27. Out of the Depths, Psalm 130

Posted on Posted in Sermon Notes, Prayer Meeting Tagged with , , , ,

Hymns: RHC 319 It Is Well With My Soul, 318 Blessed Assurance, My Soul Doth Wait for the LORD

Psalm 130 (KJV)  

1 A Song of degrees. Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD. 2 Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. 3 If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? 4 But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared. 5 I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. 6 My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning. 7 Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. 8 And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

Out of the Depths

OUTLINE

(1) Plead with God for Relief – Prayer (v1-2)

(2) Make Right with God – Penitence (3-4)

(3) Wait Upon God Meditating on His Promises – Patience (v5-6)

(4) Expect to Receive Mercy and Deliverance from God – Peace (v7-8)

 

INTRODUCTION

The psalmist cried from a sea of trouble that is so deep in its depth that it has threatened to drown him. His soul was depressed and he has despaired beyond measure. He could not measure the depths of his distress.

He is drowned in the depths of his trials and troubles but the LORD was with him to hear his prayer and still his heart to hope in Him. The LORD will surely be gracious. He was assured of help in God.

Psalm 18:6 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.

He mentioned that God forgives our “iniquities”. This is the word for “crookedness”, the outworking of sin in one’s life. If God deal with us after our sins, who can be justified? Truly, we are justified by the grace of God.

Jesus said, “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4) This psalm expresses the comfort received in the heart of the mourner as he sought solace in God. This word “comfort” literally is the word “called alongside”. What is that comfort? It is from God.

Words cannot describe how God relieve his sorrow or comfort his distress, cheer, encourage his arching heart.

Jesus says in Matthew 11:28 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” The psalmist experiences this rest in his LORD.

(1) Plead with God for Relief – Prayer (v1-2)

1 A Song of degrees. Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD.

It describes the low point of the psalmist’s emotional well-being. He sought the LORD. This relationship he has with God was the thread that kept his soul from being drowned. Thank God that we have a lifeline with God even in the most desperate and distressing moments of life.

2 Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.

He talked to God. In prayer, he poured out his soul before Him in the silence of his distress. It seemed that there is no other helper in visible sight. He asked his Master to responsive to his needs and care for him in this moment of loneliness.

Romans 8:26-27 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

It is as if he is that lone voice in the quietness of the moment, all is silent before him and he pleaded that the ears of God be opened to his supplication. Does God hear? Are His eyes close to the call of his children?

(2) Make Right with God – Penitence (3-4)

3 If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? 4 But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.

Here the psalmist tells us the incommunicable attribute of God to clear the guilt-ridden conscience of the sinner. He is able to forgive sins. Sins can be forgiven when we confess them to God through His Son Jesus Christ.

Here, the psalmist experiences the power of sins forgiven that causes him to confess that he is in contact with One most special – In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:14).

There is abundant forgiveness with God. He was no longer a slave to his sin but he was a servant to his Master that releases him from the oppression of sin. It describes the relief that we can receive when we confess and forsake our sins and seek God’s forgiveness. That peace that we receive causes us to tremble for we are in the presence of the most Holy God. There is truly a way of with God.

Isaiah in the throne room of God trembled with great dear when he saw how the king Uzziah died for intruding into the holy place of God to offer sacrifice, a role only the high priest is to perform.

He trembled as he saw the judgment of God upon Uzziah. He was turned into a leper and died a leper.

Isaiah 6:1-8 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

God used those whom He cleansed, those who mourn for their sins – Woe is me! For I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips…

(3) Wait Upon God Meditating on His Promises – Patience (v5-6)

5 I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. 6 My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.

This time of waiting is interim as he transits from the depths of sorrow to the comfort and forgiveness and strengthening of his heart. It seemed a long time. But as sure as the morning will come after the night and dawn is the darkest moment of the night, the light of the morning will shine through.

Romans 8:24-25 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

The psalmist’s wait is with expectancy, there is relief that will come. It is not a hopeless wait. This is our God. We can always have faith in Him to make all things beautiful in His time. That gives His children patience as they meditate upon the promises of His Word.

Isaiah 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

 Romans 8:31-39 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

(4) Expect to Receive Mercy and Deliverance from God – Peace (v7-8)

7 Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. 8 And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

Israel is the reference to God’s people. Israel is linked to God by covenant promise.

Deuteronomy 7:6-7 For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:

God’s sole witness to the nations of the world. Judgment begins with the house of God, redemption, even so, begins with the house of God!

This is the declaration of great hope. With God, there is mercy and He does save us to the uttermost.

There is a way of God the depths of sin with God. It was God Himself who has to secured our redemption.

\John described well the mercy of God that is borne out of His communicable attribute called love – 1 John 3:1-6 “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.”

CONCLUSION

  • Plead with God for Relief – Prayer (v1-2)
  • Make Right with God – Penitence (3-4)
  • Wait Upon God Meditating on His Promises – Patience (v5-6)
  • Expect to Receive Mercy and Deliverance from God – Peace (v7-8)

Amen.

 

My Soul Doth Wait for the Lord

Lyrics: SH Tow

Music: Stephen Tow

Out of the depths of my sorrow I cried

O Lord hear my voice, give ear to my plea

In Thee all my fears O my Lord I confide,

O be very gracious to me.

Chorus

My souls for the Lord all the night doth wait;

And in His Word do I hope till the dawn;

My soul doth wait for the Lord my God,

More than they that watch,

That watch for the morn.

If Thou shoulds’t mark iniquities O Lord,

Who in Thy sight shall; be able to stand;

But there is forgiveness with Thee O my God,

Lead me with Thy merciful hand.

Chorus

Let Israel hope in the Lord Thy God,

For with the Lord there is mercy so free;

With Thee there is plenteous redemption O Lord,

Let Israel hope only in Thee.

Chorus