The Divine Attributes Meeting and Kissing
Personifications · 5 verses
Psalm 85 presents a beautiful personification of God's attributes as persons who meet, embrace, and work together in redemption. 'Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.' This poetic imagery captures the theological problem solved at the cross: How can a righteous God show mercy? How can truth and peace coexist when sinners deserve judgment? In Christ, these seemingly conflicting attributes are reconciled—mercy and truth meet; righteousness and peace kiss. The image of Truth springing from earth while Righteousness looks down from heaven suggests the incarnation, where heaven's righteousness and earth's longing unite.
Scripture References
“Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven. Yea, the LORD shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase. Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps.”
“Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.”
“O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.”
“Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.”
“And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.”