A song of the hope of God's forgiveness.

Psalm 130 (read it here) was one of the Psalms God's people sang as they traveled the dusty roads to Jerusalem. It is a song of the hope of God's forgiveness.

Someone somewhere said that our best prayers come out of a strong inward necessity. When everything is going well our fervency seems to fade a bit.

"Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD." Out of the depths of sin, shame, guilt. Out of the bondage of habits that bind. Out of the helplessness that overwhelms. Out of the loneliness even in a crowd. Out of the filth of the world around.

It is amazing how much the human spirit can stand. We get so used to the bad and evil that it doesn't seem so awful any more.

We sometimes think we can crawl out of the pit anytime... But we can't. In Psalm 40:2, it says: "He lifted me out of a horrible pit." The psalmist had come to the realization that he was in the pit of despair, and sin. He got in there all by himself and this is a cry for deliverance.

Until we see that truly we too are lost, helpless, and when we see our sin as God sees it, we will never ask for deliverance. Notice that it is while he was in the pit that he prayed for forgiveness. He didn't wait until he worked himself out of it. He didn't wait until he bettered himself. He was still in the pit when he cried out to the Lord.

"Lord hear my voice..." Not Mary praying for me. Not the Church praying for me. Not my mother's prayers for me. Lord hear MY voice.

"If you should write down all our iniquities who would stand?" Each of us have sinned and the list is long.

"But there is forgiveness with Thee." Jesus died in our place on the cross so that God could forgive the sin of the world. The justice of God was satisfied and we by trusting Jesus as our Saviour, our sins can be forever forgiven. There is no forgiveness in the church, no forgiveness in man. Only God can forgive sin. And He will forgive and deliver us out of the pit of despair when we confess that we are truly in the pits, guilty, and our sins burden us down.

I have heard men say, "Yeah, I am a sinner." But it means nothing, they seem to be proud of it. But when the Holy Spirit convinces you of sin and guilt it will drive you either to the cross and Jesus, or you will harden your heart and say "no" to God. God is not a loving Grandfather to give you all you want.

"I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,and in his word I hope;" Here we have the result of confession and repentance and believing by faith.The sin problem has been taken away and now he waits.

What is the Psalmist waiting for?

• Forgiveness... No
• Some great miracle... No

My Soul waits for Jesus, for God. We have a clear mind and heart and a longing just to see His face. I've a longing in my heart for Jesus.

Beloved if you do not have the knowledge of forgiveness you cannot sing this song.You won't long to see His face and you will see the Face of God as your judge not your saviour. Don't you think it's time to trust your soul to Jesus and ask Him to come in and save you?