Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb19990418.htm

PSALMS: DIARIES OF GODLY OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS
Psalm One Hundred And Thirty - Encouragement And Direction After Sinning And Feeling Awful About It
(Psalm 130:1-8)
  1. Introduction
    1. It is a very uncomfortable experience for the believer to recognize that he has sinned. It is even more challenging to realize he has sinned and to feel awful about it all!
    2. However, God is always willing to work with the sinner providing the sinner "comes clean" with God in accepting his full responsibility, and in asking for renewal on GOD'S terms. Psalm 130 acts as an encouraging directive for such a party as follows:
  2. Encouragement And Direction After Sinning And Feeling Awful About It, Psalm 130:1-8.
    1. The psalmist expresses his call for help to God "out of the depths," Ps. 130:1.
    2. To understand if this is the depths of trouble or fear or something else, we view verse 2 and see that the psalmist is asking God for mercy as though he has sinned and stands in the position of judgment!
    3. Though he calls from the depths of guilt for God to be merciful, the psalmist focuses on some very important, encouraging truths about God that encourage and direct all such sinners who see their need:
      1. First, were God to have kept a record of sins in mankind, not a single human being would be able to stand as spotless and uncondemned before God, Ps. 130:3. The psalmist asks the rhetorical question expecting the negative answer, "No one!" when he asks, "If You, O Jahweh, kept a record of sins, O Jahweh, my Master, who (then) could stand?" [Note how well this agrees with Paul in Romans 3:23!] Thus, all have sinned and ALL men need God's mercy. Thus, every guilty man needs to know that his case is nothing too unusual, but that God's mercy needed for OTHERS is available for himself as well!
      2. Second, God has a plan to forgive guilty men so that men may respect His character of grace, v. 4. Thus, the sinner must recognize that God can get glory to Himself by forgiving the sinner who truly repents, so there is HOPE in seeking forgiveness so that we do not have to be SUICIDAL!
      3. Third, God's Word that promises forgiveness is trustworthy, making it worth one's while to seek God's forgiveness based upon His promise to forgive, Ps. 130:5-6. Verses like John 6:37, where Jesus says, " . . . he that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out" offer great hope and direction for the penitent.
      4. Fourth, as the Psalmist urges the whole NATION to put its hope in Jahweh in this context of forgiveness, the hope of forgiveness for a whole group of sinners is available as well, Ps. 130:7a.
      5. Fifth, as the Psalmist mentions the whole nation of Israel, he notes that God's full redemption is available for the nation, Ps. 130:7b. Thus, there is no limit to God's capacity to forgive completely the sins of even a whole group of sinners!
      6. Sixth, God Himself is said to redeem Israel from all of the nations iniquities, Ps. 130:8. Though the psalmist may not have realized it at the time, the Holy Spirit undoubtedly led him (cf. 2 Peter 1:21) to look forward to the time when through Christ's own blood, the blood of the Incarnate God, redemption would exist as a fount of cleansing for the sins of the whole world, John 3:16; Isaiah 53:5-6.
Lesson: For the one who has sinned, and who feels TERRIBLE about it, GOD wants him to be encouraged and directed as follows: (1) You are not too far beyond God's capacity to help even in your very sinful condition, for ALL men are in need of God's forgiveness or no one would make the grade! Thus, THERE IS HOPE! (2) Do not commit suicide just because you realize you have done a very bad sin -- God can get great glory to Himself by forgiving you as it will cause us to respect His great grace all the more! (3) God has promised to forgive those who repent in Christ, and that promise is TRUSTWORTHY! Thus, go ahead and repent. (4) Even if a whole group of people have sinned, God is more than willing to work with them if they repent. REPENT! (5) God's capacity to forgive is not limited by the number of sins or sinners involved in a wrong or series of wrongs. Thus, repent! (6) Redemption is fully available in God HIMSELF, meaning that the forgiveness God offers is complete, warm-hearted and lasting! Th us, go ahead and REPENT!