2 Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.
3 If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
4 But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.
5 I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.
6 My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.
7 Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.
8 And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
Key Verse:
3 If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
Key Observation:
A psalm that is key to understanding how God deals with us because of Christ: He forgives.
Memory Verse:
5 I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.
Devotion:
At the risk of being tedious, may I point out again that this psalm is going to fit Israel remarkably during the tribulation. “Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD.” Israel will be shocked to find that the one they had rejected not only accepts them, but is willing to extend full grace and pardon to them. “My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning.” Will there be any other time in history when they have looked to God for an impossible deliverance? “Let Israel hope in the LORD, for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.” He will redeem Israel—not withstanding all the “wise men” that act as if God is never returning. Some still insist, even after the bloodiest century on record, that man is going to create heaven on earth, and that somehow our “goodness” will grant us fellowship with God.
But the only thing that fallen man does well is create chaos. That is what we see around us. Even in a well-meaning society we make rules that have unintended consequences, some of which may be worse than before we made the rules. Tozer laments: “and our hard hearts say, "I want my money, I want that girl, I want that fame, I want that job, I want that pleasure. I want, I want." Always "I want." That the Son of God stands outside of this is the tragedy of humanity.” That is a great picture of us. What we want might change from person to person, but the problem is that we think it is all about us.
In the grand scheme of things we are relatively small. The creatures that we know God has created such as angels and the four living creatures of Revelation. If I understand my Bible correctly, we confound the angels, not because of our wonder, but that God invests in us so much. Who is man that God is mindful of him? Yet, God in all his Glory was pleased to make of us such importance that He was willing to incarnate and die for us. All of heaven marvels at the mercy He has shown us.
Who am I that God should be mindful of me? I do not pretend to understand it, and it does make me marvel. I can see myself at times through the eyes of God, and I am so dismayed by my own carnality. On my best days my righteousness is as filthy rags in His sight. Yet I accept, and know that He loves me. For the price He paid for my redemption could have no greater value—He paid for me with Himself. My wants matter little, and as I grow older I find myself longing more than anything, just to see His face. “We shall be like Him for we shall see Him as He is.” What a wonder awaits me!
A.W. Tozer. And He Dwelt Among Us: Teachings from the Gospel of John (p. 75). Kindle Edition.
Jesus Paid It All
1. I hear the Savior say,
'Thy strength indeed is small,
Child of weakness watch and pray,
Find in Me thine all in all.'
2. Lord, now indeed I find
Thy pow'r and Thine alone,
Can change the leper's spots
And melt the heart of stone.
3. For nothing good have I
Whereby Thy grace to claim;
I'll wash my garments white
In the blood of Calv'ry's Lamb.
4. And when, before the throne,
I stand in Him complete,
'Jesus died my soul to save,'
My lips shall still repeat.
Chorus:
Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.
Lyrics: Elvina Mable Hall
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