RPG Adults
MERCY ACCORDING TO GOD’S WORD
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1
Psalm 119:58
Psalm 86:1-7
“Be merciful unto me, O Lord:
for I cry unto thee daily.”
MERCY ACCORDING TO GOD’S WORD
The psalmist’s prayer “be merciful” is to seek favour from the LORD, and His pity upon him. This is to entreat God to bestow upon the believer the kindness and grace that he needs. The psalmist seeks it for he knows how he always requires blessings from God. There is no blessing when one is not reconciled with the Lord. He will only receive such when God’s mercy is upon him (who deserves only the wrath of God).
With the LORD’s favour: The psalmist seeks the Lord’s favour in grief and pain. He is not asking for any specific material provision, but he is praying for God to bless him by His very presence. “Favour” comes from the Hebrew word for “face.” It is as if he is seeking an audience with God. To receive blessings from the Lord is nothing compared to God’s approval of him and acceptance of his person. The psalmist delights to commune with God. He wants to pay tribute to God, and God’s presence is more than all the world can give.
With my whole heart: It is a sincere pursuit to come before God’s presence. It is not half-hearted, but a wholehearted passion. The psalmist knows that the Lord is omniscient. Nothing can be hidden from Him, for the Lord sees the deepest recesses of man’s heart. He understands whether the psalmist means it or not. A whole heart’s entreaty describes a devoted and decisive act of pleading for God’s favour and mercy. He knows that falling short of such will amount to nothing before God’s ears.
We live in an age where there is no conviction of sins in the hearts of professing believers. The psalmist understands that God will not hear, neither will He commune with those who live licentiously in sin. He seeks with determination the Lord’s face to accept him and answer his prayers. This desire to live holy and pure before God is taken by others to be legalistic when this is precisely what the Lord requires.
Dear reader, do not imagine yourself accepted by God when you sin. You must seek His face, and His forgiveness.
THOUGHT: Do I admit that I am guilty of transgressing the laws of God?
PRAYER: Father, I confess my sinfulness, and my guilt.