Trusting His Mercy

      By Fern Horst

"But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever." (Psalm 52:8)

Recently I read through Psalm 136 in which each verse ends with, "for his mercy endureth forever," and was reminded again of the endless aspects of life in which we are utterly dependent on God's mercy.

In Psalm 52, David was struggling with the actions of another person toward him. In the first number of verses he expresses his frustration and feelings about this person and his actions. He then contrasts this person with himself, and recognizes his advantage in having made God his strength by trusting in His mercy, rather than in riches and wickedness as the other person had done.

David finishes his Psalm by writing, "I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever. I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints."

If David wrote this Psalm in one sitting, he didn't yet know the outcome of his difficult situation when he wrote of his trust in the Lord. But he knew he could rely on God's mercy to see him through.

It is a normal part of human experience to face difficulties with other people from time to time. As singles we may feel even more that we are facing such difficulties alone, as though there is no one to defend us. Sometimes we can easily deal with these situations emotionally. Other times can be much more difficult, depending on the person or the situation and what it affects in our lives.

Because these situations seem to be so dependent on another person's choices and are outside of our own control, there is even more reason to trust in God's mercy. If we know our hearts are clean before Him, we can count on Him to work in and through the situation for our good and His glory.

"The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands." (Psalm 138:8)

© 2008 Fern Horst

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