If You Should mark Iniquity, who could stand?....Psalm 130

https://billrandles.wordpress.com/2019/10/27/if-you-marked-iniquity-who-could-stand-psalm-130/ ^ | 10-28-19 | Bill Randles

[pastorbillrandles]

Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared. I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning. Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities. ( Psalm 130)

Psalm 130 is one of the Psalms of Ascent (Psalm 120-134). That means it was part of the Worship in the temple, as the Priests would climb the steps, or it was sung as a Pilgrim Song, as worshippers would flow “up to Zion” to partake of the Divine Services.

These psalms also have an eschatological edge to them. They anticipate Israel’s trials through the Tribulation, ( “I am for peace, but they are for War”) and end in the Sanctuary with those servants of God who had made it through the night (Tribulation), lifting up their hands in worshipful triumph.

Who hasn’t been in the depths from season to season? What makes the depths , the depths? The lack of the sense of God’s presence, He seems distant or even non existent. The ceaseless taunting of the enemy, the voices of condemnation and despair which can occur at full strength out in the depths.

The Depths make me think of the sea, the restless waves washing over, or battering and threatening to throw one into the sharp ricks, the frightful but unseen creatures which lurk below the surface, the sense of disorientation, fear, loss of control, which sweeps over us from time to time. These are the depths, emotional, spiritual depths are where we find ourselves from time to time.

They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; These see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep. For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit’s end. Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. (Psalm 107)

Sometimes it takes going to the depths to draw out of our soul’s the deep heart cries unto God, out of pain, desperation, and even fear. We always need God, but don’t often know it.

We cry out to God, we lift our voice above the sound of the waves, “Please hear us, Please pay attention to us Oh lord!!! We beseech thee, we need you!} ” True faith is only really drawn out , out of a sense of need, a desperation. “God is the rewarder of those who dilligently seek Him! …The Fervant and effectal prayer of a righteous man is powerfully effectual”.

Jesus comes to us in the storm, just as he came to the disciples and to Peter when he almost drowned in the depths…those stories are for us also.

But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? ( Matthew 14;30-31)

But in the depths we are also confronted with our iniquities and sins. It always works that way with me… when there is trouble which pains me or scares me, I always seem to utter Prayers for forgiveness of my sins…. . Somehow I usually connect my trouble, pain and fear, with my own sins.

It is so true, what the Psalmist prays. If God held our sins against us…. none of us would stand a chance. We would just have to die, in despair. God is Holy and hates sin, but has made a Righteous way to remove the barrier of our sins which blocked the way to God’s loving help. Jess came and died for those sins.

With you….there is forgiveness…that you may be feared (Worshipped).

With the LORD is plenteous mercy, with Him is Redemption and forgiveness! All of Israel’s troubles are currently stacking u, it is time for “Jacob’s trouble”. Night is soon to intensify, “the twilight becomes the evening, and the evening, the black and dark night”.

But Jesus died for those sins of Israel , as well as “the sins of the whole world”. Jesus is coming, the Redeemer is coming to Zion to take away sin… all Israel shall be saved”. She will soon “…look upon Me (Jesus) whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him as for an only son…” (Zechariah 12:10)

When that day dawns, morning shall come for the whole world. The Apostles Paul reveals by the Holy Spirit,

For if the casting away of them (Israel) be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? (Romans 11:15)

So we wait for the morning, We keep our vigil through the night, praying and clinging to Jesus till the morning…

My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the mornin

[Inyo-Mono]

Excellent Pastor Bill. I can really identify with this line:

...when there is trouble which pains me or scares me, I always seem to utter Prayers for forgiveness of my sins…. . Somehow I usually connect my trouble, pain and fear, with my own sins.