Notes on the Book of Psalms, Psalm 130
The cxxx. PSALM.
The Psalmist sore afflicted under the sense of sin and miserie, cries to the Lord for merciemercy, making merciemercy his onelyonly plea for himself, and incouragement to persist in the obedience of faith, and patient waiting, and eager longing for appearance of grace; And draws his practise into precept to all the faithfull people of God, willing them to hold out, hoping in merciemercy for deliverance through Christ, whatever be their pressure, sin, or suffering.
See the Title of the 120. Psalm.Psalm CXXX. A song of degrees.
1 IN the extream agony of my spirit,1OUt of the depths have I cried uno thee, O Lord. now that I am to mine own sense, and in all appearance quite over-whelmed with outward distress and inward terrour, death on the one hand ready to devour me, my sins, and thy wrath on the other hand, grievously afflicting and affrighting me; yet, as from the bottom of this gulph, and sea of miseries, have I sent forth mine ardent prayer in the faith of thy power, and hopes of thy goodness, O Almighty, and mercifull Lord.
2 In such a case as this,2Lord hear my vioce; let thy ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication. Lord, let me not speak to a deaf ear, but graciously grant me audience, yea, watch for my prayers at such a time, for they shall never fail thee, neither do thou fail them, especially in such straits.
3 If thou,3If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities: O Lord, who shall stand. O Lord, who art the righteous and terrible Judge of all the world, a jealous God, and a consuming fire, doth take strict notice of our sins, to take us to task, and punish us for them, according to our deservings by the law of righteousness, and rule of justice; alas, in such a case, what man can stand before thee in his own justification, either to acquit himself, as sinless, or to make satisfaction, being sinfull, or in case he be able to do neither, as no man can, how shall he be able to bear and undergo thy judgement, and heavy displeasure for sin, without sinking under it? no flesh can do it.
4 But the case is otherwaies with thee towards poor humble hearted sinners,4But there is forgiveness with thee: that thou maiest befeared. and suitours, to such thou standest not upon such terms of strictness, for thou hast proclamed pardon to all such, which by faith they may take out and plead for themselves, as also a gracious acceptance of their weak but filiall services, whereby they may be and are incouraged, knowing thy loving kindness and mercy, to worship and serve thee, both by believing in thy promises though with much mixture of unbelief, and doing thy commandments though in frailty and weakness, short of perfection which none can reach, yet in sincerity.
5I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.5 Though my sinns be heavy and mine affliction burdensome upon me, and have been so along time, yet I despair not, but in the faith of his forgiveness and compassion, I wait for the sun to break out from under this cloud, my soul is in continuall expectation of it, and so long as I have his word for it, I will hope and look for deliverance and mercy, what ever be my fears and dangers.
6My soul waiteth for the Lord, more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.6 My soul longs for, and looks out after, the comfortable appearance of the grace of God, to set me free from these my tedious insupportable miseries of his disfavour and the sad effects thereof, with as eager a desire, yea, far more earnestly and affectionately do I, and will I, hold on to expect it, than ever the poor weary Watch-man or Centry that hath been kept waking all Night, prayes for Day-break that he may be discharged, and have his liberty to take his rest.
7Let Israel hope in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy; and with him is plenteous redemption.7 What ever be the afflictions of faithfull Israel the people of God, let them for all that by no means relinquish their hope in the Lord his power and goodness, but hold out, in the assured confidence that God both is mercifull in himself however he seem, and will be so to them sooner or later in compassing their deliverance, which he that so wonderfully redeemed their souls, can easily, and will certainly, do, by wayes and means they never dreamed of, be their case never so desperate.
8 Yea,8And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities. let not sin it self dismay Gods people, though they may fall into them, and by them into sad afflictions, yet despair not, but believe, pray, and wait, and then where sin hath abounded, grace shall at last much more abound, so that neither the number or greatness of their sins should make them hopeless or desperate, but live by faith upon the promise both for pardon of sin and punishment, for God is as able to deliver us (by his merciemercy) from his own justice as mans malice, and will do it to his faithful Israel, by and for the sake of his son Christ, God and man, our propitiatorie sacrifice, and merciful mediatour or High-priest, who to effect and perfect our redemption is certainly to come into the world, and after he hath suffered, shall ascend into glorie, which shall be fulfilled and his Church thereby saved.