Waiting Upon God: For: Mercy
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Topical Encyclopedia
Waiting upon God for mercy is a recurring theme throughout the Bible, reflecting a deep reliance on God's compassion and grace. This act of waiting is not passive but involves active faith, prayer, and hope in God's promises. The Bible presents waiting for God's mercy as an essential aspect of the believer's relationship with Him, emphasizing trust in His timing and His benevolent nature.

Biblical Foundation

The concept of waiting for God's mercy is rooted in the understanding of God's character as merciful and gracious. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for mercy, "chesed," often denotes God's steadfast love and kindness. The psalmists frequently express their dependence on God's mercy, illustrating a profound trust in His unfailing love.

Psalm 123:2 captures this sentiment: "As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, until He shows us mercy." This verse portrays a posture of expectancy and humility, recognizing God's sovereignty and the believer's need for His intervention.

Expressions of Waiting

Waiting for God's mercy involves several key expressions:

1. Prayer and Supplication: Believers are encouraged to approach God with their requests, seeking His mercy through earnest prayer. Psalm 86:5 states, "For You, O Lord, are kind and forgiving, rich in loving devotion to all who call on You." This verse underscores the importance of calling upon God, trusting in His readiness to forgive and extend mercy.

2. Hope and Expectation: Waiting for mercy is intertwined with hope. Lamentations 3:22-23 declares, "Because of the LORD’s loving devotion we are not consumed, for His mercies never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness!" This passage reassures believers of the continual renewal of God's mercies, fostering hope even in dire circumstances.

3. Patience and Perseverance: The process of waiting often requires patience and endurance. Psalm 130:5-6 illustrates this: "I wait for the LORD; my soul does wait, and in His word I put my hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning—more than watchmen wait for the morning." The repetition emphasizes the intensity and persistence of waiting, akin to watchmen eagerly anticipating dawn.

Theological Implications

Waiting upon God for mercy is a testament to His covenantal faithfulness. It acknowledges human frailty and the need for divine intervention. The act of waiting is not merely about receiving mercy but also about cultivating a deeper relationship with God, marked by trust and submission to His will.

In the New Testament, the theme of waiting for mercy is fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ. Through His sacrificial death and resurrection, believers receive the ultimate expression of God's mercy. Titus 3:5 affirms this: "He saved us, not by the righteous deeds we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit."

Practical Application

For believers today, waiting upon God for mercy involves a lifestyle of prayer, hope, and patience. It requires a heart attuned to God's voice and a willingness to submit to His timing. In moments of distress or uncertainty, believers are encouraged to remember God's past faithfulness and to trust in His unchanging nature.

The practice of waiting for God's mercy is a spiritual discipline that shapes the believer's character, fostering humility and dependence on God. It is an invitation to experience the depth of God's love and to witness His transformative power in their lives.
Torrey's Topical Textbook
Psalm 123:2
Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden to the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait on the LORD our God, until that he have mercy on us.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

LM Doddridge. The Patient Waiting Upon God.
... The Patient Waiting upon God. ... 2 He waits His own well-chosen hour The intended mercy
to display; And His paternal pities move, While wisdom dictates the delay. ...
/.../various/book of hymns for public and private devotion/529 l m doddridge the.htm

Waiting Only Upon God
... this alone untouched by the fire, a monument of mercy. ... just the reason why you are
always waiting upon her ... the worldly in this; wait thou only upon God, for my ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 3 1857/waiting only upon god.htm

Waiting and Singing
... But the praise is not merely the waiting transformed. ... back on them all as the mercies
of the God of our ... a man looks down from the mountain-top upon the mists ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture j/waiting and singing.htm

Daily Fellowship with God
... In prayer, or worship, everything depends upon God taking the chief ... all in all, is
even now waiting to work ... As a saint, let God's love overwhelm you, and bow ...
/.../murray/the deeper christian life/i daily fellowship with god.htm

God's Waiting and Man's
... He be exalted, that He may have mercy upon you: for the Lord is a God of judgment:
blessed are they that wait for Him.'"Isaiah 30:18. God's waiting and man's ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/gods waiting and mans.htm

God and the Godly
... possible for us, when they set forth waiting upon God as the ... cancelled, and all the
debt laid upon his shoulders ... our hope and peace to a forgiving God, how can ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture j/god and the godly.htm

