Pleas For Mercy

I shared Psalm 28:6-7 on social media last week. I read those verses shortly before I heard that a good friend had died from cancer at age 41, leaving behind her husband and three young children. Grief washed over me. Jess and her husband were our family while we lived in Dubai. I cried for the loss I felt, and I cried for her husband and children. Those who knew her rejoice that the fight with cancer is over, and she is dancing with Jesus (she loved dancing) free from pain and suffering, but they also feel the extreme loss, an emptiness, especially her family.

It's times like these that we cling to what we know is true about God. Otherwise, the grief can overwhelm us and leave us feeling hopeless and despairing. I’m thankful that even as I read the news about Jess, God brought Psalm 28:6-7 back to my mind.

6 Blessed be the Lord!

For He has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy.

7 The Lord is my strength and my shield,

in Him my heart trusts, and I am helped;

my heart exults,

and with my song I give thanks to Him.

If you have a minute, read all nine verses of Psalm 28. Although these are the few verses that caught my attention, it is good to read them in their context. While you’re reading, write down the “God is…” truths.

Psalm 28 ties to Psalms 26 and 27 where David has been falsely accused. In Psalm 28, David continues his prayer to God midst his circumstances (the first strophe, verses 1-5). Then, in the second strophe (verses 6-9), he celebrates God’s answer to his prayer which motivates him to pray for others.

My friend was not being falsely accused of anything that I know of. Her suffering came in the form of cancer. You may not have others falsely accusing you, but just as we’ve done in studying other Psalms, we understand that the psalmist’s specific type of suffering does not have to be the same as ours for the truths about God to instill comfort and encouragement.

I read back through my texts from Jess. It was a little over a year ago that she first asked me to pray because there was a lump under her armpit. One of her next texts came after a CT scan and biopsy. She said, “I’m fixing my eyes on the Lord!” Jess didn’t know all the details at that time or what the future held, but she was facing the likelihood of cancer and choosing to fix her eyes on Jesus. Her initial response was prayer and trusting God. It was a response she continued until the end.

After David finishes his prayer in verses 1-5, he follows it with, “Blessed be the Lord!” We aren’t told that there is a time lapse between verses 5 and 6. We don’t know that David was vindicated when he wrote verses 6-9. How could he say, “Blessed be the Lord!”? How can we say, “Blessed be the Lord!” in our suffering or grief?

David clung to what He knew about God (compare to the language in his prayer in verse 2):

• God heard his pleas for mercy (vs 6).

• God was his strength and shield (vs 7).

• God was trustworthy (vs 7).

• David was helped (vs 7).

We can add to this that David knew God was just (vs 3-5).

Again, we don’t know that David was vindicated as he wrote Psalm 28, but he did recognize that God helped him. Our help doesn’t always come in the form we expect or want. With my friend Jess, I think all those who loved her had hoped and prayed that her help would be complete healing from the cancer. That is not how God chose to help her, but Jess recognized God’s help during her cancer journey – supportive and loving family and friends, flowers or other gifts that encouraged her, music that encouraged her, continuing to make new memories with her family, etc. She sent me several pictures of God’s gracious help gifts. God provided strength and help to see her through faithfully until He called her home. He heard the pleas for mercy.

I know that God also hears our pleas for mercy for Jess’ husband and her kids in their grief and facing life without her. I would despair for them if I didn’t believe that God is their strength and shield, that He istrustworthy and faithful, that He will be their help. Already I can say, “Blessed be the Lord!” because I witnessed Jess’ faithful testimony of her faithful God. Her husband is still trusting God even though the healing they all hoped for didn’t come this side of heaven. Others have already abundantly poured out help and support in various forms for Jess’ family. God continues to faithfully provide in a multitude of ways.

David finished verse 7 with, “my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to Him.” I don’t know your situation, but I do know that as we cling to who God is, what we know is true about Him, and cry to Him with pleas of mercy, He does answer. He is trustworthy. He will be our strength, shield, and help. He is merciful towards us. God is compassionate towards His children that He dearly loves.

Sometimes our faith may be more like, “I believe. Help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24). But God will not abandon us. He hears and responds to our pleas for mercy and gives us reason to praise and thank Him even amidst our suffering and grief, so that we in turn can bring pleas of mercy to Him on behalf of others knowing what He has done for us.

Reflection

1. “Pleas for mercy” catches my attention. Synonyms for plea are appeal, entreat, petition, implore. David isn’t making a casual request. He isn’t asking for something he thinks he deserves. He is pleading for God’s mercy. Think about your own circumstance. Are you fervently seeking God, pleading with Him to show His mercy? Do you trust that He hears your pleas and answers?

2. What about God’s character encourages you to trust Him?

3. List specific ways God has helped you. Give thanks to Him for His help even help that isn’t in the form you expected.

4. Strengthened in your faith by God’s answers to your pleas for mercy, who can you pray for today? Consider praying with them or sharing that you are praying for them.