“Forgiveness with You that You May Be Feared” (Ps 130)

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.

If You, Lord, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
But there is forgiveness with You,
That You may be feared. (vs1-4)

There is forgiveness, so that we can reverence and worship God (vs1-4). He says, “But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared”.  We draw near to Him in Christ, so that we can love Him who first loved us - Him who put away our sins and reveals Himself in reconciliation (2 Cor 5:17-18). 

Forgiveness brings God’s help to overcome sins, so that He brings the sinner to His bosom, and then He heals our character in His love, rather than us working for God without His help. He says,  ^“Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ (Gal 4:7).”  This reconciliation is key to conquering sin and loving God, so that without GRACE, there is no help for us.  But, God provides the life changing power, as He provides the knowledge that He’s on our side for Christ’s sake, because He put away sins.  He told the woman taken in the act of adultery, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and sin no more” (John 8:11). And, this is the power to be clean!

Don’t try to put away sins without pardon, and don’t think that pardon leads to licentiousness. Titus 2:11-12 says, “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in the present age”. Real forgiveness produces holy reverence for God, love that obeys, and faith that works.  Come to Him by Christ to be loved, and you’ll receive the only power there is to love Him.

Secondly, in confidence of pardon and expectation of help, wait on the Lord (vs5-8).  He says, “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I do hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning— Yes, more than those who watch for the morning. O Israel, hope in the Lord; for with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption. And He SHALL redeem Israel from all his iniquities”.  Don’t go elsewhere because He saves sinners, even though we must WAIT on Him, for “whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved”, and, “the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him” (Rom 10:11-13).  This promising and performing God is our hope, and He will answer us according to His mercy, so we don’t have to fear rejection. Be bold with Him and wait expectantly, trusting in the mercies of the word, for “in His word do I hope”, and, “with Him is abundant redemption”. Don’t wait on a phony pardon that doesn’t produce holiness, but wait on Him to give what the scriptures declare, which is forgiveness that enables you to walk in love and obedience.   

God’s forgiveness will come to all who wait for it, to all who look for Him desperately in expectation.  He says, “My soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning – Yes, more than those who watch for the morning”. He has a chosen people who manifest themselves as chosen by CALLING upon the Lord, waiting, and getting the mercy that He declares (Gal 4:7-8). He will forgive. He will renew your soul, and He’ll give you unknown strength and powerful victory. He will overcome your sins, be faithful to His word, and He will do for you what He’s promised.

Let guaranteed forgiveness drive you to God in Christ, let hope keep you assured that mercy is coming, and wait. He will be gracious, even though we must cry out desperately and in need as sinners.