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Day 45

"For Your mercies' sake..."

Day 45 – Psalm 6

“For Your mercies’ sake…” Psalm 6:4b

IN A DESPERATE STATE

David was in an obviously desperate state! He described his own situation very well in the first three verses (Psalm 6:1-3):-

1. Mentally- Worried

He was worried that God was very angry with him (Psalm 6:1).

2. Physically- Weak and Ill

He was probably quite ill (Psalm 6:2)

3. Spiritually- God seemed to have distanced Himself

He was particularly disturbed that God had not answered him already! He cried out, “How long?” to display how desperate he felt! (Psalm 13:1-2).

PRAYING IN TIMES OF DESPERATION

What is the best way to pray when one is in a desperate situation? Let us ponder David’s prayer!

“Have mercy on me, O LORD, for I am weak;”

“Return, O LORD, deliver me!
Oh, save me for Your mercies’ sake!”
Psalm 6:2, 4

1. The theme of “mercy”

a) This is a very dominant theme in the Book of Psalms.
b) It was certainly in the Davidic Penitential/Lament psalms.

2. The validity of pleading for mercy from the Lord

The concept of pleading the Lord’s mercy may be traced all the way back to the writings of Moses. The most powerful of statements on this subject may well be found in this text. This was God’s Self-Revelation!

“And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed,
‘The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious,
longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth,
keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity
and transgression and sin…'”
Exodus 34:6-7

To plead for mercy would be the sanest thing to do, knowing our human tendency to sin! To plead for God’s mercy would also be the wisest thing to do- for we appeal to the very Essence of God! A prayer for mercy would most assuredly be heard!