If you , O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?
But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared. ~Psalm 130:4
Recently, I have been on a collision course with Psalm 130:4. I read it some months ago in the midst of my on-going "read through the Bible in one year" plan. I came across it as I read Matt Chandler's The Explicit Gospel. It popped up on my Twitter feed last week. It was read in the midst of the morning worship service either last week or the week before. For whatever reason, the verse keeps coming back to me in one way or another.
And as a result, I have grown more and more fond of this verse. It seems to comfort and challenge me at the same time. It's not overly complex, but easy to memorize and meditate on throughout the course of my day.
I take comfort knowing my sin no longer stands against me before God, my King and Judge. I do not need to earn anything because it has already been earned for me, and because nothing I could ever do would make up for all the sins I have committed. But the abundance of God's forgiveness and grace enables me to stand. Thanks to Christ, I have forgiveness which is amazing and altogether glorious. I have much to rejoice in.
I am challenged by the last line of the verse. What is my response to God's forgiveness? Is it a fear of God? Does the forgiveness I have been given in Christ move me to worship and stand in awe of God? The verse says that is exactly what the aim of God's forgiveness is. I have been forgiven in order to fear Him. And when I fear Him, I do not wander into sin and away from His presence. Instead I linger there and keep coming back for more.
But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared. ~Psalm 130:4
Recently, I have been on a collision course with Psalm 130:4. I read it some months ago in the midst of my on-going "read through the Bible in one year" plan. I came across it as I read Matt Chandler's The Explicit Gospel. It popped up on my Twitter feed last week. It was read in the midst of the morning worship service either last week or the week before. For whatever reason, the verse keeps coming back to me in one way or another.
And as a result, I have grown more and more fond of this verse. It seems to comfort and challenge me at the same time. It's not overly complex, but easy to memorize and meditate on throughout the course of my day.
I take comfort knowing my sin no longer stands against me before God, my King and Judge. I do not need to earn anything because it has already been earned for me, and because nothing I could ever do would make up for all the sins I have committed. But the abundance of God's forgiveness and grace enables me to stand. Thanks to Christ, I have forgiveness which is amazing and altogether glorious. I have much to rejoice in.
I am challenged by the last line of the verse. What is my response to God's forgiveness? Is it a fear of God? Does the forgiveness I have been given in Christ move me to worship and stand in awe of God? The verse says that is exactly what the aim of God's forgiveness is. I have been forgiven in order to fear Him. And when I fear Him, I do not wander into sin and away from His presence. Instead I linger there and keep coming back for more.
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