Ronnie W. Wolfe
The word intreat
in this verse carries with it the idea of being weak or of being
nervous or fearful. So, with fearfulness in reverence to God, not
deserving even one of God's rich blessings, the psalmist prays or even
pleads for God's favor (or literally "his face") with his whole heart.
He wanted God's face to shine upon him, as each of us should do, also; but we must realize that, when God's face shines upon us, when he looks directly at us, when he considers us, it is with fear, lest God should treat us as we deserve.
We do not deserve his least favor. We do not deserve his love, and for sure we do not deserve his salvation, his kindness, and assurance, and his company. But we long for it in a merciful way, and God is indeed rich in mercy.
The psalmist calls upon the word of God to guarantee God's mercy to him. If God said it, he will do it! The word mercy is found 261 times in the Bible. The word merciful is found 36 times. That is a total of 297 times, not including other words, that the Bible mentions mercy. Most of these mentions are a reference to God's mercy. The word longsuffering comes to mind as in 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. God was longsuffering, merciful, to us, his children, before we were saved and also now that we are saved.
Perhaps we who are so many times complacent about the things of the Lord should cry out in fearful trembling before God that he would have mercy upon us according to his word. I am sure he will. He said he would in his word. We must be sure to do it with trembling and with a whole heart.
He wanted God's face to shine upon him, as each of us should do, also; but we must realize that, when God's face shines upon us, when he looks directly at us, when he considers us, it is with fear, lest God should treat us as we deserve.
We do not deserve his least favor. We do not deserve his love, and for sure we do not deserve his salvation, his kindness, and assurance, and his company. But we long for it in a merciful way, and God is indeed rich in mercy.
The psalmist calls upon the word of God to guarantee God's mercy to him. If God said it, he will do it! The word mercy is found 261 times in the Bible. The word merciful is found 36 times. That is a total of 297 times, not including other words, that the Bible mentions mercy. Most of these mentions are a reference to God's mercy. The word longsuffering comes to mind as in 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. God was longsuffering, merciful, to us, his children, before we were saved and also now that we are saved.
Perhaps we who are so many times complacent about the things of the Lord should cry out in fearful trembling before God that he would have mercy upon us according to his word. I am sure he will. He said he would in his word. We must be sure to do it with trembling and with a whole heart.
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