When David had a choice of how to be punished,
he chose not to be under the hand of man but of God,
because He knew God would hear him if he cried out to Him
And He might even be merciful and turn His anger away,
which is exactly what happened
In 1 Chronicles 21:
And the Lord spake unto Gad, David’s seer, saying,
Go and tell David, saying,
Thus saith the Lord, I offer thee three things:
choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.
So Gad came to David, and said unto him,
Thus saith the Lord, Choose thee either three years’ famine;
or three months to be destroyed before thy foes,
while that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee;
or else three days the sword of the Lord,
even the pestilence, in the land,
and the angel of the Lord
destroying throughout all the coasts of Israel.
Now therefore advise thyself what word
I shall bring again to him that sent me.
And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait:
let me fall now into the hand of the Lord;
for very great are his mercies: but let me not fall into the hand of man.
When Jonah warned the people of Nineveh,
God heard their prayers and saw their repentant hearts
and with held their punishment
They were spared of what they deserved:
And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way;
and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them;
and he did it not. Jonah 3:10
God is merciful
I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy
and compassion on whom I will have compassion
And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee,
and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee;
and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious,
and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. Exodus 23:19
He is ever-looking for those who call out to Him
He is waiting, even longing for those to bring His name to their lips
He is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love
The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
Psalm 103:8
If we draw near to God, He will draw near to us
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners;
and purify your hearts, ye double minded. James 4:8