Real Hope: The Israelites' Playlistናሙና

Mercy In Affliction

READ PSALM 123

I’ve always loved the psalms. Filled with honest reflections, prayers and declarations, the psalms are great reminders of God’s goodness and character. And Psalm 123 is a beautiful reminder of His mercy. Sung by the Israelites on their pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the annual feasts, it was sung as they walked up the hill to the temple. I imagine that, as they walked up the hill, facing the elements, they would have kept looking up at the temple to see how far off they were. The closer they got, the more encouraged they would have been to keep going. Like the Israelites on their pilgrimage, when faced with trials, we need to lift our eyes off our situation and fix our gaze on Jesus. When our eyes are on Him, our hearts will be encouraged to keep going.

But it also speaks of affliction and trust; knowing that in the trials, mercy can be found in God alone. To be content in the face of affliction and be confident that no matter what season we are in, God is in it with us. Whether we are facing pain, persecution or trial, God is there and is bigger than our problem. When our trust is in Him, His peace will abound and His presence will wrap around us, reminding us that He is in our midst.

As servants look to their masters for daily direction and instruction, we need to look to the ‘Lord our God’ for mercy each day. We need to look to God for our daily bread, knowing He is faithful and will give us what we need each day.

As we face each day head-on, may we fix our eyes on Jesus and find mercy and contentment in His arms.

Written by LEILA ARMSTRONG