God forgives ps 130 :3-4

Introduction

This psalm is what’s known as a lament. The psalmist is in trouble of some sort and judging by v.3-4 this trouble was probably the consequence of sin. He begins the psalm by saying he cries out to God from the depths. He is obviously in a place of despair and maybe God feels distant.

However from v.3-4 we see that the one who knows the LORD can be sure that in their despair their is hope. This is because God is gracious.

Often in the Christian life we can be in despair because of sin and its consequences, we can feel distant from the LORD because of making bad decisions. We can sin in the heat of the moment and the afterwards feel regret and shame.

In this psalm we see that the one who knows the Lord can be sure that there is hope in the midst of our despair.

Universal guilt

After the Psalmist begins his lament in v.1-2.

He then turns his eyes from his despair to the mercy of God. He begins in v.3 by saying “If You, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?”

Here the psalmist is asking for God’s mercy in an indirect way. He confesses his own guilt and the guilt of every other person. He acknowledges that is the LORD should keep a record of our sins then no one could stand in his presence. No one would be accepted by him. All would fall short and all would be deserve his just punishment.

App-

The psalmist here in acknowledging the truth that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Everyone has done wrong in God’s sight. If God kept a record of the sins of his people then they could never stand before him.

The fact however is that he does keep a record of the sins of those who refuse to come to him by believing in Jesus.

If God kept a record of the sins of everyone then no one wuld stand before him. Thankfully the psalm does not end there.

The psalmist goes on after acknoweledging the guilt of everyone, he acknowledges that God is a forgiving God.

God forgives

All fall short of God’s standard yet v.4 says “But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared.”

Here is the psalmists hope in the midst of his despair.

God forgives the sins of his people.

Although God is just and righteous yet he is also merciful and he has provided an atonement for sin so that he can freely forgive all who repent and believe in Jesus Christ.

God can forgive the sins of those who turn away from doing what is wrong and put their trust in Christ.

The reason God can do this is because Jesus Christ died to pay for the sins of the world on the cross. Our sin was laid on him and he paid the penalty for our sin on our behalf. He died in our place. He rose again the third day. Now there is forgivenss with God because of what Christ has done.

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If you are a believer in Jesus, then it is true if God kept a record of your sins you would have no hope, but God does not keep a record of the wrong you have done because Christ paid for it on the cross and God will not require justice to be paid twice. There is forgiveness with God through Jesus, and if you know Jesus then you can be sure that your sin has been forgiven.

If you are not a believer then you are not forgiven and God has kept a record of your sins, but the good news is that record can be forgotten, your sin forgiven, if you repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Don’t trust in your own good works but in the finished work of Jesus Christ.

This is a wonderful hope the believer has. Yet God forgives people with a purpose in mind.

Look at the verse again “But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared.”

God forgives those who believe in the Saviour, but he does so for a purpose. Not so they can go back to their sin like a clean pig goes back to rolling in the mud but rather so that they may serve him in reverence.

God’s forgiveness is not a free ticket to heaven and then live as you please. Rather it is a call to discipleship. To take up your cross and follow him.

App- Can we who are forgiven because we believe in Jesus say that we fear God. That we serve him with reverence? Can we say that we have been changed by God’s grace and now we desire to live for him and not the things of this world.

This is why we have been forgiven, that we may serve the King of kings and Lord of lords with a holy fear. This is good news because it means that God forgives our sin so that he can bring us into relationship with himself. The point though is this is a relationship with a God who is holy, so we must serve him in reverence.

Conclusion

The psalmist begins this psalm in despair, but as he continues he has hope. The reason is because God is merciful and forgives the sins of his people.

The psalmist continues this psalm in this hope, in v.5-6, he confesses that his hope is in the LORD and he waits for him to intervene.

Then in v.7-8 he ends the psalm with a call to the people of God to hope in the LORD because he is merciful and with him is abundant redemption.

The psalmist is aware of God’s mercy, he hopes in him and calls others to do the same.

As I said a moment ago, this mercy of God is found in Jesus Christ alone. It is because of calvary that God’s people can be sure their sins are forgotten about. It is because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ that people can be forgiven.

If you have not yet been forgiven then I urge you to turn to Jesus and be saved as the final words of this psalm say; “hope in the LORD; For with the LORD there is mercy, And with Him is abundant redemption.”