TEXT: PSALM 18:20-28
Key verse: “With the
merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew
thyself upright” (Psalm 18:25).
Every man, at his best, is
an outcrop of God’s benevolence and mercy. Were it not for the undeserved and
unmerited acts of God’s mercy, humanity would have remained in the bowels of
sin and death!
The injunction in this
Psalm presents a timeless pattern for the contemporary man caught in the web of
life’s adversities. David was to write this song after God had given him
victory over his enemies, particularly Saul. David was a man much endeared to
God. It was his delight to obey God in all things. The few times he fell foul
of God’s laws, he repented deeply and spontaneously. It was like him to place
God’s laws sorely before his face, so that he might not sin against his
Creator. He had ample chances to deal ruthlessly and decisively against his
foes, especially Saul. In a way, he would have been justified. He had done
nothing to Saul to warrant his being hunted by the backslidden king. But David
avoided every available opportunity to destroy Saul. Had he done so, he would
have breached God’s commandment that says, ‘touch not my anointed’, for Saul,
in spite of his backslidden state, was indeed God’s anointed. Furthermore,
David would have resorted to self-management and repudiated God’s promise of
rescuing the weak.
The credentials of David
before God were his mercy, uprightness, righteousness and cleanness of hands.
“Therefore hath the Lord recompensed me according to my righteousness ...” It
is what a man sows that he will reap. David was merciful to his archenemy. God
likewise showed mercy to him.
The measure of what we
mete out to others, foe or friend, is the measure God will recompense us with.
If we are unmerciful, unrighteous and froward, we will not be privileged to
enjoy God’s intervention in our hour of need. The scripture enjoins us to love
our enemies and bless them that curse us. We are to repay evil with good, pray
for those who persecute and despitefully use us. Uprightness, righteousness and
mercy will bring us into favour with God, for He loveth righteousness and
judgment.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Only
a heart made perfect can love perfectly!
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