There is Mercy with the Lord

“O Israel, hope in the Lord;

for with the Lord there is mercy,

and with Him is abundant redemption.”

(Psalm 130:7 NKJV)

THOUGHT:

This Psalm moves from being intensely personal (1-6) to being a call for all of God’s people to hope in the Lord (7-8).

I am viewing this Psalm through the lens of the phrase “there is mercy with the Lord.”

There is mercy with the Lord, and I want us all to know that we can experience the Lord’s mercy. Indeed, without the mercy of the Lord, we are hopeless and helpless when we find ourselves in the depths of need and despair.

This is a Psalm that gives God’s people hope even in the midst of the most challenging and desperate circumstances.

Waiting on the Lord —  Psalm 130:1-8 (NKJV)

Praise His Name. There is mercy with the Lord.

 
1. Our cry from the depths can be heard –because there is mercy with 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 supplications.”

(verse 1, NKJV)

The Psalmist is personally sensing distance from God, and speaks of himself as being in the depths. What are these depths? The depths seem to refer to the personal experience of an individual who senses that his sin has distanced himself from God. Not only so, the crier seems to be in the midst of circumstances that are hard to bare.

We hear the Psalmist pleading for a hearing from the Lord. Indeed, (as the ESV translates it,) he is pleading for mercy (2). He would agree with Jonah who stated that those who regard worthless idols “Forsake their own mercy” (Jonah 2:7 NKJV). Do you remember when and where Jonah said these words? He certainly was in the depths, literally and spiritually.

Our Lord is the only one who can do anything about our depths experience. There is no point in seeking help from anyone else than the true God. No one else can deliver us out of the real depths we find ourselves in due to sin. Only the One true God has ears to hear.

This is true initially as a person turns from sin and self and seeks the Lord sensing their need of the salvation that is offered in Christ through His redemption at Calvary’s cross. But, the believer in Christ can find himself in the depths as well, and needs to seek the Lord early for His mercy, forgiveness, and indeed abundant redemption. The good news is that the Lord chooses to be attentive to the cry of the humble who seek His mercy and His Face.

The genuine cry from the depths can be heard by a merciful God. The Lord’s ear is open to those who earnestly seek Him in the midst of their distress.

Have you ever felt that you were “in the depths?” You were personally and spiritually trapped, and you were unable to help yourself. All people are sinners, and all people will find themselves in the “depths,” surrounded by or experiencing the consequences of their sins and wrong choices. Who is available to help you at such times? Praise God, He does not turn away from those who genuinely cry out to Him.

2. Our sins can be forgiven – because there is mercy with the Lord. (3-4)

“If You, Lord, should mark iniquities,

O Lord, who could stand?

But there is forgiveness with You,

that You may be feared”

(verses 3-4 NKJV)

     1) The Purposeful Question

The Psalmist moves forward from His initial plea to a purposeful question, and a positive affirmation ending with a practical conclusion. The purposeful question places us at the mercy of God (3a). This question in verse 3 should cause us to take account of the real situation we face because of our sins, our iniquities. The real situation is that our sins are worthy of God’s marking, and not only marking, but marking for judgment. No one can stand on his own merit before God. But, let’s not generalize. The Psalmist speaks in this way, not for us to turn attention away from ourselves, but for each one of us to consider the Holiness, and the Righteousness of God, and our plight if it were not for the mercy of God.

Have we ever really admitted our sins, our wrong doings, and indeed our sinful natures to God? Do we really believe that we are at the mercy of God in the light of our sin? God has every right to do away with us. He has every right to keep track of every wrong thought, every mixed motive, ungodly desire, every prideful attitude, every selfish act, every word that was unkind or untrue or unclean or unworthy of Christ, every sinful act, every act controlled by the flesh and for fleshly gains, every act of disobedience and half-hearted Spiritless service, every aspect of hypocrisy, every judgment with evil intent; maybe we need to mark a few “things” – sins, iniquities, to realize the importance of what the Psalmist is saying.

     2) The Positive Affirmation

This purposeful question is followed by a positive affirmation that is at the heart of this Psalm, the gospel and the Christian Life.(3b) It reminds me of 1 John 1:5-2:2, and note that the word translated “propitiation” in 1 John 2:2, it the same Greek word used to translate the term for “Forgiveness” in Psalm 130:4. Forgiveness is with the Lord. The Lord has provided forgiveness. Indeed our Lord Jesus became our forgiveness. The Lord in His mercy has made a way of forgiveness available for those who would seek it. He didn’t have to do it. It has never been automatic or cheap. Forgiveness has always been costly because of who God is. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Nothing is more “freeing” than knowing that all is forgiven, and all is right between us and the Lord. Our fellowship with the Lord is open, with nothing hindering our prayers, our walk, our service. There no barrier between us and the Lord. Praise God that He is a forgiving God, and that He has provided the means of forgiveness in Christ. I hope that you sense that open fellowship with the Lord right now.

