Expectant Watchfulness

July 28, 2024 Background Scripture: Psalm 130 Lesson Passage: Psalm 130 Psalm 130 is one of the Psalms identified with the returning remnant of Israel after the Babylonian captivity. The nation was allowed to be carried into captivity because of their wicked leaders who did not fear God. The remnant praised God as they traveled up to Judea from Babylon. The psalmist wrote about crying out to God out of the depths. Overwhelming sorrow is often described as being in a deep hole, or pit. There is a clear sense that the only hope is to be rescued from such a situation by a powerful God. The cry goes out for God's mercy. The psalmist readily admits that he does not deserve to be saved from his situation. The psalmist describes in clear details the grueling struggle of the repentance of the remnant coupled with the knowledge of a forgiving and loving God. If God kept track of a person's sins, then no one would be able to stand before Him in judgment. Destruction would be our destiny. Thankfully, God forgives sins rather than keep track of them. If for no other reason, God's forgiveness of sin would make Him worthy of the worship of the sinner. The use of the word fear in this psalm is not in the sense of a reaction to impending doom. Here, the word is used to imply reverence for God by those who identify as His children because we know and have experienced His goodness. We tremble in awe of God's majestic love and forgiveness not in anticipation of His wrath. God gives assurance of His steadfast character in His revealed word to the believer. The knowledge of it leads the believer to have patience as God works all things together for good to those who love Him and are the called according to His purpose. Believers lean on the promises of God which are found in His word. The hope of the believer comes from the revelation of God's word. The believer's hope is filled with expectancy of the work God will do on his behalf. As the night watchman awaits daybreak, so too does the believer look forward to the light of God's deliverance. At daybreak, the threat of the enemy under cover of darkness leaves. At daybreak, the work of the night watchman comes to an end. At daybreak, the night watchman who has family will be joyously reunited with them for some much-needed rest. The psalmist repeated the analogy of the night watchman to emphasize the appropriateness of it. The psalmist' s personal prayer and praise transitioned to national hope and deliverance for Israel as this psalm moves towards its closing. Truly, this psalm is about Israel's hope and the faith that arises because of it. Again, their hope is described as resting on the knowledge of God's mercy towards His own. The reason for the rescue, or salvation, from the pit is stated plainly: God's children experience redemption. Our sins are not merely wiped away as though they don't matter. Redemption is the declaration that those sins were paid for. Redemption means to buy back. Sin destines a soul to eternal destruction and the wrath of God. That's a high price to pay for one's sin. Salvation only comes when those sins are paid for through a divine transaction. Since Israel's redemption is spoken of as a future event in Psalm 130, clearly the psalmist was alluding to the Messiah God promised Israel. The Messiah would not eliminate specific sins of Israel. Israel would be redeemed from all his iniquities. With such a grand promise from God, the child of God could not help but patiently watch for it expectantly. Robert C. Hudson July 15, 2024