A song out of the depths Rev. A. A. Brugge - Psalm 130:1-4

Sing: 108:1,2 Read: Psalm130 Sing: Psalter 362:1,2,3 Sing: Psalter 266:2,3 Sing: Psalter 104:6,9

Congregation, the first four verses of Psalm 130 draw our attention to: A song out of the depths. We pay attention to three thoughts:

1. An earnest supplication (verses 1 and 2) 2. A glorious confession (verse 3) 3. A joyful testimony of faith (verse 4)

1. An earnest supplication Like 120-129, also Psalm 130 is one of the Songs of Degrees: songs of going up. It is a song of ascent. Crowds of people, young and old, were accustomed to go up to the temple feasts, three times a year. From all quarters of the country they came to Jerusalem to be together and bring offerings to the Lord. While going up to Jerusalem they sang fifteen songs: Psalms 120 through 134. These Psalms are called the Songs of Degrees. The Israelites sang them then and we may still do so today. The melody and the content of Psalm 130 are familiar to us. This Psalm is on the liturgy board, so you have just sung it. Hopefully not in a thoughtless manner. There may have been people among us who have sung this Psalm as a song from out of the depths. Why would it be a song out of the depths? Well, not because of a cross in life, or because of a pessimistic character, because of personal suffering. No, the main thing in church is the ministry of reconciliation. In every sermon the blood of atonement is as it were dripping on the congregation. Do you understand why we speak about the depths? Who will climb up onto the mountain of the Lord? God is a holy God, is He not? God cannot have any communion with sin, can He?

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“A song out of the depths” (Psalm 130:1-4) – Rev. A.A. Brugge

Each Psalm presents us with a facet of the service of the Lord. In Psalm 130 the Israelites are walking further into the temple square. Psalms 132 and 133 follow and after the sacrifice follows the priestly blessing in Psalm 134, “Jehovah bless thee from above.” Never will there be any blessing without a sacrifice. Never will there be an eternal blessing without the shedding of blood! Do you see then how this verse speaks of looking up high into the heavens? From out of the depths!

Take note congregation that the threshold of this Psalm is actually very low. What is that threshold? It is the depth of which it speaks; nothing more and nothing less. Hoe simple this is. We human people do not like that place in the depth. Let me say it again, this Psalm does not speak of the depth of gloom, pessimism, depression or something like that. It speaks of the depth of complete dependence on His gift, of His words, of His speaking. Everything speaks of the depth of complete dependence.

The poet speaks as a servant who was disobedient to the Lord. He had not listened; he was proud and self-willed. The Lord would be just, if He punished the poet and passed him by. The poet calls out of the depth. Perhaps you say, ‘I do not understand that the threshold is that low.’ Well, beloved, it is a blessing to become such as the Lord sees you, namely in your deep sunken condition and as one who has fled far away from Him. By nature we do whatever we can to flee away from that low place at His feet. We would rather flee into a illusionary world, in which we try to find, or even guarantee, security. We flee away into so many things where the Lord is not. We want to get away, far away from the Lord. We want to be in control of our own life, instead of bowing down before the Lord in deep dependence.

In contrast, in these verses of Psalm 130, the poet speaks of a dependent life. He is very honest in this. I desire that you too would become that honest. Not only your relatives and the members of the congregation must be made honest, but you yourself as well. And you too, boys and girls! We all have to learn to ascend out of the depths.

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“A song out of the depths” (Psalm 130:1-4) – Rev. A.A. Brugge

But what does that exactly mean: from out of the depths? Do you know what is in the ‘depths’ of your hearts, boys and girls? We all have an evil heart, and that is what needs to become our grief. It should not stay a matter of simply saying, ‘I have an evil heart.’ Of course, all people, mum and dad also, have an evil heart. But are we really sorry about that? For only then do I cry out of the depths.

