GOD IS ALWAYS FAITHFUL!

READ PSALM 86

I NEED NOT FEAR MAN!

Psalm 86:14-17

O God, insolent men have risen up against me;

a band of ruthless men seeks my life,

and they do not set you before them.

But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.

Turn to me and be gracious to me;

give your strength to your servant,

and save the son of your maidservant.

Show me a sign of your favor,

that those who hate me may see and be put to shame

because you, LORD, have helped me and comforted me.

  

In the beginning of this psalm, David humbled himself before the Lord. He had recognized his need for God. He is burdened by his difficulties, but he has not despaired; he has stopped to reflect on God. He has meditated on the greatness of God. He is motivated by what he knows about his God. Does that mean that his problems have vanished? Certainly not!

David now goes on to tell God about the fierceness of his enemies. These men have no concern about God or His laws. Yes, his enemies are real and dangerous. But David knows his God and has complete confidence in His character and love.

What a wonderful thing to know that God is merciful!

Ephesians 2:4-7

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

           

Hebrews 4:16

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

It was God’s mercy that provided our salvation and so still today, I can go to Him in my times of need and find help.

We can come to God, knowing not only that He is merciful, but also that He gives us grace.

2 Peter 1:2

May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

James 4:6

But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

As we, like David, humble ourselves before God, He shows us grace, as well. The more we know our God, the more we will understand the riches of His grace.

We have peace in knowing that He is slow to anger and is steadfast in His love.

Exodus 34:6-9

The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.” And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped. And he said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, please let the Lord go in the midst of us, for it is a stiff-necked people, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.”

           

The children of Israel put God’s steadfast love to the test many times; every time they repented He forgave them, only because He was faithful to His promises although they were so often unfaithful. Like Moses we must bow ourselves in worship for such great love.

David knew that it would be God Who would receive the glory when He would rescue him.

We must live our lives in complete trust. Our God is faithful to His promises; He is steadfast in His love: we should not fear. May our praise be confident, as we wait upon Him to show us His favor.