When we're overcome with grief or when we've failed miserably, we don't need a lecture.

In those dark places of suffering, what we need most is relief. We need mercy.

Today, on Insight for Living, Chuck Swindall invites us to examine this gentle virtue of God.

In a message that started on Friday's program, Chuck recounts six biblical scenes that colorfully demonstrate the mercy of God.

First, we recall Joseph's unfair treatment, and then we saw Ruth and Naomi extend mercy.

So let's consider the next scene.

Chuck titled today's message, The Magnificent Hesed of God.

In 2 Samuel chapter 9, there's a third scene revolves around a man whose name looks like a misprint.

Mapheth.

It takes a while to practice that, so you can say it without it's being a tongue quister.

Mephiboshet.

Mephisheth was a little boy.

He was a descendant of the king whose name was Saul, who's now dead.

And in the old Eastern dynasty, when a new king came in, all of the descendants of the old king were annihilated,

fearing that David, the new king, would annihilate all of Saul's descendants, which he would not have done.

The nurse quickly picked up Mithubesheth and ran for her life, and he fell, and he was crippled in both his feet.

He was a crippled for the rest of his life.

And he's living his life out in a place called Lod Dibar.

It means no pasture land.

It's a place of barrenness. In forgotten obscurity,

Mephibosheth is living out his life. Out of the blue one day in all of his pomp and prosperity,

David muses on the throne over Israel and he thinks, verse one, is there yet anyone left of the house of Saul that I may show him Kessid mercy? For Jonathan's sake, now there was a servant of the house of

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