“Out of the depths I cry to Thee.” , the reformer from Wittenberg, recognized himself entirely in this Psalm. He calls this Psalm a Pauline Psalm. Why? Because Luther knew that God was righteous in bringing him into the depths. God did not do injustice to him by doing so. Luther knew that he had lost a divine right; God righteously could pass him by. And is it then not a wonder that the poet cries out for mercy out of those depths? We hear him crying, intensely desiring God’s mercy, help, light, and guidance. Luther then says, ‘This Psalm teaches us what the fear of the Lord is, teaches one to cry out like a beggar.’ The poet begs for God’s gift and says as it were, ‘Please Lord, bestow mercy; fill this hand. ‘Out of the depths I cry, ‘Speak Lord. Answer me, o Lord.’ No, this is not a crying for crying’s sake. It is no a crying to be seen as a pious person. But here we see one crying out of the depths in earnest.

Is this your present experience also? Has the burden become too heavy for you? Is there a deep void in your life, are you missing God? Or do you think your life is fine as it is and you are happy continuing through life just like you have done so far? Are things at work and in the family okay for you as they are at present? Life just goes on nice and smoothly, just like the flow of water in a calm creek. If only I could make you jealous! Children, if only I could urge you to cry out of the depths! Do you object to being honest? Do you object to confessing that you are in the depths? That you have sinned and have done what is evil in God’s sight?

Crying from out of the depths! Yes, that depth can be sometimes very deep. But what is purpose, the important thing, with regard to crying out of the depths? That I may have my own way? That my life may become more bearable? That I may escape God’s punishment? Or is it that I can appear before a holy God and He will not punish my sins which I have committed?

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“A song out of the depths” (Psalm 130:1-4) – Rev. A.A. Brugge

Beloved congregation many people need a ‘sweet’ God, Who is amiable, Who is kind, Who will give me what I want to have. And dear me, if things do not go my way! O, dear me if things take a different course when my life gets stuck, when I get stuck! Do you know how they used to call this in former days? They called it common conviction. Then self is in the centre. Only one thing is important: my salvation.

In Psalm 130, this Song of Degrees, the pilgrim is going to the temple. He sings the song of ‘ma-al’, going up. He is going to the ministry of reconciliation. He realizes what it is about and at the same time it is his question, ‘Lord, how wilt Thou receive the honour?’ Congregation, do you know how the Lord received His honor in the ? Through the sacrificial animal which was slaughtered, the artery of the neck was cut through and its blood was shed. That sacrificial animal had done nothing wrong. That animal had not dishonoured, tarnished, God’s Name and service, but the man or woman who went to the temple and entered it had. They went there with the realisation that they needed to be covered by the blood of atonement. How easily we can esteem the blood of atonement as something unclean. Do you know how? Because I am always putting myself in the centre. Of course, we ask God to be with us, we do make use of the Lord, His Name, and His service, but is our aim really God’s honor? For we have violated His Name. We have said farewell to His service.

“Out of the depths I cry to Thee”. Perhaps you have been in the mountains, in a crevasse, with steep walls on either side. Where does the light come from then? From near your feet? From your left side or from your right side? Do you know where the light then comes from? Then we have to look upwards! A beam of light may penetrate through a narrow crack. In this manner the poet cries to God. It is a scary place there in the depth and the poet is afraid. But he is after communion with God! And what about you? What are you coming to the ministry of reconciliation? Just to have something to do? just to pass the time in church? Or are you sitting here with a prayer in your heart, ‘Lord, may I learn to know Thee?’ If that is your prayer you also know that you have no right to it at all. Then you cannot claim any right to anything. If that is the prayer of your heart then you know how deep you have fallen, fallen away from the Lord.

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“A song out of the depths” (Psalm 130:1-4) – Rev. A.A. Brugge

And take note that then those words like ‘having fallen’, ‘sinful’ and ‘unrighteous’ no longer are words that are uttered casually and superficially, but they are living realities. This experience makes one honest, not great, not strong, not lofty, but dependent. Though we may resist those lessons, the Lord will work through His Spirit and His Word, and brings us to the place of being in the depths. Do you know how the Lord leads you there? You know that you sometimes stumble. How disappointed you then are with yourself because of your sin. Sometimes the Lord places the magnifying glass of His Law in your life and your heart. It may be that the Lord lays the measuring stick of His holiness of His Law next to your soul. Then we learn that we will never ever meet the demands of God’s holy Law. No, that is not an expression of depression, for if it is a psychological thing it remains an issue about ‘self’. No, this song is a cry toward heaven. “Unto thee”, it says. “Unto thee, o LORD”. Do you now see the dependence, the sincerity in this cry? “Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.”

