When I read the first few verses in this passage I am filled with peace. The King of Peace is describing His character, and I have seen Him do so many of these things in my own life. God has shown me compassion and mercy. He has been slow to anger when I have gotten things wrong and rebelled against Him. He has shown me love and faithfulness when I didn’t deserve it. I have no doubt that anyone who knows Christ recognizes the same thing.
But then the scripture says “I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin. But I do not excuse the guilty.” When read this I find myself asking — where is the line? He forgives some, but then does not excuse others?
The line for us is Christ. Now that Jesus has fulfilled the law and has made us right before God, we are forgiven of our iniquity, rebellion and sin. When we accept Christ, God uses our right standing with Him to lavish love onto generations after us, and He sets free the generational sin that would have gone on had we not given ourselves over to Christ. The gospel message is woven throughout scripture, and God uses His people to bless His creation over and over, “to a thousand generations.”