SPIRITUAL DIARY
FOR 10/23/2012 10:28:11 AM
My Worship Time Focus: Psalm 130
PT-1
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Psalm 130:1-2
Message of
the verses: As has been our practice as we begin to look
at a psalm, we look at several introductions from different Bible Commentators
in order to get a grasp on what the background of the psalm is and therefore
have a better idea on how the psalm can be used in our lives.
“This psalm is by
some thought to have been written by David either when persecuted by Saul, and
in great distress, and fearful he should perish by him; or else when in great
distress of mind because of sin, after the affair of Bathsheba; and it is
reckoned therefore among the penitential psalms. Though others think it was
written by Ezra, or some other godly person in the captivity; and Aben Ezra and
R. Obadiah interpret it of Israel in captivity.” (John Gill)
“This psalm relates
not to any temporal concern, either personal or public, but it is wholly taken
up with the affairs of the soul. It is reckoned one of the seven penitential
psalms, which have sometimes been made use of by penitents, upon their
admission into the church; and, in singing it, we are all concerned to apply it
to ourselves.” (Matthew Henry)
“It would be hard to
see any upward step from the preceding to the present Psalm, and therefore it
is possible that the steps or ascents are in the song itself: certainly it does
rise rapidly out of the depths of anguish to the heights of assurance. It
follows well upon 129: when we have overcome the trials which arise from man we
are the better prepared to meet those sharper sorrows which arise out of our
matters towards God. He who has borne the scourges of the wicked is trained in
all patience to wait the dealings of the Holy Lord. We name this the DE
PROFUNDIS PSALM: "Out of the depths" is the leading word of it: out
of those depths we cry, wait, watch, and hope. In this Psalm we hear of the
pearl of redemption, #Ps 130:7-8: perhaps the sweet singer would never have
found that precious thing had he not been cast into the depths. ‘Pearls lie
deep.’” (Charles H. Spurgeon)
“The sixth of seven
Penitential Psalms, Psalm 130 emphasizes what God does for helpless people who
cry out to Him for mercy. Perhaps the
Jewish pilgrims used this psalm to confess their sins and seek God’s
forgiveness and blessing as they made their way to the sanctuary. (See Hebrews 10:19-25 for the kind of
preparation believers today need when they approach the Lord.) No matter what our need, when we call upon
the Lord in faith, He hears us and makes the changes needed in our lives.” (Dr. Warren Wiersbe)
Let’s look at Hebrews 10:19-25 as suggested
by Dr. Wiersbe, “ 19 Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence
to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which
He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and since we
have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a sincere
heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an
evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the
confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; 24
and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25 not
forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging
one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”
Now before we begin to look at this
psalm I want to repeat a story that I heard from a missionary who ministers in
Portugal, and who is a part of the missions conference that we are having at
the church that I attend. He tells the
story of a lady who is now a member of the church that he ministers in. I do not remember the name of the lady but
the story that he told is a story of how God’s grace worked in her life. This woman was a great athletic along with
her husband and they traveled around teaching youngsters gymnastics as they had
a school. I don’t remember all of the
wonderful things that she did other than she was very rich and very famous and
as the world would look at her, she was on top of the world. This lady was driving a van full of kids when
she stopped for gas and in her haste to leave she forgot to fasten her seat
belt and then got into an accident and went through the windshield of the
van. She became paralyzed in most of her
body after the accident. She was
pregnant and then after giving birth later on became pregnant again. Sometime after the birth of her second child
her husband left her and now this lady who had been rich and famous was now
paralyzed with two small children and did not have the money that she once
had. She tried several different
churches; one who promised healing for her and another that said they could do
nothing for her. When her daughter was
about twelve years old she began to go to the church that this missionary was
at and became a believer. She would walk
two miles to church, rain or shine, and her mother began to notice a difference
in her daughter and so this lady began to come to church where she also became
a believer in Jesus Christ and now has a glowing testimony stating that she was
happy for the accident for because of it she found the Lord. The missionary said that if there are any people
who are having a great deal of trouble in their life and they come to talk to
him, he first sends them to see this lady and she tells them her story and they
come away with a new attitude. Now let
us look at the 130th Psalm in its entirety to see how this lady’s
story is similar to the psalmist’s story.
“1 A Song of Ascents: Out of the depths I have cried to You, O LORD. 2
Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive To the voice of my
supplications. 3 If You, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?
4 But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared.
5 I wait for the LORD, my soul does wait,
And in His word do I hope. 6 My soul waits for the Lord More than the watchmen
for the morning; Indeed, more than the watchmen for the morning. 7 O Israel,
hope in the LORD; For with the LORD there is lovingkindness, And with Him is
abundant redemption. 8 And He will redeem Israel From all his iniquities.”
From Death to Life (vv. 1-2)
We can conclude from these first two
verses that the psalmist was in a desperate situation, and death was staring
him in the face. Dr. Wiersbe states that
the tense of the verb “cry” indicates that the psalmist had been crying out to
the Lord in the past and was continuing to cry out to him as he penned this
psalm and the reason was because without the mercies of God in intervening in
his situation he would die. When you
look at this psalm in the NASB you see that the word “Lord” which is sometimes
in all caps and sometimes just has the first letter “L” capitalized. When it is in all caps it is the word
Jehovah, and when it is just has the first letter capitalized it is the word
“Adonai,” of “Master.” The combination
of these words for God is seen eight times in this psalm. The psalmist was remembering the prayer that
Solomon prayed when he dedicated the temple when Solomon cries for God’s eyes
to be opened, “’Now, O my God, I pray, let Your eyes be open and Your ears
attentive to the prayer offered in this place.’” He may have been thinking of Psalm 34:15,
“The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous And His ears are open to their
cry.”
Dr. Wiersbe writes, “We can cry out
to God from the depths of disappointment and defeat and from the depths of fear
and perplexity. Like a heavy weight, sin
drags its victims to the depths, but God made us for the heights (Isaiah 40:31;
Col. 3:1).” “Yet those who wait for the
LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They
will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.” “Therefore if you have been raised up with
Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right
hand of God.”
Spiritual
meaning for my life today: As I am
trying to make a concerted attempt to begin to memorize more Scripture I think
that I would like to put this psalm to memory beginning next week. I understand what Dr. Wiersbe says about sin
wearing you down and the best way to combat against it is the Word of God.
My Steps of Faith for Today: My desire is
to learn contentment and to be humble before the Lord.
Memory verses for the
week: 1Cor. 13:8-13
8 Love never fails; but if there are
gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will
cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. 9 For we know in part and we prophecy in
part, 10 but when the perfect comes the partial will be done away. 11 When I was a child, I use to speak like a
child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man I did away
with childish things. 12 For now we see
in a mirror dimly, but then face to face, now I know in part, but then I will
know fully just as I also have been fully known. 13 But now faith, hope, love, abide these
three, but the greatest of these is love.
10/23/2012 12:50:56
PM
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