1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD!
2 O Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my pleas for mercy!
3 If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness,
that you may be feared.
5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
6 my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.
7 O Israel, hope in the LORD!
For with the LORD there is steadfast love,
and with him is plentiful redemption.
8 And he will redeem Israel
from all his iniquities.
(Translated version, original article written in Chinese by Pastor Mickey Hsiao)
[Theme] Sinner’s Pleas from the Depths
In addition to being a poem of ascent, this is also a poem of repentance. Those who turn to God and become closer to Him, are bound to see their sinful nature more often because of God’s holy and pure attributes. In the midst of deep pain, the psalmist appealed to God for forgiveness.
Although, like the psalmist, we find our present sin so deep that we cannot stand, we should also know that the God we worship offers the grace of forgiveness. Thus, we should humble ourselves and come to the Lord in awe to repent of our sins.
The psalmist kept waiting, but instead of waiting foolishly – in empty spaces, etc. – he adopted a positive attitude, and he looked up by reading the word of God. He knew that God’s word would never fail. Just as the night watchmen could eventually wait for the dawn, so he trusted God and waited quietly.
In the last two verses, we see that because he truly appreciates God’s love and abundant redemptive grace, he appealed to God’s people to look to Jehovah God – a faithful God who would lead His people out of all sin.
[Meditation]
Usually, when we worship God through song, we just enjoy the music and forget ourselves and yet, are you proud of your beautiful singing voice? Or, will you also be illuminated by the true light of holiness, and meet the Holy Spirit Himself who wants us to reprove ourselves for sins, for righteousness, and for judgment?
In the face of sin, our only hope is to stop looking at ourselves, but to look up to Jesus Christ. God’s forgiving grace has been fulfilled through Jesus Christ. Just as we cannot change the sky in the night by our own strength, so only God can make the sun rise in the east and make the darkness dissipate! All we have to do is fear, wait, look up, and trust in this Almighty God.
[Prayer]
People struggling in the abyss can come before the Lord to confess their sins and cry out for help! Because you have been given the grace of forgiveness, look up to trust in Jesus Christ, the Savior, and ask Him to lead His people away from sin. Thank the Lord for His willingness to forgive, His abundant love and grace, and His faithfulness throughout the ages.
[Memory Verse]
Psalm 130:3 If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?