Return, Lord, save my soul. Deliver me, because You are merciful.
The request “Return” does not mean that God has actually gone away or changed His place. David is asking that the Lord once again make His gracious presence and help visible. In a time of trial, it can seem to a person as though God has hidden His face. Then he needs not only a change of circumstances, but also a renewed sense of the Lord’s nearness. David asks for deliverance with the reasoning “Because You are merciful.” This is the language of grace. He does not say, save me because I am worthy, but because You are merciful. The foundation of the believer’s confidence is God’s unchanging character. Our feelings may change, but His mercy is steadfast. In Christ that mercy was revealed even more, because God came through His Son to save the lost. Therefore, even in times of spiritual darkness, the believer can ask for the Lord’s help, relying not on his own strength, but on His faithful love.