HOPE WILL COME WHEN WE WAIT UPON THE LORD

December 3, 2009

HOPE WILL COME WHEN WE WAIT UPON THE LORD

Psalm 130

Simon Saugier

Central Truth

When we experience suffering in this life, all we can do is wait on the Lord.

I rely on the Lord,
I rely on him with my whole being;
I wait for his assuring word.
(Psalm 130:5)

My Soul Waits for the Lord

A Song of Ascents.

1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD!
2 O Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my pleas for mercy!

3 If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness,
that you may be feared.

5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
    and in his word I hope;
6 my soul waits for the Lord
    more than watchmen for the morning,
    more than watchmen for the morning.

7 O Israel, hope in the LORD!
    For with the LORD there is steadfast love,
    and with him is plentiful redemption.
8 And he will redeem Israel
    from all his iniquities.

The psalmist starts this psalm with a cry of distress, begging God to hear his cry.

O Lord, listen to me!
Pay attention to my plea for mercy! (130:2)

What's your first reaction when your whole life starts to fall to pieces? I immediately run to the Lord, like the psalmist does, and beg for mercy. But sometimes, mercy is a little slow in coming. Sometimes, it is very slow. I start to self-analyze—what is He trying to teach me through this? Have I made an idol out of something in my life, and He is showing me that by taking it away? Is He punishing me for some unconfessed, forgotten sin? But the psalmist immediately quiets that fear.

If you, O Lord, were to keep track of sins,
O Lord, who could stand before you? (130:3)

I realize that if God were willing to give me what I deserve, if He were going to punish me for my sins, I would be gone. My present suffering is not a fraction of the punishment my wicked heart deserves. And it's not as if I am able to stand before Him on account of my own righteousness. So this present suffering can't be a punishment. If God counted sins, no one could stand before Him. So why am I suffering? When will it stop? And what do I do until then?

   I rely on the Lord,
   I rely on him with my whole being;
   I wait on his assuring word. (130:5)

In the meantime, I wait on the Lord. I just wait. How utterly unsatisfying from an American point of view. This is the land of opportunity! I made my own way, and I can make my own way out of this! What do you mean I have to just wait?

But how utterly satisfying to the soul that trusts in the Lord. I didn't earn this suffering, and I don't have to earn my way out. I will wait on the Lord, and in His lovingkindness and infinite wisdom, He will deliver me when His plan is accomplished.

1. Do you rely on the Lord with your whole being when you are suffering, or do you labor to overcome your circumstances on your own?

2. Do you really believe God is in control of everything?

3. Do you really believe that God loves you and you are precious to Him?