     3) The practical Conclusion

The practical conclusion of forgiveness being with the Lord in this Psalm is not just a quick list of sins to be forgiven, and praying a prayer without thought. No, a true understanding of God’s holiness, His mercy, and His provision of forgiveness should lead to a respect, a reverence for God that realizes that if it were not for the mercy of God we would be consumed. Seeking forgiveness should not lead to anything other than a greater appreciation for the mercy of God that His own Holiness necessitates and His love activates. God is to be worshipped and reverenced:

“…….that You may be feared.” Do we have a genuine respect and honor for God, or do we take advantage of His love, grace, and mercy? God is still an awesome holy God, but He has chosen to be a forgiving God, and He has made that forgiveness available to us in Christ.

3. Our hope should be in God’s Word - because there is mercy with the Lord

“I wait for the Lord,

my soul waits,

and in His word I do hope………”

(verse 5-6 NKJV)

Notice:

     1) The Earnest Resolve

The personal earnest resolve of the Psalmist is revealed in these words: “I wait… my soul waits, … I do hope.” These are not the words of a demanding person expecting God to fix his life. No, there is a commitment on the part of the Psalmist to wait, to depend upon the Lord for His action according to His Word. Notice that at the center of this waiting and this hope is God’s Word. What Word is that? It could be a word of promise, or he could actually be hoping for a fresh word from God, a word that will bring deliverance with it.

     2) The Eager Anticipation

Our Psalmist not only reveals his earnest resolve, but his eager anticipation (6). Watchmen look for the morning to come as they stand guard, and the Psalmist is more eagerly longing for the revealing of God’s deliverance. What a picture of single-minded dependence and desire. Nothing else really matters in the darkness of the night than the coming of the morning.
Friends, hope is a common word these days. But, what are we hoping in? The words of men? The only true source of hope is the Lord and His Word. The Psalmist’s hope was in the One who could hear his cry from the depths, could forgive his sins, and bring restoration and deliverance to his life.

It was the Word of God that brought creation into being. And ever since, God has chosen to speak to explain Himself, His ways, His desires, His demands and indeed His salvation. Our hope is in His Word, and in His promise to fulfill His Word. This is one of the reasons that we preach the Word of God today. My words are not powerful or life-giving. But, God’s Word is active and powerful and we can hope in His Word. The Psalmist placed His hope in God’s Word. And today, our hope is in the word of forgiveness that is ours in Christ (1 John 1:7-9). Our hope is in all the promises of God in Christ. Our hope is in the Lord and His words to us as His people and His disciples. But, we still depend upon Him. We still look to Him to act and fulfill His words in our lives.

4. Abundant redemption is available - because there is mercy with the Lord

“…….with the Lord there is mercy,

and with Him is abundant redemption…….”

(verses 7-8 NKJV)

These are beautiful words, wonderful words. They at least mean that there is deliverance, a redemption big enough for all Israel and all the sins of Israel. In NT language, Jesus “is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world” (2:2). There is a redemption, indeed a Redeemer, who is sufficient for our sins. Even though this is enough for our hope and our praise, I think the phrase “abundant redemption” means more, you see….. It is in line with Paul’s words: ”where sin abounded, grace abounded more (5:20).” And this abundant redemption can bring one out of the depths and into life and liberty in the Lord.

The Psalmist is anticipating a work of God that will deliver His people. God will reach into the depths of the personal and broader crises that are the results of sin, and deliver God’s people, Why? Because He is a merciful God, and abundant redemption is with Him.

God is not a stingy God. He does not hold back. He is generous in His mercy and in His work on our behalf. This was the prodigal son’s experience when he returned to the Father (Luke 15:11-32). He had hardly been seen by the father, when the father came running to receive him, and lavish His love upon one who was not worthy. This is the experience of countless believers down through the centuries. It is my experience.

And today, we have a much fuller understanding of the scope of our redemption in Christ. We have been freed from the penalty of sin. We have been freed from the power of sin. We will be freed one day from the very presence of sin. And we have been freed to become children of God experiencing the blessings of being in His family and united to our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. We have abundant redemption in Christ.

THRUST:

There is mercy with the Lord. Seek Him. Hope in Him. Trust Him for what His Word declares He will do. Realize that if you find yourself in the depths, there is a way of deliverance. If in all honesty, you know that you are in the depths right now, and that you are not enjoying your relationship with God, there is a way of forgiveness and victory. You admit that there is something between you and God. Now is the time to do that and to speak to the Lord.

He is listening for the sincere confession of His people. He is a forgiving God and has made a way for forgiveness through His Son, Jesus Christ. His death on the cross not only makes forgiveness possible initially when a person comes to Christ, but the blood of Christ continues to cleanse us as we walk in the light and we honestly confess our sins, turning away from them. We hope in the Lord, His Word, and we can experience abundant redemption. Not only can we be forgiven, but we can experience the joy of our relationship with the Lord and so much more.

— David O.