Psalm 119:73-96

“Let Your tender mercies come to me, that I may live; for Your law is my delight.” (Psalm 119:77, NKJV)

Who of us cannot use more tender mercies? This Hebrew word can also be translated “compassion”. We know how often Jesus was moved with compassion for others. One of my favorite passages is Matthew 9:36-38:

“But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.’” (Matthew 9:36–38, NKJV)

We need the Lord’s compassion because we often fall short of His perfection. We need His mercy and grace for living. But how does this come? The psalmist indicates that receiving God’s tender mercies is related to delighting in God’s law.

Do we delight in His law? Do we crave the Word as much as our daily bread? Then along with receiving His instruction we will be beneficiaries of His tender mercies and compassion. And having received it, let us freely give it to others. But we cannot give out what we haven't first received from the Lord.

Let us delight in God's Word today so that we may have compassion for others—especially for those who are helpless, weary and scattered. They need to know our Shepherd, and they will discover Him through our witness.