Say: O My Servants Who Have Exceeded Against Themselves — Do Not Despair of Allah's Mercy
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لَا تَقۡنَطُواْ مِن رَّحۡمَةِ ٱللَّهِ
— الزمر 53
Verse: "Say: O My servants who have exceeded against themselves — do not despair of Allah's mercy. Allah forgives all sins — He is the Forgiving, the Merciful." (39:53) — Three wonders: "My servants" — Allah attributes them to Himself despite their excess; "all sins" — no exception, sins however great are within Allah's mercy. Sa'id ibn Jubayr: "This verse contains the greatest hope in the Quran." Lesson: despair of Allah's mercy is a greater sin than the sin that caused it.
Source: Ibn Kathir (7/87); Al-Sadi
Question: Why did Allah say "My servants" to the excessive ones and not "O sinners"?
Answer: Attributing them to Himself as "My servants" is divine mercy — affirming that sin does not sever servitude or remove one from Allah's mercy.