Psalm 86:15

But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.

-Psalm 86:15 (NIV)-

Let’s look at the context of the verse first and answer a few key questions.

Who wrote it? David

When was it written? Because we don’t know the exact circumstance in which this Psalm was written, we only know it was written during his lifetime. 

To whom was it written? It was a prayer that David wrote to God.

For what purpose?  He was facing deep trouble and was crying out to God for help.

But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. -Psalm 86:15 (NIV)

This week, I’m going to do this a little differently than I have in the past. I want you to grab your Bible (or your Bible app on your phone) and read through Psalm 86 in a translation that is easy for you to understand. I chose the NIV. 

Don’t cheat yourself out of letting this chapter speak to you, go read!! Then come back and let’s chat…

___________________insert Jeopardy theme music____________________

Okay, so this week we are focusing on the characteristic of God that He is loving. As you read this Psalm, you see David’s love for God and how deeply David knows that God loves him back. There is an intimacy here that I long to keep growing in my own relationship with my Savior. How about you? 

As you read this prayer, I suggest that you mark this one in your Bible to come back to on those days when you just don’t know what to pray. There are times when our trials and sufferings just seem to be too much and all we can do is rest in Him. This is a great chapter to pray to Him during those difficult times. 

Before I sign off, I want to share a definition of faithfulness that I heard Monday night during a Bible study by Bonnie Isbell. She said, “faithfulness is being there when you have every reason not to be.” Her illustration was Christ on the cross. Friends, He didn’t deserve to be there, He hadn’t earned it, yet He endured it for you and me. He loved us so much that He was willing to do the Father’s plan and redeem each of us with his innocent blood. 

The next time you are wondering if God loves you or if He has left you, and you feel weak and lonely, remember this verse and remember that He is “a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.” When He had NO REASON to hang on that cross, He did it out of unconditional love for you and me. Praise God! 

Pray with me: Father, I thank you today for the ladies (and men) reading this, and I pray that you will never stop drawing us closer to you until you ooze out of everything we say and do. Let us become more and more like you every day of our lives until you call us home. Let others see you when they look at us because we are so filled with your Spirit. We love you, and we thank you for your abounding love and faithfulness for us when we do not deserve it. In your precious son, Jesus’s name, Amen. 

Xoxo,

Kara

1 Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV, Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.