Devotions: Remembered Compassion

Remember, O Lord, Your compassion and Your lovingkindnesses,
For they have been from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
According to Your lovingkindness remember me,
For Your goodness’ sake, O Lord.

Psalm 25:6-7 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

This is part of a psalm of David where He asks God for protection, guidance and pardon. This does not refer to some particular issue or situation as some psalms do, but to general life. We all sin and transgress the law of God. Even with the new covenant through Christ where we are saved by grace not by works, we still need to obey God's law and repent when we don’t. In these two verses he asks God to remember God’s compassion and mercy and to forget David’s sin, for the sake of God’s goodness. Of course, it is to our advantage to have God forget our sin and bestow mercy and compassion on us, but that is not David’s primary motive. He thinks first of God’s goodness or name, i.e. His reputation. By having compassion on David, God shows the nations His character, above all, His goodness, love and mercy. David not only wants God to forgive him, he wants God to be known as a forgiving God. Essentially, he is asking God to be true to His character so that all may know that He is God. Compassion and mercy are part of Who God is. He is just, but His justice is mixed with mercy. He is both equally. So while He does punish sin, He also has mercy and forgives our sin when we repent. Have you been hiding from God, afraid that He will punish you beyond what you can bear? Come the loving arms of your gracious Father! He will forgive.