“Out Of The Depths I Have Cried To You”
By Pastor Mitch
November 09, 2018
AWARENESS OF GREAT SINFULNESS
What do we do when we seemed to be overwhelmed with the depth of our sins? We should cry out to God in humility. Psalm 130 is part of the series of Songs of Ascents that deals with the captivity of Israel and their return. The people were sent into exile for 70 years in Babylon and they were waiting for the Lord to bring them back. They had gone through a time of great affliction. Psalm 129 is about how the nation was going through a time of affliction. The Psalmist had been afflicted from youth (Psalm 129:1). As the people sought to return to Israel, what can hinder them and their prayers was sin. As such, the Psalmist cried out to God as one being aware of great sinfulness. From the midst of the depth of his own sins and the sins of the nation, the Psalmist cried out to the Lord.
Out of the depths I have cried to you, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.” Psalm 130:1-2
The Psalmist was identifying himself with the sins of the nation of Israel. He interceded on behalf of Israel. He must have felt the tremendous gravity of his own sins and the sins of the people. Because their sins were so many, it seemed like he was in the depth of darkness. The Psalmist cried out to God being aware how sinful he and the nation of Israel were.
CONFESSION OF SIN
If you, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You that You may be feared.” Psalm 130:3-4
The Psalmist confessed his sins and sins of the Israel and recognised how merciful the Lord is. If the Lord were to deal with Him and His people according to their sins, they would not survive His scrutiny. They would not stand in His judgment. The Lord would graciously forgive. When He forgives, the people may learn to fear Him as they should.
WAITING FOR THE LORD TO ANSWER PRAYER
I wait for the Lord, and in His word I do hope…” Psalm 130:3-5
God answering the Psalmist’s prayer may not be immediate. There were times when he had to wait on the Lord for his prayer to be accepted. The Psalmist and Israel had to learn to wait on the Lord and hope in Him and His word till there is an answer to prayer. It is learning to watch and wait like a watchman waiting for the morning to come. They had to wait patiently for the Lord to answer.
TRUSTING IN GOD’S REDEMPTION
O Israel, hope in the Lord for with the Lord there is mercy and with Him is abundant redemption,…” Psalm 130:7
The Psalmist challenged Israel to hope in the Lord. They were to trust in Him for His mercies and His abundant redemption. The Lord can bring about restoration and redemption for the whole nation. This was something that the people needed as they return from captivity. We need to trust in the Lord for His plan of redemption too. Let’s trust in the Lord’s great mercy and His abundant redemption for our sins.
