Psalm 130

[Al Moak]

Psalm 130

Sin is anti-God.  It's contrary to His nature and in direct opposition to His commands.  It's ugly because it's opposed to the One Who deserves the greatest possible love and praise.  For these reasons, then, sin separates the one who commits it from the One against Whom it is committed.

This psalm was written about that separation.  The writer is extremely sorrowful because he has committed some great sin that has resulted in a felt separation from God.  It's likely that the day's lesson from the Torah was going to concern itself with deep contrition and also with the marvelous forgiveness of sin by Jehovah.

As the people advance up the hill of Zion, they are prepared for the lesson by the words of the song they are singing, no doubt in a minor key.  It's about sin and deep sorrow for sin.  Hopefully, their hearts would be prepared for the lesson.  It's a lesson they – and we - all need at many points in our lives. If we have never felt such separation from God because of sin, it may be that we never had a serious and vital relationship with Him at all.

The heart that loves God is sorrowed by its sin.  The minor-keyed song before us is sincere when it says, "Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord!"  Sin against a beloved God is indeed a low point in His people's lives, and they cry humbly to Him, "Lord, hear my voice!  Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication!"

The fact is, though, that He's such a forgiving God that sinners can at least come and confess it to Him! They know He's a forgiving God, or else they could never come to Him at all. 

They sing, "If You, Lord, should mark (take special note of and never forgive) iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?  But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared."  God's people can and do confess sin – even great sin because they KNOW Him and because they KNOW He's amazingly forgiving and because of His perfect Atonement.  And, knowing such things about Him, they do confess their sin, because they love Him and are truly sorry that it has been committed against such a wonderful God.

Of course an actual sense of His forgiveness after specific sins doesn't always come quickly.  If it did it could never accomplish what it must in the hearts and lives of His people.  On some occasions they must wait for that sense of assurance.  They find it necessary to sing the words of the psalm when it says, "I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His Word I do hope."  They go to His Word because in it they find that God's people have often been forgiven for great sins, and it gives them hope in their present cry to Him.

Not only so, but such repentance isn't mere ritual or duty.  It has to be sincere.  There has to be real sorrow, sorrow born out of true relationship to God.  With such an attitude there will indeed be an intensity of concern to know His forgiveness.  The people singing this psalm know that intensity.  They say, "My soul waits for the Lord more than they who watch for the morning - yes, more than those who watch for the morning!" The picture is of one straining to catch the first glimpse of dawn in the east, the first hint of approaching light.  It's a picture of the sincere soul, the soul that seriously seeks God and His forgiveness.

The lesson of this song is summarized in the last two verses.  They're the words of those who have experienced the sought-for forgiveness and have found that the Lord IS a forgiving God!  The result is that they call on others who find themselves in a similar predicament to place their hope in Him also.  They sing, "O Israel, hope in the Lord, for with the Lord there IS mercy, and with Him IS abundant redemption.  And He shall redeem Israel from ALL his iniquities!"

Have you experienced real sorrow for sin?  If you truly belong to God you have.  Have you sometimes even despaired of forgiveness?  Every true follower of the Lamb has.  This psalm is a song of hope for you.  May it also be a song of thanksgiving for those who have found that forgiveness.   Finally, may it also be a song of preparation for a life with God, a life that, though it isn't all smooth and easy, is still a life that experiences the truth that "There is forgiveness with Him, that He may be feared."

[Pat]

Sin is anti-God.  It's contrary to His nature and in direct opposition to His commands.  It's ugly, because it's opposed to One Who deserves the greatest possible love and praise.  For these reasons, then, sin separates the one who commits it from the One against Whom it is committed.

Thank you for this reminder, Alan.

[melody]

Amen a great psalm . Thanks Al

[LakeLady]

My husband and I both thoroughly enjoy getting out before sunrise to take photographs.  What a great image to think of waiting for God with such expectation!
Becky