sea of forgetfulness”, that is commonly used, is not actually in scripture, but the principle is found in Micah 7:19, “He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.”

How can a God who knows all forget our sins? Clearly, He doesn’t, but once forgiven, our sins are never brought up again for they have been atoned for by the blood of Christ. It is this merciful atonement, this payment for all our sins, past, present, and future that makes this eternal forgiveness possible.

As I write this, my heart is overflowing with thanksgiving for His mercy and grace, and that is where the song turns in the chorus: Praise the Lord! His mercy is more. Stronger than darkness, new every morn. Our sins they are many, His mercy is more. We have been forgiven for our past sins, but just as stunningly, our sins of the present and future are also removed from our account. Every day, God’s mercy is shown to us. Praise the Lord!

What patience would wait as we constantly roam? What Father, so tender, is calling us home? He welcomes the weakest, the vilest, the poor. Our sins they are many, His mercy is more. I am glad that God is not like me. My impatience would quickly be the end of this creation. I can’t hardly abide someone driving 5 miles an hour under the speed limit in front of me, and yet God daily forgives my every wickedness committed against Him. I recently heard it said that Jesus saw the best in me… and then He died to forgive me for it. Like Paul in Romans 7:18, I say, “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh.” And yet, God still forgives and holds no sin to my account.

What riches of kindness He lavished on us? His blood was the payment, His life was the cost. We stood 'neath a debt we could never afford. Our sins they are many, His mercy is more. The song so far has looked at God’s mercy in not giving us the punishment we so deserve, but now it shifts to His grace and tells of the blessings He gives that we don’t deserve. We are so blessed… on both sides of heaven, and that very blessing was bought with the blood of Christ.  

Left to our own, even amid a life of good work after good work (as if there is such a thing), we would be able to add not a single penny to our account that is daily, with every beat of our heart, being more and more overdrawn. We are without hope if we are without Christ. With every breath we fall short of God’s glory and yet, even though our sins have piled up to be a mountain higher than Everest… His mercy is more!

---