Surely Goodness and Mercy Shall Follow Me all the Days of My Life ...
... we should be quite the same whether we try to eliminate God from our ... to cheer and
lead us on; whether we look upon Him as a cold Master, waiting to exact ...
/.../callan/the shepherd of my soul/xi surely goodness and mercy.htm

A Petulant Wish
... what Thou art willing, in Thy mercy and love ... cannot but have such"continuously to
God, with regard ... sure that what seems to be waiting upon God in importunate ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/a petulant wish.htm

A Covenant God
... in personal surrender, and dependence, and waiting to have ... God so little understood,
its claim upon the faithfulness ... them that love Him." Hear what God says in ...
//christianbookshelf.org/murray/the two covenants/chapter i a covenant god.htm

The Holy Spirit Convicting the World of Sin, of Righteousness and ...
... I pointed him to Christ, and he knelt down and cried to God for mercy, to forgive ...
But one night I was waiting upon God that I might know the Holy Spirit in a ...
/.../torrey/the person and work of the holy spirit/chapter vii the holy spirit.htm

Resources
Are we supposed to be actively looking for a spouse? | GotQuestions.org

What is a spiritual harvest and how can I achieve one? | GotQuestions.org

How can I know what God's timing is? | GotQuestions.org

Waiting: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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Subtopics

Waiting

Waiting for Guidance and Teaching

Waiting for Mercy

Waiting for Pardon

Waiting for Protection

Waiting for Salvation

Waiting for the Coming of Christ

Waiting for the Consolation of Israel

Waiting for the Fulfillment of his Promises

Waiting for the Fulfillment of his Word

Waiting for the Hope of Righteousness by Faith

Waiting in the Way of his Judgments

Waiting is Good

Waiting on God

Waiting Upon God is Good

Waiting Upon God: As the Giver of all Temporal Blessings

Waiting Upon God: As the God of Providence

Waiting Upon God: As the God of Salvation

Waiting Upon God: David

Waiting Upon God: Exhortations and Encouragements To

Waiting Upon God: For: Coming of Christ

Waiting Upon God: For: Guidance and Teaching

Waiting Upon God: For: Hope of Righteous by Faith

Waiting Upon God: For: Mercy

Waiting Upon God: For: Pardon

Waiting Upon God: For: Protection

Waiting Upon God: For: Salvation

Waiting Upon God: For: The Consolation of Israel

Waiting Upon God: For: The Fulfillment of his Promises

Waiting Upon God: For: The Fulfillment of his Word

Waiting Upon God: God Calls Us To

Waiting Upon God: Hannah

Waiting Upon God: Illustrated

Waiting Upon God: Isaiah

Waiting Upon God: Jacob

Waiting Upon God: Joseph

Waiting Upon God: Micah

Waiting Upon God: Predicted of the Gentiles

Waiting Upon God: Saints Have Expectation From

Waiting Upon God: Saints Plead, in Prayer

Waiting Upon God: Saints Resolve On

Waiting Upon God: should be all the Day

Waiting Upon God: should be Continually

Waiting Upon God: should be in the Way of his Judgments

Waiting Upon God: should be Specially in Adversity

Waiting Upon God: should Be with Earnest Desire

Waiting Upon God: should Be with Full Confidence

Waiting Upon God: should Be with Hope in his Word

Waiting Upon God: should Be with Patience

Waiting Upon God: should Be with Resignation

Waiting Upon God: should Be with the Soul

Waiting Upon God: The Patience of Saints often Tried In

Waiting Upon God: They Who Engage In are Blessed

Waiting Upon God: They Who Engage In are Heard

Waiting Upon God: They Who Engage in Experience his Goodness

Waiting Upon God: They Who Engage in Shall be Saved

Waiting Upon God: They Who Engage in Shall Inherit the Earth

Waiting Upon God: They Who Engage in Shall not be Ashamed

Waiting Upon God: They Who Engage in Shall Receive the Glorious Things Prepared by God for Them

