Out of the Depths - November 23 Readings: Ezekiel 11–13, Hebrews 13:20–25, Psalm 130, Proverbs 28:22–24

Links to November 23 Readings: Ezekiel 11–13, Hebrews 13:20–25, Psalm 130,  Proverbs 28:22–24

Sometimes, a text of Scripture comes like a glass of water to a thirsty man - it hits the spot perfectly. There are a lot of times in my life when the message of Psalm 130 is exactly that way. When things are tough, when discouragement rises up, when I face setbacks, insults, or struggles, Psalm 130 is the glass of water I need.

It is another of the Songs of Ascents, spoken by the Israelites as they ascended through Jerusalem to the temple to bring their sacrifices and worship God. They were literally coming from a low place, climbing to the heights of the temple mount, but here, the Psalmist is speaking of a different kind of low point.

Out of the depths I call to You, Yahweh!
Lord, listen to my voice;
let Your ears be attentive
to my cry for help. Psalm 130:1-2

He was mired in the depths of discouragement and depression, frustration and grief. His soul was sad. But he did the one thing each of us must do in a moment like that. He called out to the Lord for the help that only God can give. He did not seek the escapes that this world offers, whatever they might be. He turned to God, who is the only real help in a moment like this. 

He realized that he had done nothing to merit the favor of God, but rested in the fact that God was gracious and merciful, one who forgives sin. 

Yahweh, if You considered sins,
Lord, who could stand?
But with You there is forgiveness,
so that You may be revered. Psalm 130:3-4

I do not come to God as a spoiled child demanding my rights, but as a beggar seeking a boon. And when I come to him in humility and repentance, I am forgiven, because "with You there is forgiveness." Through the blood of Christ shed for me, I can come to God and find grace instead of judgment. 

When things are tough, we have only one response. We trust God and obey him, and then,

I wait for Yahweh; I wait and put my hope in His word. Psalm 130:5

God does not always respond immediately to our pleas - he operates on his timing, not ours. So we wait. We wait confidently and expectantly, knowing that in his time, God will bring forth good and will accomplish his will. We put our hope in him and in his word.

We wait and we trust and we hope and we obey because,

For there is faithful love with the Lord, and with Him is redemption in abundance. Psalm 130:7

God is faithful, even when we can't see what he is doing. He loves us and redeems us through Christ and then works to make us like Christ and to accomplish his purposes in and through us. His redemption is abundant, as is his love and forgiveness.

As the sorrowful, sad, discouraged worshiper ascended the hill to worship Yahweh, he might recite this psalm to remind himself that no matter how bad he felt, how bad things seemed, he could wait for Yahweh's timing, he could put his hope and trust in the faithful love of the Lord, who redeems, forgives and transforms.

Father, I thank you that when I am discouraged, I can trust in you. I may not always understand your actions, your purposes or your strategies, but I understand your faithfulness and I trust in you.