“The quality of mercy is not strain'd.” –the nature of mercy

By Baldmichael Theresoluteprotector’sson

“The quality of mercy is not strain'd.” is the first line of a speech given by Portia in William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. You can find the whole speech here.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_quality_of_mercy

The meaning of mercy in the context of the play is that the debtor, Antonio, is unable to repay back the loan he guaranteed to Shylock the moneylender.

But mercy can be more broadly thought of as commuting a sentence of death and imposing life imprisonment instead, although it might be debateable that this is really a true mercy.

Mercy can also be thought of as a blessing for which one is grateful, but typically it is considered to be the withholding of punishment or requirement of a debt payment.

However, the gratitude element is very relevant as in French the word ‘Merci’ which is pronounced the same means ‘Thanks’ or ‘Thank you’. Wiktionary gives the root of its meaning.

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/mercy

From Middle English mercy, merci, from Anglo-Norman merci (compare continental Old French merci, mercit), from Latin mercēs (“wages, fee, price”), from merx (“wares, merchandise”). Displaced native Old English mildheortnes (literally "mildheartedness"). Cognate with French merci, whence the doublet merci.

It is worth noting that in French ‘Merci’ can be split mer-ci, meaning ‘sea-here’. And one might give thanks for the sea and all that it produces, including fish to eat.

There is even an island of Mersea in Essex, England, a pleasant little spot, accessible by road outside of the high tides which cover the access causeway.

Anyway, if you have received mercy, the forgiveness of a debt you would, I hope, be grateful and will at least say ‘thank you’ for receiving it. In Portia’s speech she says of mercy

“It is an attribute to God Himself; And earthly power doth then show likest God's when mercy seasons justice.”

Which leads on to this passage in the Old Testament in Hosea 6 v.6.

“For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.”

https://biblehub.com/interlinear/hosea/6-6.htm

God himself wants us to show mercy rather than give him a barbeque!

It can be noted that the word ‘mercy’ is דסֶחֶ֥, ḥe·seḏ in Hebrew.

Hesed anagrams to ‘heeds’ which makes sense of God desiring people to have ‘the knowledge of God’, heed his words.

In the New Testament sacrifice is associated with thanksgiving. Hebrews 13 v.15 says

“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips that confess His name.”

https://biblehub.com/interlinear/hebrews/13-15.htm

The word for ‘praise’ is αἰνέσεως, Aineseōs in Greek. This can anagram to

- i.e. season

The giving of thanks throughout the year and the changing circumstances.

“in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

1 Thessalonians 5 v.18

NB not ‘for everything’ but ‘in everything’.

- sees Iona

Iona, a beautiful spot in the Inner Hebrides in Scotland.

- sea noise

There is the verse from Psalm 93

“Above the roar of many waters— the mighty breakers of the sea— the LORD on high is majestic.”

- Nee oasis

A place of refreshment in a desert.

- Oise sane

The Oise is a river in France. One can find gratitude and sanity by a river and the Oise flows into the river Seine!

- O as Seine

You can be sane by the Seine!

ie so sane

What praise can bring, mental health.

- ease ions

We have cations (+ electrical charge) and anions (- electrical charge) and regulating these is key to bodily functions.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-leading-edge/202504/how-gratitude-heals-from-within

It says

• Gratitude rewrites our narratives, transforming negative stories into empowering perspectives.

• Cellular memory exists in the body, not just in the brain, storing information at the biological level.

• Practicing gratitude may reprogram cells via epigenetic changes, creating new physical patterns of healing.

• Heart-centered gratitude engages the cardiac nervous system, potentially amplifying whole-body transformation.
  
  

Summary and final thoughts

That is some aspects of mercy for you, mercy which derives from and leads to thankfulness.

Thankfulness which can benefit the body as well as the mind and soul.

And as God wants what is best for us (he made us after all) we might reasonably thank him for all the good we have.

It is worth noting the word in Greek for ‘sacrifice’ used in the Hebrews quote is Θυσίαν, thysian.

And thysian will anagram to ‘I shanty’. A shanty is a song, a sailor’s song which they typically sang while working.

A song of the sea. And of that perhaps the sailors were grateful.

And which you might call a mer-sea!

Portia says near the end of her speech addressing Shylock

Therefore, Jew, though justice be thy plea, consider this: that in the course of justice none of us should see salvation. We do pray for mercy, and that same prayer doth teach us all to render the deeds of mercy.

This reminds me of the scripture in James 2 v.12-13

“Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom. For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”

And as Jesus says

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and onlye Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.”

And that is mercy, for which I am eternally grateful.

Look out for the sign of Baldmichael, he will be back!

P.S. here are a couple of post that might be helpful if you haven’t seen.

Prayer and Praise – their meaning simply explained

Why is the word ‘amazing’ so amazing?