A Psalm of the Gospel

Psalm 130 is a song of ascents. This means that the Israelites sang this psalm as they traveled to Jerusalem for one of the three annual sacred assemblies. The 3rd and 4th verses of this psalm contain the essence of the gospel.

3 If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins,
O Lord, who could stand?

4 But with you there is forgiveness;
therefore you are feared.

The psalmist acknowledges that no one can stand before God apart from his mercy. Then, he reminds us that there is forgiveness with God. This wonderful truth blows the psalmist away, so his response to the blessed forgiveness of God is a holy and awed fear.

As you head for church each week, ask God to let the power of the gospel wash over you. May God grant each of us the courage to live in grateful and holy fear of the awesome forgiveness granted by Christ.

Shepherd Press