Pleading for Mercy

Psalm 130 “Pleading for Mercy” BIG IDEA: When we cry out to God, he hears. 1) INTRO • “How are you today?”…”Good” vs “overwhelmed” • Honest – others & God • BIG IDEA PRAY 2) INTRO • This is labeled “A Song of Ascents” • This psalm is a lament – grief/sorrow – 1/3 of Psalms • Penitential psalm – repentance – 1 of 7 • Luther – “Pauline Psalms” – sin, confession, & confidence • Repentance & trust in God’s here – forgiven & enter God’s presence • The Psalmist shows us this confidence we have in God….in midst of our sorrow 3) vv1-2 – cry for help • “out of the depths” • Down & calling out to God • “YHWH”…the tetragrammaton • God’s holy name • Same yesterday, today, & forever • Perfect & unchanging • He’s self-existent & eternal (past & future) • Cry to him in confidence • Picture for Jews is the depths of the sea…Jonah • Anguish & he’s calling out to God • Where do we go when we’re down? Go to God? • Sin…down b/c of his sin • B/c of his own sin…since he’s crying for mercy • God’s withholding his punishment • Sorrow over sin • We’ve grieved God/the HS by looking away from him and following our own passions and desires • We should feel down about our sin • Do we feel down b/c of our sin? Or, do we not let our sin bother us too much? • Sin, guilt, & God’s fatherly discipline are like being cast into the depths of the seas…like Jonah • Picture of trouble… in trouble when we’re living in sin • Tedd Tripp – good zone/bad zone • Believers call out to God in our sin-guilt • There’s no way out but to call to God…nowhere else to go • JC saved us in the first place – that it was all his doing • We were never able to climb out of the pit ourselves • The only one who can save us – for salvation and for our ongoing salvation & forgiveness – is YHWH God • We need him • Are we aware of our need? We act selfsufficient so often • We call out to the only one who can forgive 4) vv3-4 – prayer for forgiveness • These vv are that confession of sin & praying for forgiveness • “who could stand”…if God kept a record of our sin • We’d be undone • B/c we’re all filled w/ sin…tainted by sin • How are your thoughts this morning? The past halfhour? • “If we could see each other’s thoughts, no one would like each other” • Have many sins…deserve God’s just judgment/wrath • And yet, God forgives us • W/ him there is forgiveness • Think of the relief, restoration forgiveness gives in our relationships – w/ spouse, brothers/sisters, friends, etc • We’re promised forgiveness when we come to him in faith • 1 John 1:9 • Forgiveness comes through JC • This psalm anticipates the forgiveness that’s to come in the Messiah…Rom 3:23-25 • JC went to the cross to take all our sin’s punishment away • Died for us, we must believe in him • “feared” • “What?” • Piper example • Fearing to run from him/abandon him as our security and satisfaction • It’s a fear we feel when we’re not clinging to JC • Jim Cymbala – if God feels distant, make no mistake who has moved • We’re imperfect people…sure…but, we’re imperfect people cling to a perfect Savior! • With him, is forgiveness • When we humbly come crying out for mercy • There’s hope for us when we plead for mercy 5) vv5-6 – hope in God’s work to forgive • This hope is expressed in terms of waiting for the Lord • Offered sacrifices…now waiting for forgiveness & salvation • It’s a deep longing for God, dependence on God, & assurance in God • It’s waiting for God and hoping in his word • The word points toward a new act of salvation that upholds the godly person in faith • It’s waiting for God’s act to forgive and grant mercy and grace and salvation • “watchmen waiting for the morning”…2x • Watchmen know that the morning will come…and give relief • Confidence that YHWH’s forgiveness will eventually come, but in God’s timing • We call to God & he answers, but sometimes it takes a while for that guilt/sorrow to go away • That pit-in-the-stomach feeling • What do we do in that waiting? – some fill that w/ alcohol, tv, a full work schedule, etc • Or, do we fill our waiting w/ longing/hoping for God? • God will answer…as sure as the morning will come • “Though the sorrow may last for a night, his joy comes in the morning” • There’s hope for forgiveness and a new start…brothers & sisters, this is for us 6) vv7-8 – encouragement of God’s assurance • “O Israel” • Confidence in YHWH inspires the psalmist to call on all Israel to hope in God • O people of God/Church/disciples of JC, put your hope in God • The God who hears our pleas for mercy, the God who doesn’t hold our record of sin against us anymore, the God who forgives us…and…the God who showers us with steadfast love and redemption • “Steadfast love” – hesed again…God’s loyal love • His never-stopping, never-giving-up, unbreaking, always-andforever love – ½ of hesed are in Psalms • “Redemption” • God’s buying us back to rescue us/protect us/hold us • This is God’s delivering us from the penalties that we deserve • God pouring out his hesed and redemption upon us/sin-stained people that we are is a work of his sovereign grace • And, he’s done this is JC…come to earth, life, death, resurr 7) CONCL • • Importance of confession of sin/repentance & assurance of pardon in corporate worship together • Waiting for God’s forgiveness and salvation is a big theme here, but we don’t have to wait in the sense the psalmist did anymore • JC has forgiven us and that’s ours today/now & always