Psalm 130:3–4: If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared.
Experiencing Jesus in the Psalms
His eye can discover enough in the best man to ground a condemnation upon. If God deals with us in strict justice, we are undone; if he makes remarks upon our iniquities, he will find them to be many and great, greatly aggravated and very provoking; and then, if he should proceed accordingly, he would shut us out from all hope of his favor and shut us up under his wrath; and what could we do to help ourselves? We could not make our escape, nor resist not bear up under his avenging hand. Let us admire God’s patience and forbearance; we should be undone if he were to mark iniquities, and he knows it, and therefore bears with us. It is of his mercy that we are not consumed by his wrath. 1
Living the Transformed Life
“Truly I know it is so, but how can a man be righteous before God? If one wished to contend with Him, He could not answer Him one time out of a thousand. Job 9:2–3
- Ask Him for forgiveness: For Your name’s sake, O Lord, pardon my iniquity, for it is great. Psalm 25:11
- Thank Him for His mercy: For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You. Psalm 86:5
- Rejoice in Him: Bless the Lord, O my soul, forget not all His benefits. Psalm 103:2
My sin was beyond forgiving, but His mercy extended beyond my sin.
Praise and Prayer
Thank You, Father, for doing what I could never do for myself. Dear Jesus, may I always come before You with thanksgiving, before I make request.
1. Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: complete and unabridged in one volume (p. 935). Peabody: Hendrickson.
