Have you ever been kept awake by someone or something, and have not gotten any rest? It is hard to look forward to the next day if you do not have wherewithal to do so. This has been the case for me. I am looking at Psalms 130, because I am having difficulty waking up and I need a little encouragement to do so.
In Psalms 130:1,2, it says, "Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications." Lack of rest would certainly be one of those things that is like the depths to get out of. To express that longing, earlier in Psalms 42:7, the writer speaks of despair, "Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of the waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me." People do not do well with others when they have no rest, because they are short with everyone and their attitude is bad. So most of us pray that we will be able to be civil to those around us.
In verse 3, it says, "If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?" So many of us look at this verse and know that without the grace of God none of us can stand. For those of us without a good cup of coffee, we usually don't have the strength or the energy to do so. This is a verse concerning our spiritual standing with God. Without salvation, none of us can stand in the presence of a holy God.
In verses 4 and 5, it says, "But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared. I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in His Word do I hope." David reassures us of the forgiveness that God has provided for our sins through the blood of Jesus Christ. Even though at this time in Bible history, the Savior had not come in physical form, there was a promise of forgiveness in that present time. In our time alone with God, we do wait for Him. His Word gives us hope daily.
"My hope is in the Lord Who gave Himself for me,
And paid the price of all my sin at Calvary.
For me He died, For me He lives;
And everlasting life and light He freely gives."
("My Hope Is in the Lord"- Norman J. Clayton)
In the near future we will try to study some of the lives of these people that have written these hymns, because they knew what it meant to worship.
In verse 6, it says, "My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning." In Psalms 63:6, "When I remember Thee upon my bed, and meditate on Thee in the night watches." It is difficult to meditate on things when your body and mind are restless. David desired to meditate on the Words of the Lord, even the wee hours of the morning. Even though we cannot prevent the next day from coming David alluded to this in Psalms 119: 147, "I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in Thy Word." The promises of God are always present, we just need to claim them when all hope seems lost.
In verses 7 and 8, it says, " Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is plenteous redemption. And He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities." Let all of God's people hope in the Lord, because He has redeemed us from our sins.
No comments:
Post a Comment