August 5

He reaches down from heaven and saves me; He rebukes those who trample me. Selah God sends forth His loving devotion and His truth. — Ps 57:3 BSB

Where is God’s mercy revealed? Outwardly in the Word, inwardly in the heart. It’s by sending His mercy into the conscience, spreading His love in the soul, and revealing His pardoning favor that God “saves us from the reproach of him who would swallow us up.” Others might say, “I don’t doubt your faith; surely you have signs of being a child of God!” Ministers may try to comfort you, but often they only make things worse. They might say, “If you are struggling with these things, you are surely a child of God,” as if someone could be satisfied just by struggling. No, being hungry for God cannot satisfy our hunger itself. These things don’t reach the depth of our need, nor bring divine power into our hearts.

But mercy—sweet mercy—from heaven, applied to our conscience, revealed to our heart by the Spirit of God—that is what saves us from all our enemies. When we rest confidently on the arms of mercy, what can man, Satan, sin, death, or even hell do to harm us? If God’s mercy is on our side, revealed to our hearts and sent from heaven to our souls, no one can swallow us up.