Who can Stand?
Psalm 130
A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.
1 From the depths of despair, O Lord,
I call for your help.
2 Hear my cry, O Lord.
Pay attention to my prayer.
3 Lord, if you kept a record of our sins,
who, O Lord, could ever survive?
4 But you offer forgiveness,
that we might learn to fear you.5 I am counting on the Lord;
yes, I am counting on him.
I have put my hope in his word.
6 I long for the Lord
more than sentries long for the dawn,
yes, more than sentries long for the dawn.7 O Israel, hope in the Lord;
for with the Lord there is unfailing love.
His redemption overflows.
8 He himself will redeem Israel
from every kind of sin.
What a beautiful Psalm. I love how the forgiveness of God toward us is pulled through the entire Bible. The echo of “who could stand” in the presence of God without His forgiveness for sin is the same today as when our psalmist wrote thousands of years ago struggling with the same problem of sin in his life as we do.
The teachers of the law had it right in Mark 2:7 when they said, “Who can forgive sin but God alone?” yet they missed it, with Jesus standing right in front of them having just forgiven the sins of the paralysed man. Today, we know that Jesus (God) died in our place for our sin and “if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” 1 John 1:9. There is nothing more we have to do, so incredibly simple and yet, we struggle.
How thankful am I that He forgives me, there is no way I could stand in His presence otherwise. I am so grateful for his unfailing love and the hope that I have in Him.
Lord, I pray for those who are struggling with their sin that they would ask for forgiveness now. I pray for those who deny they have a need of a saviour and see nothing to be forgiven for, Lord open their eyes. Amen.
Written by Suzie Hodgson