King David of the Bible had a very clear revelation of it. He wrote in Psalm 5, "But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of your mercy..." (v.7, NKJV). The NASB says, "But as for me, by Your abundant lovingkindness I will enter Your house..." The ESV refers to " the abundance of your steadfast love..."
"Mercy," "lovingkindness," "steadfast love" -- translators find it difficult to accurately translate the Hebrew word, "hesed." Hesed is love and mercy; it's steadfast and unfailing; it's kindness expressed in actions. It's the personal covenant love expressed by the God who shared his personal covenant name of Yahweh with Moses. And that's precisely who David prays to in this psalm as he begins by saying, "Give ear to my words, O LORD [Yahweh]."
Yahweh is the name God described himself by as he expressed his covenant love to his people by delivering them from bondage. The steadfast love of hesed fits with the covenant name of Yahweh, and when we recognize that, it should cause "those... who love your name [to] be joyful in You" (Ps.5:11) -- even in times of trouble or when afflicted by the wicked (see Ps.5:4-6, 8).
Psalm 5 is like a light of hope amidst the darkness in this world, and King David found that light by making Yahweh his "King" (Ps.5:2). By recognizing Yahweh as enduringly loving, and by then submitting himself to Yahweh as his King, David felt confident entering God's "house in the multitude of Your mercy" (Ps.5:7a).
David wasn't perfect, but he was a God-fearer. David goes on to say, "In fear of You, I will worship toward Your holy temple" (Ps.5:7b). And in his reverence, David recognized God's love was all he could depend on in this world. That reminds me of Psalm 147:11 -- "The LORD [Yahweh] takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love [hesed]."
It also reminds me of Hebrews 4:16, which points us to Jesus as we consider God's covenant name and his covenant love -- "Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace" -- the same throne of Yahweh the King who David prayed to -- "so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." David understood the truths of Hebrews 4:16 long before they were written, and that's because he knew the King who would one day be revealed to be Jesus!
Certainly that means that I should be as reassured as David was by the multitude of the mercies of Yahweh, who Jesus clearly identified himself to be as he said, "before Abraham was, I AM" (John 8:58)! The love of Jesus is the same multitude of mercies that David mentioned, and when I make Jesus my King, it should cause me to enter his house and approach his throne with confident assurance of his love.
