Psalms 77:8 “Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore?”
The circumstances of our lives can indeed become so dire that, in our human weakness, we begin to ask “Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore?”! As was the case with Job, “faith” is absolute confidence in the Lord, dependence upon the Lord, joy in the Lord, obedience to the Lord, and worshiping the Lord – even in the case of exceedingly severe circumstances, even if those awful circumstances are prolonged. The Lord tells us, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) and “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” (Luke 9:23). Under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Peter tells us to “think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you” (I Peter 4:12). So, we should not be surprised when “tribulation”, “a cross”, and “fiery trial” appears in our lives. Tribulations are those dreadful things that greatly trouble us. A “cross” is some awful thing that causes us to seriously suffer. A “fiery trial” is some miserable thing that tests our “faith”, our trust in our Lord, and our confidence that He will see us through the “trial”. Sometimes our tribulations, crosses, and fiery trials can become so severe that we tremble and ask “Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies?” (Psalm 77:9). These dreadful things are part of life; but, faithful Children of God make it through them by remembering the mercy and grace of our Lord; that is, I am in the heat of this fiery trial, “but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High. 11 I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old. 12 I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.” (Psalm 77:10-12). And, as we “meditate” upon and “talk” about the majesty and greatness and mercies and grace of our Lord, we begin to see the blessed “Sun of righteousness” begin to “rise with healing” (help) “in his wings” (Malachi 4:2). Then we begin to joyfully declare, “Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God? 14 Thou art the God that doest wonders” (Psalm 77:13-14). Folks around us may be amazed and ask how we can smile and rejoice even in the midst of our devastating troubles. Our happy answer is that “I know that my Redeemer liveth” (Job 19:25) and “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want” (Psalms 23:1) and He is my “Good Shepherd” (John 10:11) and He is my sure “grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16)! Furthermore, He is worthy of my faithfulness to Him, even as I am bearing this grievous “cross”!