In this deep place we hear a very pure, a very humble and genuine trust being expressed. That confidence as such should not be a reason for you to be happy; neither should you be proud of it and say, ‘At least I still have that confidence.’ No, for then again ‘self’ is in the centre.

‘But, we can supplicate and can pray’, we say these days. I hope indeed that you do this, children. You may always pray, but do pray to the Lord in an honest and sincere manner. The most important thing is that the Lord would hear this prayer out of your mouth, “Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.” ‘O God wilt Thou hear my prayer?’ Would the Lord hear such supplications? Yes, indeed He does. He certainly hears the prayer of those who miss God and therefore cleave unto the throne of God’s grace.

What a consolation it is to know that God hears the cries out of the depths. Yes, even when your thoughts, fed by the whisperings of Satan, would say, ‘Would the Lord really hear my prayer? Such a one as I am and considering the things I have done?’ Congregation, God is pleased to hear dependent prayers. Does He not lead you in those situation to that what His Son Himself has said, “For without me you can do nothing? “

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“A song out of the depths” (Psalm 130:1-4) – Rev. A.A. Brugge

Would He not guide you in those lessons and take you by your hand? O, for sure, He does so. But the question is: Do you really want to hear? Did you come to church to hear His answer to your prayer? Do not expect it from the preacher. Neither should you try to scrape an answer together yourself. Do you know who is the only One Who can give you that answer? The Lord Himself, through His Word. That is why we gather together under His Word! Sin is so deep, so broad, so extensive. Everything leaves you guilty. And that should be the reason for such prayer from out of the depths, “Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.”

Does the Lord have ears? No, God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth. No, it is figurative speech when it says that God hears. Congregation, are you not a stranger to such prayers from the heart, ‘Lord, wilt Thou hear me? Please wilt Thou speak that which is good for my soul’?

2. A glorious confession In this Song we also read of a glorious confession. A confession? Yes, just look at verse 3. This is a glorious confession, for we read, If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? Perhaps you say, ‘Is that a glorious confession? It seems to me that the poet is sinking ever deeper into despondency. It seems to get worse for him. It seems that salvation becomes even more impossible.’ Yes, that’s what may seem to be the case. But, be not be mistaken! Here, we see that the homesickness and the ardent longing are only becoming stronger, even though at first sight it seems to be different.

If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? Here the poet is not speaking about his neighbor, but he puts his own name, as it were, in this text. For him this confession is no soothing pacifier, no cold conclusion, but he makes this confession out of a deep yearning, a deep longing. ‘Lord, Thou knowest all things. Out of the depths have I cried unto Thee. Oh, if Thou would mark my iniquities! And yet, I will not let Thee go, except Thou bless me. O Lord, be not silent unto me. Let Thine ears be attentive to my cries.’

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“A song out of the depths” (Psalm 130:1-4) – Rev. A.A. Brugge

Here we hear a cry, from a heart yearning to hear God’s voice. You notice the ardent longing here! What an honest confession is expressed here! Thou art pure; I am unclean. Thou art holy; I am unholy. What a contrast! But in this contrast we hear, in a very plain manner, the prayer of a servant who has transgressed, who has sinned, who had been disobedient.

As servants watch their master’s hand Or maidens by their mistress stand So to the Lord our eyes we raise Until His mercy he displays (Psalter 351:1)

Verse 3 is different from verses 1 and 2. Something is changing in the prayer. Verses 1 and 2 spoke about the self-revelation of God. I am in the depths because of my own guilt, but to Thee I cry, o Lord. Let thy ears attentive be. In verse 2 we hear his supplication with a view to his own unworthiness. The sinner looks at self. There the poet learns that mercy cannot be demanded, but he learns that mercy is unmerited grace. What is now the greatest wonder in the poet’s eyes? That despite the poet’s sins, the Lord nevertheless speaks to him through His Word and Spirit, grants grace, leads him and through this makes him to taste His favor. On the one hand we see here God’s high and lofty self-revelation and on the other hand the poet who is so much in need of God. Those who miss the Lord will surely recognize this. Because that is the way in which the Lord leads His people still today. When there are good thoughts about the Lord, then there is hope. O God, o Lord, let Thy ears be attentive.

