Daily Devotions
Psalms
Psalm 51:1b "According to Your lovingkindness..."
Day 112 – Psalm 51
“According to Your lovingkindness…” Psalm 51:1b
PRAYER
Prayer reveals many things. On the one hand it reveals the identity of the person who prays. On the other hand it also showcases the attributes of God to whom prayers are offered.
“Have mercy upon me, O God,
According to Your lovingkindness;
According to the multitude of Your tender mercies.”
Psalm 51:1
1. The petitioner
a) He has been identified as David in the superscription.
b) He comes to God as one in need of “mercy”.
2. God
On what basis would David approach God? How would he be assured in his heart that his prayers would even be heard?
a) “According to”
i) David knew God.
ii) He knew how God would respond.
iii) The phrase “according to” well describes how God would react to his prayers.
iv) God was not whimsical in nature.
v) His Divine attributes are well known and well established (Exodus 34:5-6).
b) “According to Your lovingkindness”
i) This word is made up of two inseparable qualities.
ii) There is “love” and there is “kindness” (NT equivalent “grace”).
c) “According to the multitude of Your tender mercies”
God’s tender mercies may indeed be described as “multitude”.