the christian portrayal of god is hypocritical.

As I've already pointed out there is nothing un-loving about GOD punishing people who break His laws. He created us, He gave us commandments and said "Do not break these or you will go to Hell." We broke these commandments. GOD has is perfectly just in condemning people for that. People always have a choice. They have a choice to either turn to Christ and trust in His mercy, or to continue in their sin. The problem is that a person WANTS their sin more than they want Christ. It's not that GOD says "ummm... you would have wanted to repent, but I didn't want you to so I kept you from it." GOD doesn't keep anyone from repenting. Our own sinfulness does that. The only way for someone to desire to repent is if GOD changes their hearts and makes them want Christ more than they want sin. Then they will choose Christ. It's not that GOD gives the people who He has chosen the ability to repent. Everyone has that ability. He gives them the desire. The only reason why non-preordained people cannot choose GOD is not because they lack the ability, it's because they lack all desire to do so. So when the psalmist says "but I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation." This is someone speaking from a heart that GOD has changed. This is someone who DESIRES GOD. Desires to praise Him and follow Him. Since GOD has changed this person's heart this person now trusts in GOD's mercy and salvation. A person whose heart GOD has not chosen to save will never trust in GOD's mercy or rejoice in His salvation. GOD doesn't keep someone from believing in Him. He simply gives some a new heart that desires to follow Him. Back to the example with the dog and the owner from argument one. The owner has repeatedly told the dog to stay in the fence. The owner leaves the gate open and walks away. The owner knows that the dog is going to leave the fence but wants to give it a choice. The owner did not make the dog leave the yard in any way shape or form. He simply gave it the choice whether or not to obey him. The dog could have stayed inside the fence, but he didn't want to. In order to be saved one MUST trust in Jesus as their only hope of salvation. "I am the Way, the Truth, the Life. No one comes to the Father but by Me." One must turn away from their sin and follow Jesus. "For whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." All the promises of those who trust in GOD will be saved are true. The only way someone will trust in GOD though is if they are given a new heart that desires to trust in Jesus. The mercy side of things is that Jesus died when He didn't have to. Matthew 26:52. Jesus states here very plainly that He doesn't have to die if He doesn't want to. He still does though. Dying in order to take the punishment for someone else is merciful. Punishing those who refuse to repent of their sins and follow Jesus is just. Granting a new heart that desires to follow Christ and then letting them make a decision is mercy. Not granting a new heart that wants to follow Christ and letting them make their own choice is just. It is also just to give a new heart that desires to follow Christ to some because Christ died to take the punishment for sins. His death satisfied Justice. People are always allowed to make a choice. Because sin's hold on them is so strong however, they cannot choose anything but sin. They have the ability to choose, but they desire sin so strongly, they cannot choose against that desire. In conclusion, there is no way that GOD will condemn someone in spite of repenting and following Christ. "Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." The only way someone will call upon the name of the Lord however, is if they have been given a new heart that desires GOD. Everyone has the choice to change, but no one is able to independently because they desire sin too strongly. GOD is just for sending those to Hell who reject His law and His Son. He is merciful because gives to some a new heart that desires to follow Christ. Read the books of Genesis, Matthew, Romans, and Ephesians.