There is Mercy with the Lord

Text: “O Israel, hope in the Lord; for with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption” (Psalm 130:7).

Thought: This Psalm moves from being intensely personal (vv. 1-6) to a call for all God’s people to hope in the Lord (vv. 7-8). I am viewing this Psalm through the lens of the phrase “there is mercy with the Lord.”

There is mercy with the Lord, and we can experience the Lord’s mercy. Indeed, without the mercy of the Lord, we are hopeless and helpless when we find ourselves in the depths of need and despair. This is a Psalm that Gives God’s people hope even in the midst of the most difficult and desperate circumstances.

1) Our cry from the depths can be heard—because “there is mercy with the Lord.”
“Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications” (v.1).

The Psalmist is personally sensing distance from God, and speaks of himself as being in the depths. What are these “depths”? This seems to refer to the personal experience of an individual who senses that his sin has distanced him from God. Not only so, the crier seems to be in the midst of circumstances that are hard to bear.

We hear the Psalmist pleading for a hearing from the Lord. Indeed, (as the ESV translates it,) he is pleading for mercy (v. 2). He would agree with Jonah who stated that those who regard worthless idols “Forsake their own mercy” (Jonah 2:7). Our Lord is the only one who can do anything about our experience of “depths” due to our sin. There is no point in seeking help from anyone else than the true God.

This is true initially as a person turns from sin and self and seeks the Lord sensing their need of Christ’s salvation, but the believer in Christ can find himself in the depths as well, and needs to seek the Lord early for His mercy, forgiveness, and abundant redemption. The good news is that the Lord chooses to be attentive to the cry of the humble who seek His mercy and His Face. The genuine cry from the depths is heard by the merciful God. The Lord’s ear is open to those who earnestly seek Him in the midst of their distress.

2) Our sins can be forgiven—because there is mercy with the Lord.
“If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared” (vv. 3-4). The Psalmist moves forward from his initial plea to a purposeful question and a positive affirmation, ending with a practical conclusion.

The purposeful question places us at the mercy of God. This question in verse 3 should cause us to take account of the real situation we face because of our sins, our iniquities. The real situation is that our sins are worthy of God’s marking, and not only marking, but marking for judgment.

 No one can stand on his own merit before God, but let’s not generalize. The Psalmist speaks in this way, not for us to turn attention away from ourselves, but for each one of us to consider the holiness and righteousness of God, and our plight in the absence of the mercy of God.

Do we really believe that we are at the mercy of God? God has every right to do away with us. He has every right to keep track of every wrong thought, mixed motive, ungodly desire, prideful attitude, or selfish act. No word we speak that is unkind or untrue or unclean or unworthy of Christ, no sinful act, no act controlled by the flesh and for fleshly gains, no act of disobedience or half-hearted Spiritless service, no aspect of hypocrisy, no judgment with evil intent escapes His notice. Maybe we need to mark our own iniquities to realize the importance of what the Psalmist is saying.

This question is followed by a positive affirmation that is at the heart of this Psalm, the gospel and the Christian Life. It reminds me of 1 John 1:5-2:2, and note that the word translated “propitiation” in 1 John 2:2, is the same Greek word used to translate the term for “forgiveness” in verse 4 here. The Lord has provided forgiveness—indeed, our Lord Jesus became our forgiveness. The Lord in His mercy has made a way of forgiveness available for those who would seek it. He didn’t have to do it; it has never been automatic or cheap. Forgiveness has always been costly because of who God is.

The practical conclusion of forgiveness being with the Lord in this Psalm is not just a quick list of sins to be forgiven and praying a prayer without thought. No, a true understanding of God’s holiness, His mercy, and His provision of forgiveness should lead to a respect, a reverence for God that realizes that, were it not for the mercy of God, we would be consumed. Seeking forgiveness should not lead to anything other than a greater appreciation for the mercy of God that His Holiness necessitates and His love activates. God is to be worshipped and reverenced, “That You may be feared” (v. 4).

3) Our hope should be in God’s Word—because there is mercy with the Lord.
“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I do hope” (vv 5-6).

The personal, earnest resolve of the Psalmist is revealed in these words: “I wait…my soul waits…I do hope.” These are not the words of a demanding person expecting God to fix his life. No, there is a commitment on the part of the Psalmist to wait, to submissively depend upon the Lord for His action according to His Word.

Notice that at the center of this waiting and hope is God’s Word. Our Psalmist not only reveals his earnest resolve, but his eager anticipation. Watchmen look for the morning to come as they stand guard, and the Psalmist is more eagerly longing for the revealing of God’s deliverance. What a picture of single-minded dependence and desire! Nothing else really matters in the darkness of the night than the coming of the morning.

Hope is a common word these days, but what are we hoping in? The words of men? The only true source of hope is the Lord and His Word. The Psalmist’s hope was in the One who could hear his cry from the depths, could forgive his sins, and bring restoration and deliverance to his life.

4) Abundant redemption is available—because there is mercy with the Lord
“…with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption…” (vv. 7-8).

These are beautiful words, wonderful words. There is a redemption big enough for all Israel and all the sins of Israel. In New Testament language, Jesus “is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world” (John 2:2). There is redemption, indeed a Redeemer, who is sufficient for our sins. Even though this is enough for our hope and our praise, I think the phrase “abundant redemption” means more. It is in line with Paul’s words, “where sin abounded, grace abounded more.” (Rom. 5:20).

This abundant redemption can bring one out of the depths and into life and liberty in the Lord. The Psalmist is anticipating a work of God that will deliver His people. God will reach into the depths of the personal and broader crises that are the results of sin, and deliver God’s people. Why? Because He is a merciful God, and abundant redemption is with Him.

God is not a stingy God. He does not hold back. He is generous in His mercy and in His work on our behalf. This was the prodigal son’s experience when he returned to the Father. He had hardly been seen by the Father when He came running to receive him and lavish His love upon one who was not worthy (Luke 15). This is the experience of countless believers down through the centuries—it is my experience.

THRUST: There is mercy with the Lord. Seek Him. Hope in Him. Trust Him for what His Word declares He will do.

 David Olford teaches expository preaching at Union
University's Stephen Olford Center in Memphis, Tennessee