Psalm 86 — A Compassionate God — Aneel Aranha  

Hear me, LORD, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
Guard my life, for I am faithful to you;
save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God; have mercy on me, Lord,
for I call to you all day long.
Bring joy to your servant, Lord,
for I put my trust in you.
You, Lord, are forgiving and good,
abounding in love to all who call to you.
Hear my prayer, LORD;
listen to my cry for mercy.
When I am in distress, I call to you,
because you answer me.
Among the gods there is none like you, Lord;
no deeds can compare with yours.
All the nations you have made
will come and worship before you, Lord;
they will bring glory to your name.
For you are great and do marvelous deeds;
you alone are God.
Teach me your way, LORD,
that I may rely on your faithfulness;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name.
I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart;
I will glorify your name forever.
For great is your love toward me;
you have delivered me from the depths,
from the realm of the dead.
Arrogant foes are attacking me, O God;
ruthless people are trying to kill me—
they have no regard for you.
But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,
slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
Turn to me and have mercy on me;
show your strength in behalf of your servant;
save me, because I serve you
just as my mother did.
Give me a sign of your goodness,
that my enemies may see it and be put to shame,
for you, LORD, have helped me and comforted me.

After a long absence, David is back with a beautiful expression of trust in God as he seeks God's guidance, mercy, and protection. David acknowledges God's unique position as the one true God as he seeks solace and strength in the assurance of God's unwavering love.

Throughout the psalm, David pleads for God's help and acknowledges his own need for God's mercy. "But you, Lord," he says at one point, "are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness." These five qualities describe God so accurately.

One, he is a compassionate God. His heart is moved with love and empathy when he sees us in our struggles and pain. Jesus demonstrated this compassion throughout his ministry —healing the sick, feeding the hungry, and comforting the broken-hearted. And, of course, forgiving the sinner. 

Two, he is a gracious God. It is through his grace that we find forgiveness and salvation. We were once lost in sin, but God's grace has redeemed us and set us free. Paul famously declared: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Three, he is slow to anger. Unlike us, who often react impulsively in anger, our God exercises patience and restraint, giving us time to turn back to him. The story of the prodigal son exemplifies God's slowness to anger as the father eagerly awaits the return of his wayward child. We are assured that no matter how far we have strayed, God's arms are always open to welcome us back into his loving embrace.

And finally, he abounds in love and faithfulness. God's love surpasses all understanding and endures forever, and we only need to look at Jesus on the cross to know the truth of this. The faithfulness of God accompanies his love, for he keeps his promises and remains steadfast even when we falter.

As we sing this psalm and reflect on the nature of God, let us be grateful for the compassionate and gracious God we serve.

God bless you.