Commentators on the meaning of mercy

Ray Pritchard explains that mercy includes three elements…

1. ”I see the need”—that’s recognition.
2. “I am moved by the need”—that’s motivation.
3. “I move to meet the need”—that’s action.

Having a feeling of sorrow over someone’s bad situation I now want to try to do something about it. Mercy is more than a feeling, but not less than that. Mercy begins with simple recognition that someone is hurting around you. But mere seeing or feeling isn’t mercy. Mercy moves from feeling to action. It is active compassion for those in need.

William Barclay noted the Hebrew word (hesed) for “merciful” has the idea of

“the ability to get right inside the other person’s skin until we can see things with his eyes, think things with his mind, and feel things with his feelings.”