Introduction: Both of these Psalms speak of God's mercy.

Psa 56:1 "Be merciful to me, O God, for men hotly pursue me; all day long they press their attack."

Psa 57:1 "Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge."

Psa 57:3 "God shall send forth His mercy and His truth." (NKJV)

Psa 57:10 "Your mercy reaches unto the Heavens." (NKJV)

The Hebrew and Greek words translated "mercy" may also be translated as "kindness," "pity," or "compassion." The NIV is a little too broad with the Hebrew word, because it often translates it as simply as "love."

God shows His mercy toward His children in many ways:

I. In His mercy, God forgives our sins.

Isa 55:7 "Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon."

It is God's mercy that He makes us His children; that we are born again, adopted, and given an inheritance.

Titus 3:4-7 "But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life."

II. God is merciful in healing our illnesses.

We pray...we ask...usually God says "Yes."

Mat 20:30-34 "Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!" The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!" Jesus stopped and called them. "What do you want me to do for you?" he asked. "Lord," they answered, "we want our sight." Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him."

God looks at His children with eyes of compassion:

Psalm 103:8-14 "The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust."

Note: sometimes God has something better for us than healing. The Apostle Paul had extremely bad eyesight, and possibly eye pain. He asked for healing, and God said "No."

2 Cor 12:7-9 "To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me."

If God doesn't heal you, He wants you to be sick for a good reason. Maybe it is to bless YOU. Maybe it is to make you a blessing to someone else. Maybe it is for some reason we will never know. Whatever, we must trust God that He knows what is best.

III. God is merciful to us with His comforting presence.

Do you remember taking your children to see the pediatrician for an ear ache, or for a check-up? In such cases, children stick close. Children need the reassuring touch of mom and dad in trying times.

Likewise, when WE have very trying times, we need the presence of our Heavenly Father. In His mercy, He has promised to be with us in a very special way.

Isaiah 41:10 "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. "All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish. Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all. For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you."

Isaiah 43:1-3 "But now, this is what the LORD says-- he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior..."

Hebrews 13:5 "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."

IV. God is merciful in calling us to be His servants.

Rom 12:1 "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." (This is from the KJV, which is a more literal translation than "reasonable worship" in the NIV.)

Have you given yourself to God to serve Him? It is true, we don't have much to offer. But we can give what we have, and we can do what we are capable of doing. God in mercy accepts our willingness.

A famous Christmas carol: "In the Bleak Mid-Winter" by Christina Rosetti. One stanza reads:

"What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb.
If I were a wise man, I would do my part.
Yet what can I give Him? Give Him my heart."

The Little Drummer Boy song has the same theme:

Little Baby, pa rum pum pum pum
I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum
I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum
That's fit to give the King, pa rum pum pum pum

Shall I play for you, pa rum pum pum pum,
On my drum?

Mary nodded, pa rum pum pum pum
The ox and lamb kept time, pa rum pum pum pum
I played my drum for Him, pa rum pum pum pum
I played my best for Him, pa rum pum pum pum

Then He smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum
Me and my drum.

Paul gave his testimony to Timothy:

1 Tim 1:15-16 "Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners--of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life."

Paul says of himself: "I didn't have much to offer God. In fact, I am an awful sinner. But God showed mercy, and received me as a servant anyway." God wants YOU to be His servant, too. Have you considered how merciful God is in His offer to you and me? Let the joy of God's mercy fill you heart!

Conclusion: The Bible says that God wants us to be like Him in showing mercy. God is compassionate toward us. He wants us to love to be compassionate to others.

Micah 6:8 says, "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."

Jesus told us to be like the good Samaritan. To love our neighbor, as ourself. To bind up the wounded. To encourage the broken hearted.

We are to LOVE mercy. That's why Shakespeare could write: "The quality of mercy is NOT STRAINED. It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed. It blesses him that gives, and him that takes."

Do you remember the policemen and firemen who ran into the blazing World Trade Towers, risking and losing their own lives to save others. They knew what it meant to love mercy.

Think of the hundreds of thousands of American troops in Iraq, who are risking their lives, and who are dying to bring peace and freedom to the Iraqi people. They know what it means to love mercy.

Think of the children who lovingly care for their elderly parents, or think of the hundreds of volunteers in the Chattanooga hospitals who make beds, feed patients, walk with the weak and elderly down long hallways, and selflessly give of their time and compassion. They know what it means to love mercy.

Our God loves mercy, and has shown His mercy to us in many ways. May the Lord fill our hearts with peace and joy as we think of His mercy to us, and may we learn to exhibit His great mercy in our lives by having compassion on those around us who need help. Amen.