There is a certain expectation. But how can that be? I pray for light, whereas I am black. If Thou shouldest mark iniquities… then I shall perish for ever. But how can these two then be reconciled? That is the question after all, is it not? What is God’s way in this? The iniquities make a separation, do they not? They cause a breach. Can you name some iniquities of yours? You all can mention a few, at least, that’s what I hope. Can you mention something that troubles you, something that dishonours and dethrones God? Because iniquities stand over against that which is right, over against that which is God’s. Iniquities are those sins, with which I make crooked that which is right, with which I hold the Lord

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“A song out of the depths” (Psalm 130:1-4) – Rev. A.A. Brugge suspect, with which I disregard His commandments and His laws. I have sinned against all the Ten Commandments. God’s Spirit always shows to His children these commandments from two sides. In the first place those iniquities are one, they are a unity. My hostile existence to God is one lump of enmity. I am therefore a unity of sin. Foaming and raging I am a source of filthy ungodly deeds.

At the same time sin is a multiplicity. It is one in its source and a multiplicity in its revelations, for from the root all kinds of different sins sprout. That makes my existence of sin so deep. Some people try to laugh it away, reason it away, or talk it away. But when the Lord makes me experience the unity and the multiplicity of my sins, my whole life becomes a world of iniquity. My heart and my life are totally corrupt and I am a seeker of my own self and my own honour.

Perhaps you ask, ‘Must it go that deep?’ Well, let me say this: when we reflect upon God’s Word, the question is not whether you can agree that it should, or should not, go so deep and be so discovering. The Lord will decide that when He says, “Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God”. But also when He says, “Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?”

“If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?” It is a cry from the poet’s heart. Is it your heart’s cry also? Has the Lord also led you into the depth with this supplication already? No, we do not all have the same character or age. But, nevertheless, has the Lord led you into the depth? If so, then listen to this,

The poor and needy He shall spare, And save their souls from fear; He shall redeem them from all wrong, Their life to Him is dear. (Psalter 194:5)

Therefore Martin Luther called Psalm 72 a psalm of justice and of mercy. Do you understand now that the doorstep to enter is but a very low one? Out of the depths. Thanks be to God, you are permitted to step over it. No, not by

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“A song out of the depths” (Psalm 130:1-4) – Rev. A.A. Brugge yourself. That is not your work, for that will not stand. But then the Lord will draw you over it. Before we go to our last point, let us first sing Psalter 266:2,3.

Merciful as mighty, He delights in justice, For He reigns in righteousness and rules in equity; Worship and exalt Him, bowing down before Him, Perfect in pow'r and holiness is He.

Holy men of old in Him alone confided; He forgave their sins, although they felt His chast'ning rod; In His holy temple worship and adore Him, Faithful and holy is the Lord our God.

3. A Joyful testimony of faith In the last place we will meditate on a joyful testimony of faith. For the psalm mentions that as well. Verse 4 begins with, “But with thee…”. This shows that you do not learn this testimony of faith from books, and neither will science give it to you. Neither will a sudden burst of optimism give you to rejoice in this. But what does the text direct us to? Only with Thee, o Source of consolation and light. Only with Thee there is peace to be found. I must lift up my eyes to Thee above. What a lesson! It is such an incredibly difficult lesson to let go of myself. When will I ever stop doing that, doing things by myself, trying to solve things on my own, relying on my knowledge, my experience? How long will it take me to learn this lesson! My whole life! The poet of Psalm 130 has at this time unlearned such trusting in self. He says, “But with thee”!

When I am completely at a loss about the way of my salvation, what a glorious message God’s Word then has for me. “But with thee”. It is not to be found here below; in your heart there is nothing to be found that will make you acceptable to God. “But with thee…”. The Lord above is the right address.

