Psalm 136 opens by extolling God’s mercy and connecting it to His goodness, supremacy, and sovereignty (Ps 136:1-3). The Old Testament word mercy (hesed) is sometimes translated lovingkindness or compassion, and describes an active and undeserved kindness, love, loyalty and forgiveness in action toward those who do not deserve it. Mercy is an attribute of God’s character and reveals itself in His acts (Ex 34:6-7).
God’s mercy isn’t given on the basis of one’s deserving, desperation, or demand, but is a direct act of His eternal and sovereign will, bestowed upon whom He chose in love by His grace and through His gift of faith (Lk 18:13; Rom 9:15-16; Tit 3:5).

I. The Cry of Repentance (Judg 3:9). Under God’s hand of judgment via the Babylonians, Israel cried out to the Lord (krazo), meaning a cry of distress due to intense suffering or certain doom. People make such cries for many reasons: pain, frustration, hopelessness, and anger. Repentance is more than tears and feelings of sorrow for one’s situation, hurting someone, getting caught, or being punished. It is a gift from God that humbles the heart and mind (Acts 11:18; 2 Tim 2:25; Heb 12:16-17). Repentance isn’t for the sake of changing God’s mind, opinion, or attitude toward us. It doesn’t gain us anything we didn’t receive at the cross. It is wholly for our benefit. Repentance is a turning of the heart and mind back to fellowship with the God we left to follow after sin.

II. The Gift of a Deliverer (Judg 3:9). God answered Israel’s cry by raising up a deliverer named Othniel, Caleb’s nephew and son-in-law (Judg 1:13). He came from a good family, had leadership skills, and married a strong-willed woman. He was a shadow of God as Israel’s deliverer, who freed them from political slavery in Egypt, and then fed, clothed, healed, and protected the nation from its enemies (Is 63:8-10). God was also a spiritual Saviour to those of faith (Heb 3:7 - 4:13), but remained an enemy and tormentor of those who rebelled against Him.
Each human deliverer in Judges was flawed and his deliverance both imperfect and temporary. None could change the human heart with regard to sin, but pointed to God’s final Deliverer, Jesus, who would save His people from their sins through His perfect sacrifice upon the cross (Lk 2:11, 30; Rom 11:26; Eph 5:23; Tit 2:13). He delights in showing His children mercy and doesn’t need to be begged (Mic 7:18-20; Tit 3:5).

III. The Work of the Spirit (Judg 3:10-11). The Lord delivered Israel from Cushan-Rishathaim by Othniel’s warring hand (2 Sam 22:35). His success was by the gifting and empowering of the Holy Spirit who came upon him, a term used 5 times of other judges (Judg 6:34; 11:29; 14:6, 19; 15:14).
In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit: (1) created (Gen 1:2; Ps 104:30); (2) temporarily empowered people for God’s service (Ex 31:3-5; Judg 14:6, 19); (3) revealed spiritual truth through prophets and recorded in Scripture (Neh 9:30; 2 Pet 1:21); and (4) regenerated sinners by grace through faith (Rom 4:1-6; 8:9-10).
The phrase came upon is literally clothed, like draping a cloak or cape. It was a temporary state, as when the Spirit left King Saul and clothed David as Israel’s new king (1 Sam 16:13-14). Today, the Spirit doesn’t rest upon a believer but permanently abides in him, at the moment of new birth (Jn 7:37-39; 14:16-17).
The Spirit’s ministry of training Othniel’s hand for war (Ps 144:1) led to 40 years of rest from civil turmoil, a blessing God commands us to pray for today (1 Tim 2:2). He graciously and mercifully turned 8 years of slavery into 40 years of rest!
The writer of Judges gives no details of how Othniel delivered Israel; no 3-step program to be mimicked. It was the work of the Holy Spirit, whose work can’t be copied, repeated, or achieved by man’s effort. God, not Othniel, is the hero. God heard Israel’s cry, sent a deliverer, empowered him, then gave Israel rest. It’s a picture of God’s spiritual deliverance of the elect in Jesus. Salvation is of the Lord (Jonah 3:9) and He alone deserves the praise, glory and honor forevermore as Saviour and Judge (Rev 5:1-14).