July 9, 2020
For the next 15 days we will be reading through the Psalms of Ascent together as a church! The Psalms of Ascent are a collection of 15 psalms (Psalms 120-134) that pilgrims would sing on their way up to Jerusalem to worship. These songs are meant to instruct and prepare the hearts of the traveler to worship the Lord! As sojourners and aliens in this world, we too need to have our hearts prepared for and instructed in the worship of our God. Let’s meditate on these psalms and allow the Spirit of the Lord to move us to true worship as we seek Him together!
This psalm is a song of penitence for sin and confidence in the sufficiency of God’s mercy. The pilgrim disciples on their way to worship remind themselves with this song that the only right they have to enter God’s presence at all lies in His mercy and grace towards them. We are no different than they in this regard!
This psalm represents the movement from brokenness and conviction over one’s own sin to confession of that sin, and finally to confident hope in the Lord’s promises of mercy towards His people. Because God is a God of forgiveness and grace, we can always run to Him and not away from Him when we have stumbled and fallen into sin!
The psalmist expresses an eagerness to worship the Lord and receive His mercy that surpasses the longing a watchman who had been standing at his post all night would have for the morning to come (v.6). This eagerness to be in the presence of God and to worship Him among His people should characterize every believer because, when we do, it shifts from an individual focus to a corporate one, in which we are all encouraging one another to trust in the Lord and in His mercy!
God has visited His mercy on His people and redeemed them from all their iniquities (v.8) once and for all in the person and work of Jesus Christ. When we fail, let us run to Him and receive mercy, and let us ever be encouraging one another to do the same with confident hope!
Psalm 130
My Soul Waits for the Lord
A Song of Ascents.
130 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord!
2 O Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my pleas for mercy!
3 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness,
that you may be feared.
5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
6 my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.
7 O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
and with him is plentiful redemption.
8 And he will redeem Israel
from all his iniquities.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Family Discussion Question:
- Do you ever find it difficult to trust in the mercy of God when you have done something sinful? How can you know that His mercy is always enough? How can you encourage your fellow believers to rest in His mercy with confident hope?
Dear Heavenly Father,
To know You is to love You and trust You. When You say we are forgiven, it is “done”. You are all powerful, all knowing, all present and what You say is true. As the song says, “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus, is to trust and obey.” I stand on Your promises and trust that tomorrow is in Your hands. Thank You for forgiving my sins, now and forever. In Jesus’ most precious and holy name. Amen.
Amen
Amen! Thank you for your mercy and forgiveness and the hope of eternity with you!
amen my hope in the Lord
“Therefore, her sins, though many, are forgiven, because she has loved much. But he who has been forgiven little, loves little. Luke 7: 47
“Above all else, love one another earnestly, for love covers a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4: 8
Good morning Lord, I very much agree with my Friend Chuck. Thank you for the multitude of your Love and Mercy that results in your wonderful forgiveness. Please help us to forgive others and most importantly to forgive ourselves.
Amen and Amen!
AMEN and HALLELUJAH!! Dear Lord, I know whenever I have sinned I confess that sin and you will forgive me. I have so much love for you that in you I am forgiven. I trust you with all of my heart and soul. I am blessed to have you in my life. Whenever I need you, you are there. In Jesus name I pray Amen
Father, who are you that you would search me out? Father, who are you that you would hear my cries? Father, who are you that you would pour your grace and mercy into my life? Father, who are you? You are my God, my savior. I love you Father. Amen
I cry to you Lord, hear my voice. My hope is in You, where there is forgiveness, lovingkindness and redemption.
Psalm 103:12 (NLT) He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.
Thank you, Jesus!
Dear Lord, You love us with an unfailing love. You are tender and compassionate, and Your mercies are new every morning. Thank you for this brand new day. I want to honor You and make today count by loving others and spreading the hope that is found in You alone.
“Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me..“ Psalm103:1-2
In Jesus’s name. Amen
Amen! Today is the day that we will rejoice and be glad!
The Lord Jesus sees us as we are in our sinful state, He hears us when we cry out with repentant hearts, loves us, forgives us, redeems us.!!!
My heart and mind are overwhelmed with thankfulness for Your grace and mercy toward us! Thank you for Your Word that reassures me, that reminds me daily just how much You love me/us.
Help us to encourage each other, especially in these times of uncertainty, with Your word. To lift each other up in prayer. In Your Holy name , amen.
O Lord our God, in You I find peace and rest., Hope and joy. Truth and wisdom. Your Word is a double edge sword. The fruit of Your Spirit is love. In Jesus our Messiah and High Priest we have an advocate and intercession. This day lead us with Your righteous right hand. I need you. Help me to make the right decisions as I retire from my job after 25 years. Please make my path clear In the way I should go. Open the door for my next job. You know what I have need of. I ask this not just for me but everyone who has been displaced because of COVID-19. Have mercy on us! Heal this land and it’s people. Protect and save Israel. Thank You for Your provisions this day.
I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread. He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing.❤️
Psalm 37:25-26
ESV
In JESUS NAME AMEN.
Years ago I remember being so downcast and low , feeling like the Lord would wash His hands of me, and then I happened to read Lamentations 3: 21-24-and the Lord lifted me from despair to renewed hope and a new walk with Him. “ But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning;
great us Your faithfulness .“
“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “ therefore I will hope in Him. “
Amen!!!?
My LOVE and TRUST is in the Ever- Present LORD!
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your righteousness and forgiveness that I don’t deserve. Thank you for not giving me what I deserve for my sins but give me grace and mercy. Thank you for accepting my repentance and showing me your faithfulness when I pray for a pure and clean heart and mind. Jesus, I pray for this sinful world that you would draw us closer to you and help is to see that we need you more today than ever before. Please help us to remove the hate and show love towards others the way you give us your unconditional love. In Christ name I pray. Amen
Plentiful, what a good thought to remember about God’s forgiveness
Thank you that my hope is in you and that you have forgiven me .
The Lord is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He hates sin but loves the sinner. He loves righteousness and helps it to grow in our lives.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.
Thank you Lord for your mercy, forgiveness, hope that you redeem me because you love me.
His mercy is always enough, because He has covered all believers with the righteousness of Christ, thus when He sees us, He sees only righteousness. His perfect mercy and perfect grace are the source of His covering, at the expense of our Lord Jesus Christ! We offer continual praise and thanks for these magnificent gifts!