A lot of people look at God as simply angry and judgmental – a sort of cranky jurist ready to pronounce a punishment upon any and every offender. And it is true that God is righteous and just, and that he will judge sin.

But God is along with everything else the very model of grace and forgiveness. That forgiveness is granted of course based upon a just payment – ultimately in the blood of Christ.

God’s desire is to be gracious, even as the bulk of mankind refuses to trust in him and receive the gift of life in Jesus Christ.

This short Psalm 130 today speaks of God’s heart of forgiveness. He didn’t have to be this way; he could have justly held mankind’s sins against them. But he made the ultimate provision.

There is forgiveness with God, and with that secured we can “reverently” (verse 4) serve him and find a life of satisfaction.

This is a great truth for use to remember during those times of waiting … and there are lots of times of waiting in the Christian life. There are some long and dark nights; you know the daytime is going to come, but the night seems like it will never end.

I could quickly identify for you several items in life that I have waited for, and continue to wait for, now for years. I don’t know why the night is so long, but I know that God is in control and that on the other side of it I will be able to look back with thanksgiving for God’s perfect timing… again!

The final two verses call upon the original singers of this song – Israelite pilgrims – to put their hope in the Lord because of his “unfailing love.” This references that big idea of God’s special covenant love for the nation. And we have such a covenant of grace through Jesus Christ.

So, whatever you’re dealing with, hope in the Lord – there is nothing better.

As we end with this devotional – the 65^th in the God’s Playlist series – on Sunday we begin with a new four-week sermon series on the Scriptures. Along with it will be a total of 15 days of devotional readings, beginning this coming Monday.

If you have been getting these devotionals automatically sent to you, it will be there for you on Monday morning, though under the name of “Framework.” The page will have a different look and graphics, but it is all the same webpage – and you can look back through all the 340 devotionals written in the past two years that accompany eight different sermon series. Actually, reading all of them would take you approximately one-third of the way through the Bible.

Psalm 130

A song of ascents.

1 Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord; 2 Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.

3 If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand?

4 But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you.

5 I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.

6 I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning.

7 Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption.

8 He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.