“Be merciful to me, O LORD,” David requests. “Mercy,” is a common plea to the Lord. Mercy is compassionate treatment, especially of those under one’s power. Mercy is a disposition to be kind and forgiving. Care for others, especially the disfortunate is a practice found in Biblical mercy.
The biblical concept of mercy always involves helping those in need or distress. Such help covers a broad range, from finding a bride to God’s forgiveness of sin. A wide vocabulary is employed in the original Hebrew and Greek to express these concepts, and an even wider vocabulary is found in English translations.
David’s need for mercy is great for his distress due to enemies makes his eyes grow weak with sorrow, and his soul and body with grief. God is indeed merciful. To Moses, he said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” (Exodus 33:19) The Lord, who has compassion promises his people, “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” (Isaiah 54:10)
Jesus embodies God’s mercy, Matthew 9:36 records, “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” When his disciples grew weary they wanted to send the people away because no one had eaten. Jesus displayed mercy as he said to them, “I have compassion for these people…. They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” (Matthew 14:16, 15:32) Then through a miracle, he fed thousands with five loaves and two fish.
I am to be like Jesus. Colossians 3:12-14 instructs me, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”
