Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy loving-kindness

‘Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy loving-kindness/ — Ver. la.

TJERE we have the first word of the penitent sinner.” In this utterance we have the key of true prayer. In this word we also find the key to the whole Psalm. He who does not sincerely fall in with this word will never understand the rest of the Psalm. The prayer of David will be for him as a sealed book.

And we must not think that this word may be understood so easily, and, as it were, of itself. During the long period before David was brought to humiliation by the Spirit of God to know his sin aright, he could not of himself use this simple prayer, — only the soul which has been brought to an awakening by God Himself can be in a position to use this word in prayer with the whole heart. And he only who uses it in prayer from the heart can truly understand it. This must especially never be forgotten. David has learned to utter this prayer upon his knees with a broken heart, in bitter sorrow for his sin. Much reading and much thinking may be necessary, but

HATE MERCY UPOX ME.

they are not enough for the right understanding of this prayer. It must be uttered upon the knees, with self-abasement, and to God. Then only can it become a blessing to us. Let us therefore look continually to God for His light and teaching, until by using it in prayer we have made this Psalm our own.

‘Have mercy upon me, 0 God? The true suppliant believes that there is mercy with God. That with God there is mercy, is the greatest wonder of the divine being. The omniscience of God is a wonder. The omnipotence of God is a wonder. God’s spotless holiness is a wonder. None of these things can we understand. But the greatest wonder of all is the mercy of God. Here upon the earth we think but lightly of this, and imagine that it cannot be otherwise, and are but little surprised at it. But it is not thus in heaven. There men are humbled at the thought of it, and never cease to adore and thank God for His mercy. For there God is known as the Holv One. It is known there that it is His honor to maintain His law, and to manifest Himself against sin as a consuming fire. It is known there what sin is: the shameful rejection of the Perfect One — of His law and His love. It is known there how entirely deserving man was of being rejected by God, and therefore it is that in this mercy of God such high glory is seen. That He should still have compassion for our fallen race; that He Himself should pay the ransom for our sin at the cost of the blood of His Son; that he should long after the ungodly, forgive them everything, and receive them to be His children, — all this is so great that the angels cannot marvel sufficiently over such mercy. And it was because David had heard that there was such mercy with God that he draws near to Him with this prayer. We also must endeavor to understand and believe that there is mercy with God.

Have mercy upon me, O God. The suppliant also feels that he has need of mercy. Mercy is something that is entirely undeserved, a boon to which we cannot lay the least claim. David feels that his sin is so shameful, and makes him so guilty in the eyes of the holy God, that it would be equitable in God if he should be condemned. Heaven would be bound to praise God if He vindicated His honor and His law in this manner. Man has nothing of which he can boast. If he has served God at an earlier period, that only makes his guilt the greater. It is not God alone that condemns him; he condemns himself. He feels that he is entirely deserving of the judgment of God, for his sin had shown how he had withdrawn from God notwithstanding all the goodness of God towards him. He feels that it will be a marvel of mercy if such a sinner is still thought worthy to be made a friend of God. Tea, the true suppliant feels that he has need of mercy; that nothing but free grace alone can be his hope.

Have mercy upon me, O God. The true suppliant desires also that mercy may he shown to him. He knows that there is mercy, and he feels that he is one who

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has need of mercy; a fitting object of mercy. And yet this is not enough for him: he has need of more. He desires that God should show His mercy towards him, and make him conscious that this mercy is also intended for him. He knows that the showing of mercy must be a personal action of God towards the soul. That God is merciful, he cries, that I know there is great mercy with God, that there is mercy for all, can still bring me no rest. What I need to make the anxious heart peaceful is that I should know God is merciful to me. Be merciful to me. yes, to me, O God of mercy.

This longing is in full harmony with what God’s word teaches us on these points. The word speaks always of finding mercy, obtaining mercy, receiving mercy, partalcing of mercy, having mercy: and looked at from the side of God as an action, it is called giving mercy, showing mercy. Sin is a personal misdeed committed against the God with whom every one of us has to do. Conversion, in like manner, is the coming to this God to receive redemption from Him in order that He may show mercy to the soul in taking away sin.

I am afraid that on these points there prevails in the case of many a great error. They comfort themselves with the thought that God is merciful. They have, however, no idea that this of itself will avail them nothing. This mercy must be given to them by God, and must be experienced in the soul. They forget that there is a work which mercv is to do for the soul, and that he who is not partaker of it cannot enter heaven. They forget that God is the Righteous One as well as the Merciful; that ere His righteousness can liberate a single soul His holy law must be fulfilled, and the sinner, every one for himself, must have part in the righteousness of Christ, and consequently in the acquittal of God. And thus with the word of mercy upon his lips, many a one nevertheless goes on to meet destruction: not because there is no mercy with God even for him, but because he has never obtained part in the personal experience of the work of divine grace.

My fellow-sinner, if you would learn to pray for mercy, hold fast these thoughts. First of all, that there is mercy with God: let your soul be filled with the thought that with God there is mercy, and that it is the highest joy of His heart to show mercy; and further, that you have need of mercy. In the sequel of this Psalm you will learn more fully how great your need is. Without mercy you will be eternally and unspeakably wretched. But especially is this thought of the utmost importance, that what you must have is a personal experience of this mercy as manifested toward you. Something must find place betwixt you and your God. You must have mercy. Without this you may not rest content. God must do something for you. He must show you mercy. Let God’s great mercy and your great misery be the two arguments which cause you to utter this prayer all the more earnestly, ‘Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy loving- kindness, until you have found mercy.