Will God then not do me any harm? No, He won’t. But, if He should mark my iniquities? Indeed…, “But there is forgiveness with thee”. You ask perhaps, ‘But how deep must my knowledge of sin then be?’ That is a question which undoubtedly may have come up in your heart. It is difficult to answer that

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“A song out of the depths” (Psalm 130:1-4) – Rev. A.A. Brugge question. For we should not seek after heaviness. But I may say this of it – and then I stay literally with the text: your knowledge of sin must be so great, so deep, and so powerful, that they drive you to the words, “But with Thee”! Then you are acquainted with a struggle in your heart because of your iniquities and an honest confession of your sins. But ultimately those struggles must bring you at His feet. Is that your desire? Are those the riches, mercies and graces you are yearning for? Because then you say, ‘With Thee, Lord, there is something which I do not deserve, which I do not have of self.’ Then you do not have it in your back pocket, so to speak. Those who wrestle with the Lord like this for mercy and forgiveness, will eventually be loosed from self. Such ones are looking up with yearning and expectation. Do you know why? Because there is forgiveness! And forgiveness removes that what separates us from the Lord and makes plain that which stood in between.

“But with Thee there is forgiveness”. What a wonderful word: forgiveness. I go back to what I said at the start of this sermon: A Song of degrees. The Israelites went into the temple. When could they expect a blessing? When there was forgiveness; when the sacrifices were offered; when the blood flowed! And who was going to bring that sacrifice? That was the man who had been called for that task, a priest from the tribe of Levi, from the family of Aaron. So the priest was to offer the sacrifice. He was busy doing that work, while crowds of people flocked into the temple. Soon, after the sacrifices had been brought, the priest would lift up his blessing hands and there would be singing: Jehovah bless thee from above.

Congregation, now I will not send you to a man, for that priest was only a man, a sinner also. But there is a better Priest. A Priest after the order of Melchizedek. An eternal Priest, Who sacrificed Himself. And that is why we come to these moving words here, “With Thee”. Here is the cry for a Surety. It is the prayer if it would please God to reveal His Son in my heart. In Him, in His Person and His work there is the wonder of forgiveness. Nowhere else! There is really but one Name given unto salvation, only one Person. You say, ‘Yes, that is true; we know that already’. But do you really know this, with your heart?

With reference to our text, I’d like to add something. Which people will be satisfied with the Sacrifice (with a capital S)? That are those who have learned

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“A song out of the depths” (Psalm 130:1-4) – Rev. A.A. Brugge how low that doorstep is. Do you know who will come there? Those for whom it is a wonder that the Lord is willing to take them by the right hand to direct their eyes to the sacrificial Lamb. When God directs their eyes to Him, then they see that there is but One Who is worthy of being looking upon. And do you know how the Lord direct this? When His Word is blessed. When in majesty He rides prosperously on the Word of His truth (:4). Has it become your prayer already: Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty also for me. Ride prosperously because of truth.

“With Thee there is forgiveness”! Do you know how the Lord works this out in the life of His children? When you loose the ground in all that you possess. Then your conversion is not the ground of your salvation. Neither are your tears and encouragements. Beloved, all those things may very well be from the Lord, but they cannot be our ground to exist before God. To be able to stand in the temple before a holy God, in order to live and die under the ministry of reconciliation is only possible through God’s own Child Jesus.

“With Thee there is forgiveness”! Therefore, God’s children professes in deep admiration: What a gift hast thou given us by granting us Thy own dear Son! Thou hast done this to draw unrighteous people out of the depth and to save sinners and squanderers who have ruined all. What an unspeakable gift! What a wonder that there can be peace with God again. What a wonder that the separation has been removed through His blood. No, not through the blood of bullocks and of goats, but through that eternal High Priest, Who has sacrificed Himself. O, praise be to the Lord!

“With Thee there is forgiveness”. But there is more. What would we expect to follow? These words: With Thee there is forgiveness, if man will fear Thee? But that is exactly what it does not say. Thankfully not! Otherwise I would have to say to you: Do pray a lot; do your best, do the utmost you can, for there is forgiveness if you meet this or that condition. You must serve Him, you must Him, you must do things yourself! See, I can understand Martin Luther so well, who resisted the system of good works. He resisted all that was infected by the Roman Catholic leaven. Consequently, Psalm 130 is thoroughly Pauline, i.e. in full accordance what Paul teaches. This Psalm is full of justice and of mercy, of Law and Gospel.

