Psalm 130: Plentiful Redemption

He Walks Us On the Water

I can’t help but see Matthew 14:25-33 in our psalm. Jesus walks across the depths to the apostles struggling to cross the sea of Galilee. Peter says, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water” (ESV) and Jesus did. Peter got out of the boat and, shock of all shocks, walked on the water. But then he got distracted from Jesus by the wind and waves. He began to sink in the depths. He had a choice. Head back for the boat or seek the mercy of the Lord. He cried out from the depths, “Lord, save me!” And Jesus did.

Was this event with Peter orchestrated by God to tell us Jesus is the answer to Psalm 130? I don’t know. But, surely, we can see Jesus is the answer to Psalm 130.

The psalmist begs for forgiveness for himself and Israel. He pleads for redemption for himself and Israel. God did not fully grant that request until Jesus. Jesus is the plentiful redemption. Jesus is the forgiveness.

As Ephesians 1:7 says, it is “In him” that is, in Christ, “we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace” (ESV).

Praise God for redemption. Praise God for forgiveness. Praise God for the riches of His mercy and grace. Praise God for Jesus who Himself went into the depths of the grave, waited on the Lord, and defeated death in order to lift us all up and walk us on the water.

Praise the Lord!

Next week’s reading is Psalm 131.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

What do you want to share with others from Psalm 130?

Psalm 93: Mightier than the Waves

Today’s reading is Psalm 93.

Smack in the middle of this profound praise of God, the Sovereign King of the Universe, we find this declaration of His might:

The floods have lifted up, O LORD,
the floods have lifted up their voice;
the floods lift up their roaring.
Mightier than the thunders of many waters,
mightier than the waves of the sea,
the LORD on high is mighty!

Scholars, students, and commentators look backwards. I understand that. Those who read this when it was originally written would likely have done the same thing. They look back at creation. They look back at the flood. They look back at the Red Sea. They saw God’s power demonstrated there. They may have even looked around at the stories of neighboring nations who told tales of creation that involved their false gods defeating a sea goddess to create the world.

But I’m not a scholar. I’m just a plain old Christian, a disciple of Jesus Christ. Therefore, I cannot help but simply look ahead. Because, the ultimate point of this psalm is not to bring to mind false creation stories of the surrounding cultures to teach Israelites that YHWH is stronger than Marduk or Baal (though I’m sure they learned these things). The ultimate point of this psalm is to come to mind when we hear the apostles ask, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (Mark 4:41; see also Matthew 8:27; Luke 8:25). Only one is mightier than the thunders of many waters and the waves of the sea: The LORD, YHWH. No matter how the waves pounded and the wind roared, Jesus spoke the words, “Peace! Be Still!” and the storm acquiesced before the authority and power of the Creator of the Universe who had established the earth and upholds it by the Word of His power. Who is this Jesus who commanded the wind and the waves? He is YHWH. He is the LORD.

Never forget. Our Lord reigns. Jesus is robed in majesty. Jesus has put on strength as a belt. Jesus’s testimonies are trustworthy. Jesus’s house is adorned with holiness. Jesus is from everlasting to everlasting.

That’s our King. Praise the Lord!

Will you confess Him?

Next week’s reading is Psalm 94.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier sparked by this post.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

What do you want to share with others from Psalm 93?

Psalm 71: Who is Like God?

Today’s reading is Psalm 71.

What a question. “O God, who is like you?”

The psalmist asked the question back in Psalm 35:10, “All my bones shall say, ‘O LORD, who is like you, delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, the poor and needy from him who robs him?'” (ESV). But perhaps more to the point, Moses and the Israelites asked this question after crossing the Red Sea: “Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?” (Exodus 15:11, ESV).

The psalmist repeatedly expresses in Psalm 71:14-19 God has done amazing things. Though he doesn’t list them here in the psalm, he explains he could praise for his whole life because he doesn’t even know the number of God’s great and righteous acts. However, we’ve already hinted at one act he may have in mind.

When Moses was an old man (apologies to all my 80-year-old friends), he led Israel through the Red Sea. After the victory, they sang the song mentioned above. But notice some verbal connections between that song and this one. In Exodus 15:5, Moses’s song declared while Israel was delivered and passed through the Sea, Pharaoh’s army was not so blessed. Rather, “The floods covered them; they went down into the depths like a stone” (ESV). I find it frustrating that the verbal connection is between “floods” in the ESV of Exodus 15:5 and “depths” of Psalm 71:20. But there it is. Further, in Exodus 15:12, the song went on to say, “You stretched out your right hand; the earth swallowed them” (ESV). The psalmist claimed God would revive him and raise him up “from the depths of the earth” (Psalm 71:20). When Moses asked who is like God, the contrast was obvious. Israel had walked through the depths of the earth and come out on the other side. Pharaoh’s army, however, went into the depths of the earth and did not revive, nor was brought up again.

Our psalmist anchors his hope in the Exodus and the Red Sea crossing. Just like Moses and Israel did after they were brought up again, the psalmist declares he will sing praises to the Holy One of Israel (see Psalm 71:22-24). How shameful for Israel as an entire family and nation to be enslaved to Egypt. How far they had fallen into shame from the time of Joseph’s glory and honor. Yet, though they had seen troubles and calamities, God brought them through the Red Sea and set them in His promised land on the other side of that victory with glory and honor again. The psalmist in his old age remembers God’s great works and knows he too will be brought out on the other side victorious. May we hang on to the same hope no matter what calamities and troubles we face.

Praise the Lord!

Tomorrow’s reading is Psalm 71.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier sparked by this post.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

How does Psalm 71 prompt or improve your trust in God?