Lord, Have Mercy~

We have worked our way backward on this week's verse and have finally arrived at the beginning.


Psalm 57:1

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me: for my soul trusts inYou: yes, in the shadow of Your wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be over.

Remember that game we all played as kids where we would stand face-to-face with someone, interlock hands and try to bend the other's fingers back until they snapped or the person yelled, "MERCY!"?

By the time someone yelled, it was because there was an URGENT need for relief. This verse is asking for mercy twice, and it is not some quiet, relaxed, I am sipping tea out by the pool on a lovely spring afternoon, wearing a wide-brim sombrero, and casually swatting at the occasional fly, with a pinky extended and saying, "Be merciful, hee hee hee."

NO! It's more of a life is hard, my kid failed another test, my daughter is dating a thug, my husband is depressed, I hate my job, and I don't know how I am going to pay the bills screaming, "Be merciful to me, O God, me merciful to me!!!!"

Do you see the difference? It's a gut-wrenching sincere cry for relief. Other versions of the Bible describe the calamities as a hurricane. If you're in the middle of a hurricane, your cry for help will be forceful and emphatic.

And it is ok--more than ok--to cry out for mercy from the One Whom your soul trusts and under Whose wing you are hiding out until the bad stuff passes.

We trust, pray, and seek shelter, and He freely and abundantly provides mercy.

What, exactly, is mercy? It's God's kindness and compassion. More on that this week :)

What a satisfying note to begin our week on!

PRAYER:
Dear Lord, Be merciful to us, O God, be merciful to us: for our souls trust in You: yes, in the shadow of Your wing we make our refuge, until the calamities be over. In Jesus name, AMEN~