Day 5 - God's Goodness Through God's Mercy
- Pastor b.Side
- May 4
- 3 min read
For the king trusts in the LORD, and through the mercy of the Most High he shall not be moved. - Psalm 21:7
The Bible describes God’s goodness in various ways. One of the most common references to God’s goodness is His mercy. In fact, the Bible employs the same Hebrew word to refer to both God’s mercy and goodness. This principle teaches that God demonstrates His goodness through His mercy. The testimony of Psalm 21:7 illustrates this truth by depicting how God’s mercy affected those who served His purposes as kings in Israel. If this principle holds true for the men who served God at that high level, it certainly applies to the rest of us.
“The king trusts in the LORD…”
Psalm 21 was written by David, the first true king of Israel from the tribe of Judah. David drew from his personal experience as God’s anointed when he composed this psalm. When the text states, “The king trusts in the LORD,” he refers to his own faith, as well as the faith that any good king should possess. All those who lead God’s people should trust in the LORD! The faith that David wrote about refers to his dependence on God for strength, salvation, goodness, and life. David desired to lead God’s people rightly, following God’s standards written in His Word. He trusted God to provide the necessary ability to do so, and God did. A righteous king or leader should always trust in God for everything needed to perform the role that God assigns!
“Through the mercy of the Most High…”
The testimony of King David illustrates that he received everything necessary to rule justly as Israel’s king. This doesn’t imply that he always acted correctly, but it does indicate that God provided the means to perform well. David’s mistakes reveal his shortcomings and show that, on his own, he could never fulfill God’s purposes perfectly. Conversely, David’s successes demonstrate God's mercy. If God had treated David as a sinner deserved, he would have died long before ascending to the throne. God did not treat David in accordance with what he deserved, which is why David emphasized God’s mercy in gratitude. David was equipped to lead God’s people because of God’s goodness, not his own. David was able to serve the LORD due to God's merciful nature, not because he was particularly gifted or willing.
“He shall not be moved…”
Since God is supremely exalted as the Most High, who can reach Him to freely access His goodness for themselves, gaining His blessings based on their own merits? God’s transcendence means that He must condescend to make His blessings available to us. He does so according to His mercy, and that’s what makes Him so good. Since God is supremely exalted, who can keep Him from treating His faithful servants with this favor? Since God is transcendently merciful, David was able to receive the benefits of His goodness, which established him in the position to which God called him. It wasn’t David’s faith, discipline, strength, or resolve; rather, God’s mercy kept David in the position of favor he desired with God. If God can do this work for His anointed kings like David, who were uniquely targeted by unusual spiritual opposition, He can certainly provide these benefits through His mercy for the rest of us!
Prayer for today
Our heavenly Father, thank You for Your mercy that keeps us in a position of favor with You. Help us trust in You and Your transcendent goodness alone, so we can stay faithful to fulfill the tasks You’ve called us to for Your glory, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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