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“A song out of the depths” (Psalm 130:1-4) – Rev. A.A. Brugge

The words we read here are very striking:” … that thou mayest be feared”. What do we hear in this passage? Christ has not only been given for justification, for forgiveness and removal of all what separates us from God, but He has also been given for us to live a life of sanctification out of His strength. It says: that He might be feared. He is a complete Saviour!

Jesus is a complete Saviour, Who marks all my iniquities, before Whom nobody can exist in themselves. What are you now thinking when you hear these words? Indeed, you are right. It is correct that He is a complete Saviour. You will gladly admit that. But do you also know what I fear? That we think too non- committal and that we think in a sinful, liberal, manner! That we think: The Lord is such an amiable and complete Saviour; at the final judgment it probably will not be so bad after all!

Congregation, what I fear greatly is that it will be too late before you notice it. Your life will be over before you notice it you and it will not be that long before you will stand before the Lord. And imagine that you have wasted your time of grace. That your time of grace has passed. Just imagine, that there is no way back any more. Sure, you had a certain delight in listening to the preaching, particularly an alluring gospel preaching or a very discovering preaching. But what if it has never brought you at His feet, what then? Therefore, make haste for your life’s sake!

No, this message does not only apply to older people, but also to you young people and even the little children! Now you may still hear His message. If you had to die, what then? Congregation, did you do nothing else but to analyze and judge every sermon you have heard? Did you weigh every sermon, like: this part of the sermon was positive; I could make some use of it. However, the other part I did not like so much. I hope with all my heart that you do not listen in this way. Here in the text there is something unconditional. What this text aims at is worked out through Word and Spirit, “But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.”

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“A song out of the depths” (Psalm 130:1-4) – Rev. A.A. Brugge

Then it can be that you are in the depth with your prayer: O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me? Then it can be that you must live in this Mesech of misery, but then still you may profess in the midst of that depth, “But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.” O God, may I in dependence to Thee devote my life to Thee?

“But there is forgiveness with Thee.” Not by your omissions and commissions, not by your experiences, and not by your upbringing. Are these things impediments to you at times? Children of God, is it your experience that we are a miserable hindrance to ourselves? “But there is forgiveness with Thee.” With the Lord alone, not outside of Him. Outside of Jesus God remains a consuming fire. We may perhaps forget our iniquities, for we are very clever at that! But the Lord does not forget them!

What a blessing that there is forgiveness. That blood of Jesus is so perfect, so all-sufficient, as if there had never been any sin done. With Him there is forgives; do you hear it? That is not just a wish and not a vain expectation. Yes, sometimes it is said in a way that conveys some kind of uncertain hope, but when the Lord grants forgiveness, mountains will be plain and seas dry. In seeing upon the forgiveness of the Lord there is already a certainty, a shelter where my heart may continually find a refuge in sorrow. Then there is forgiveness, because the Lord Himself gives testimony of His own work. There was prayer, and a yearning. And now God’s Spirit works and draws and then the testimony of faith follows, “There is forgiveness with Thee, that Thou mayest be feared.”

I do not have to work at an ‘if’, for I have nothing and I am in the depth, but “that Thou mayest be feared”.

At Thy sacred altar bending, God, my God, my boundless joy, Harp and voice, in worship blending, For Thy praise will I employ. (Psalter 120:4)

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“A song out of the depths” (Psalm 130:1-4) – Rev. A.A. Brugge

That is a good longing! You may pray and wish this for yourself. If we do not know the way ourselves anymore, we may keep crying out of the depth.

Are you also yearning to hear God answering you? Are you focusing on what you think you have to do, your activity, or have you come to church to listen to what He is doing? We may end by pointing to Him, Jesus Christ, the Gift of the almighty God. He came to serve and for the joy that was set before Him, He endured the cross, and despising the shame. Why? So that there would be forgiveness! The blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanses of all sins. Therefore, beloved, never despair of Him!

Amen.

Concluding Psalter 104:6,9

And now, O Lord, what wait I for? I have no hope except in Thee; Let not ungodly men reproach, From all transgression set me free.

Lord, hear my prayer, regard my cry, I weep, be Thou my comforter; I am a stranger here below, A pilgrim as my fathers were.

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