RELIGION: 'Let thy mercies come also unto me, O LORD'

Weekly Devotion

"Let thy mercies come also unto me, O LORD, even thy salvation, according to thy word. So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me: for I trust in thy word." Psalm 119:41-42 (Read Psalm 119:41-48)

Which one of us, when held up to the standard of God's perfect law, could not be reproached? We are all guilty! God's holy law condemns us!

The Bible tells us: "For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not" (Eccl. 7:20). The Apostle Paul, in writing to the Romans, says it this way: "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God ..." (Romans 3:23). None of us even begins to measure up to the standard of God's perfection and holiness!

We flee to the cross of Jesus for mercy.

"Let thy mercies come also unto me, O LORD, even thy salvation, according to thy word."

Like the tax collector, who knew of his sin and unworthiness before the LORD God, we pray, "God be merciful to me a sinner" (Luke 18:13).

And the Scripture assures us that our God is gracious and merciful. "For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee" (Psalm 86:5).

For Jesus Christ's sake, because He fulfilled the righteous and holy demands of God's law for us and then suffered and died on the cross for our sins and rose again, God is gracious to us and forgives our sins when we look to Jesus and His atoning sacrifice in faith (cf. Rom. 3:21-26; John 3:14-18; 1 John 1:7--2:2).

"So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me: for I trust in thy word."

Though we may be reproached by those around us, by our own consciences, and by the devil himself because of our sins and failures to keep God's law, we have an answer given us in God's very own Word. Because of the promises of God's Word, we can say: "Yes, I am a guilty sinner, deserving of death and hell; but Jesus shed His blood for me -- in Him I have found mercy and forgiveness!"

"Let thy mercies come also unto me, O LORD, even thy salvation, according to thy word. So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me: for I trust in thy word." Amen.

[Devotion by Randy Moll. Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible. More of Moll's devotional writings may be freely read at https://goodshepherdonline.org. Moll may be contacted by email at [email protected]. Opinions expressed are those of the author.]