Waiting Upon God: They Who Engage in Shall Rejoice in Salvation

Waiting Upon God: They Who Engage in Shall Renew Their Strength

Waiting Upon God: They Who Engage in Wait Upon Him Only

Waiting with Earnest Desire

Waiting with Full Confidence

Waiting with Hope in his Word

Waiting with Patience

Waiting with Resignation

Waiting: All the Day

Waiting: Continually

Waiting: David

Waiting: Especially in Adversity

Waiting: Exhortations and Encouragements To

Waiting: God Calls Us To

Waiting: Illustrated

Waiting: Isaiah

Waiting: Jacob

Waiting: Joseph

Waiting: Micah

Waiting: Predicted of the Gentiles

Waiting: Saints Have Expectation From

Waiting: Saints Plead, in Prayer

Waiting: Saints Resolve On

Waiting: should be With the Soul

Waiting: The Patience of Saints often Tested In

Waiting: Those Who Engage In are Blessed

Waiting: Those Who Engage In are Heard

Waiting: Those Who Engage in Experience his Goodness

Waiting: Those Who Engage in Wait Upon Him Only

Waiting: Those Who Engage in Will be Saved

Waiting: Those Who Engage in Will Inherit the Earth

Waiting: Those Who Engage in Will not be Ashamed

Waiting: Those Who Engage in Will Receive the Glorious Things Prepared by God for Them

Waiting: Those Who Engage in Will Rejoice in Salvation

Waiting: Those Who Engage in Will Renew Their Strength

Waiting: Upon God: As the Giver of all Temporal Blessings

Waiting: Upon God: As the God of Providence

Waiting: Upon God: As the God of Salvation

Related Terms

Waiting-woman (2 Occurrences)

Eagerly (36 Occurrences)

Unsexed (26 Occurrences)

Treading (26 Occurrences)

Await (12 Occurrences)

Servant-girl (18 Occurrences)

Water-spring (16 Occurrences)

Rains (16 Occurrences)

Meanwhile (38 Occurrences)

Coastlands (29 Occurrences)

Calmly (3 Occurrences)

Sea-lands (24 Occurrences)

Waited (72 Occurrences)

Patience (59 Occurrences)

Secretly (104 Occurrences)

Ambush (39 Occurrences)

Tired (51 Occurrences)

Weariness (44 Occurrences)

Wait (223 Occurrences)

Girl (71 Occurrences)

Lurks (3 Occurrences)

Longing (40 Occurrences)

Wine-servants (2 Occurrences)

Waylay (3 Occurrences)

Thenceforth (11 Occurrences)

Expectantly (6 Occurrences)

Expectant (1 Occurrence)

Delilah (7 Occurrences)

Busy (13 Occurrences)

Bethesda (1 Occurrence)

Blessedness (6 Occurrences)

Attendance (12 Occurrences)

Assist (17 Occurrences)

Seating (10 Occurrences)

Spaces (15 Occurrences)

Starting (34 Occurrences)

Quietly (30 Occurrences)

Quiet (167 Occurrences)

Effect (173 Occurrences)

Areopagus (3 Occurrences)

Leaving (80 Occurrences)

Opinion (91 Occurrences)

Desiring (108 Occurrences)

Aramaeans (49 Occurrences)

Recorded (141 Occurrences)

Searching (111 Occurrences)

Attack (221 Occurrences)

Strength (517 Occurrences)

Designs (118 Occurrences)

Star (16 Occurrences)

Existence (35 Occurrences)

Evil-doer (88 Occurrences)

Friends (152 Occurrences)

Cords (80 Occurrences)

Idea (64 Occurrences)

Working (205 Occurrences)

Fair (147 Occurrences)

Moving (117 Occurrences)

Placing (44 Occurrences)

Fearing (107 Occurrences)

Walled (63 Occurrences)

Cease (138 Occurrences)

Example (54 Occurrences)

Magi (4 Occurrences)

Room (174 Occurrences)

Pulling (57 Occurrences)

Waits (21 Occurrences)

Waiteth (15 Occurrences)

Chamber (73 Occurrences)

Guided (86 Occurrences)

Heritage (435 Occurrences)

Comfort (130 Occurrences)

Delay (47 Occurrences)

Result (73 Occurrences)

Weep (97 Occurrences)

Gives (542 Occurrences)

Slow (43 Occurrences)

Waiting Upon God: For: Hope of Righteous by Faith
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