2nd Sunday of Lent
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
Written by Will Hickl
It may appear that this psalm involves two separate ideas - that God is merciful, and we should trust Him. But let’s re-write it this way: “Lord, as we place our trust in you, let your mercy be on us.” We do not deserve God’s mercy, but He willingly gives it to us - all we have to do is open ourselves up to it. As we inevitably sin, trusting that God’s mercy will not falter is quite a comfort since without it we would be doomed to an eternity without Him.
This psalm comes at a perfect time in Lent. I don’t know about you, but I am starting to feel the inconvenience of my Lenten fast, and have already been tempted to break. Praise God, I have been able to stay strong by His grace. But, striving for holiness and committing to giving up comforts (and/or taking on more things like prayer, liturgy of the hours, rosaries, etc.) involves a self-mastery that is rooted in trust. By putting ourselves through the discomfort or inconveniences of Lent, we trust that there will be fruits on the other side. We trust that God will help us to be holier, that we will have grown closer to Him, and for those of us giving up sugar we trust that we’ll lose a few pounds!
Regardless, what a gift it is to be so loved by a merciful God, who gives us infinite chances to try again, who is always waiting for us to come back to Him. We simply need to trust. I know it is easier said than done, but I invite you to ask the Lord for a trusting heart. He is kind and tender, as the psalmist exclaims “He loves justice and right; of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.”
”Upright is the word of the LORD, and all his works are trustworthy.” Emphasis on all His works - which includes showing us mercy. It is mind-blowing to think that God freely gives such abundant mercy. Let’s try to lean into that for the remainder of Lent.
Do you trust that God’s mercy is readily available for you at all times? How might you better pursue His tender heart?
Will Hickl is the co-founder and President of NOVUM RECORDS, producer, worship leader, software designer, one half of the alt-rock duo NOVUM, and most importantly husband and father based out of Lewisville, TX. He is extremely passionate about seeing artists thrive, and desires to build good culture through art. You can find him on Instagram, check out his musings on his Substack, and check out his new worship music on Spotify or Apple Music.
Pray with today’s psalm.