June 22 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Psalm 85:

¹Lord, thou hast been favourable unto thy land: thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob.
²Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah.
³Thou hast taken away all thy wrath: thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger.
⁴Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease.
⁵Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations?
⁶Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?
⁷Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation.
⁸I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.
⁹Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land.
¹⁰Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
¹¹Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.
¹²Yea, the LORD shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase.
¹³Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps.

Devotional

Mercy and truth belong together. They are met together. They are met together in Jesus Christ, who is the truth, and through whom alone mercy can be bestowed upon sinners. Mercy and truth go before him, wherever the Gospel is proclaimed. "God shall send forth his mercy and his truth." He extends his gracious invitation to sinners: "Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David." We can depend on it, for his testimonies are very sure. And wherever these mercies are received and these testimonies (truth) believed, there is an unfailing source of comfort and strength in life and in death; for all the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies. We may not understand the way that God leads us; but we know and believe that "the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations." Let us remember, that "by mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil." And also, "Do they not err that devise evil? but mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good." So, dear reader, "Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart; so shalt thou find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man."

Prayer

Merciful God and Father, not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy name give glory, for thy mercy and truth's sake. We cannot claim the least credit for our salvation; for by nature we are dead in trespasses and sins. But Thy mercy is great enough to cover all of our sins, and to bestow upon us righteousness and life. We thank Thee for Thy Word of truth that assures us of life eternal through Christ Jesus. In all our sins, sorrows and strife; in our trials and temptations, may Thy Word of truth uphold us, and Thy mercy compass us about, until we reach our heavenly home, to be with our Saviour for ever more. We pray in his name. Amen.

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Scripture in Devotional: Ps. 85:10; 57:3; Isa. 55:3; Ps. 93:5; 25:10; 100:5; Prov. 16:6; 14:22; 3:3, 4.

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