Is the God of the Old Testament Different than the God of the New Testament?

Psalm 103

Of David.

1 Praise the Lord, my soul;
    all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2 Praise the Lord, my soul,
    and forget not all his benefits—
3 who forgives all your sins
    and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit
    and crowns you with love and compassion,
5 who satisfies your desires with good things
    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6 The Lord works righteousness
    and justice for all the oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses,
    his deeds to the people of Israel:
8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
    slow to anger, abounding in love.
9 He will not always accuse,
    nor will he harbor his anger forever;
10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve
    or repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
    so great is his love for those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
    so far has he removed our transgressions from us.


I often hear people wonder if the God of the Old Testament is different than the God of the New Testament. It seems as though the two testaments describe a different God.   

Psalm 103 expresses the benefits of knowing God and how God showed His character to people of god. Though the psalm is written before Jesus came, we see the same character qualities Jesus exhibited on earth are ascribed to the God of Israel. First, the psalmist starts with a call to praise God with all your soul and inmost being.  Then the psalmist goes on to explain why we should praise God with all of who we are.

1. God forgives us of our sins.  Again even though Jesus is not yet mentioned, it is looking forward to Him. 

2. God heals your diseases.  God forgives us for our sin which affects our soul and spirit, but also cleanses our bodies from infirmities. 

3. This is one we don't talk about very much.  God satisfies your desires with good things, so that our youth is renewed.  We often think desires are bad, but they are from God and if enjoyed within the limits God gives us they provide joy, happiness and renewal. 

4. God is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.  We often think God is very judgmental in the Old Testament with the Jesus people.  But when you actually read the Old Testament you see how gracious God is and how patient He is with his people despite their continuing unfaithfulness. 

Finally, the psalmist ends with some beautiful words that show the full extent of God's love for us.  "For as the high as the heavens above, how great is the Father's love for us", and "As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." 

When is the last time you praised God will all of your soul and inmost being?  As you think about who He is, and who He is to you, you can praise the God of both the Old and New Testament. 



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