Psalms 130:7-8

 

EXPOSITION

Verse 7. Let Israel hope in the LORD. Or, "Hope thou, Israel, in Jehovah." Jehovah is Israel's God; therefore, let Israel hope in him. What one Israelite does he wishes all Israel to do. That man has a just right to exhort others who is himself setting the example. Israel of old waited upon Jehovah and wrestled all the night long, and at last he went his way succoured by the Hope of Israel: the like shall happen to all his seed. God has great things in store for his people, they ought to have large expectations. For with the LORD there is mercy. This is in his very nature, and by the light of nature it may be seen. But we have also the light of grace, and therefore we see still more of his mercy. With us there is sin; but hope is ours, because "with the Lord there is mercy." Our comfort lies not in that which is with us, but in that which is with our God. Let us look out of self and its poverty to Jehovah and his riches of mercy. And with him is plenteous redemption. He can and will redeem all his people out of their many and great troubles; nay, their redemption is already wrought out and laid up with him, so that he can at any time give his waiting ones the full benefit thereof. The attribute of mercy, and the fact of redemption, are two most sufficient reasons for hoping in Jehovah; and the fact that there is no mercy or deliverance elsewhere should effectually wean the soul from all idolatry. Are not these deep things of God a grand comfort for those who are crying out of the depths? Is it not better to be in the deeps with David, hoping in God's mercy, than up on the mountain tops, boasting in our own fancied righteousness?

 

EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS

Verse 7. Let Israel hope in the LORD. This title is applied to all the Lord's people; it sets forth their dignity -- they are PRINCES; it refers to their experience -- they wrestle with God in prayer, and they prevail. Despondency does not become a prince, much less a Christian. Our God is "THE GOD OF HOPE"; and we should hope in him. Israel should hope in his mercy, in his patience, in his provision, in his plenteous redemption. They should hope for light in darkness; for strength in weakness; for direction in perplexity; for deliverance in danger; for victory in conflict; and for triumph in death. They should hope in God confidently, because he hath promised; prayerfully, for he loves to hear from us; obediently, for his precepts are to be observed by us; and constantly, for he is always the same. --James Smith (1802-1862), in "The Believer's Daily Remembrancer,"

Verse 7. Let Israel hope in the LORD. Whereas, in all preceding verses of the Psalm, the thoughts, the sorrows, the prayer, the penitence, the awe, the waiting, the watching, were all personal and confined to himself; here a great change has taken place, and it is no longer "I", but "Israel"; all Israel. "Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities." This is as it always ought to be ... It is the genius of our religion to go forth to multitudes. --James Vaughan.

Verse 7. For with the LORD there is mercy. Mercy has been shown to us, but it dwells in God. It is one of his perfections. The exercise of it is his delight. There is mercy with the Lord in all its fulness; he never was more merciful than now, neither will he ever be. There is mercy with the Lord in all its tenderness, he is full of compassion, his bowels are troubled for us, his tender mercies are over us. There is mercy with him in all its variety, it suits every case.

Here is mercy that receives sinners, mercy that restores backsliders, mercy that keeps believers. Here is the mercy that pardons sin, that introduces to the enjoyment of all gospel privileges, and that blesses the praying soul far beyond its expectations. With the Lord there is mercy, and he loves to display it, he is ready to impart it, he has determined to exalt and glorify it.

There is mercy with the Lord; this should encourage the miserable to approach him; this informs the fearful that they need bring nothing to induce him to bless them; this calls upon backsliders to return to him; and this is calculated to cheer the tried Christian, under all his troubles and distresses. Remember, mercy is like God, it is infinite and eternal. Mercy is always on the throne. Mercy may be obtained by any sinner. --James Smith.

Verse 7. With him is plenteous redemption. This plenteous redemption leaves behind it no more relies of sin than Moses left hoofs of beasts behind him in Egypt. It redeems not only from the fault, but from the punishment; not only a tanto, but a toto not only from such, but also from all sin and penalty; not only from the sense but from the fear of pain; and in the fault, not only from the guilt, but front the stain; not only from being censured, but from being questioned. Or is it meant by a plenteous redemption that not only he leads captivity captive, but gives gifts unto men? For what good is it to a prisoner to have his pardon, if he be kept in prison still for not paying his fees? but if the prince, together with the pardon, sends also a largess that may maintain him when he is set at liberty, this, indeed, is a plenteous redemption; and such is the redemption that God's mercy procures unto us. It not only delivers us from a dungeon, but puts us in possession of a palace; it not only frees us from eating bread in the sweat of our brows, but it restores us to Paradise, where all fruits are growing of their own accord; it not only clears us from being captives, but endears us to be children; and not only children, but heirs; and not only heirs, but co- heirs with Christ; and who can deny this to be a plenteous redemption Or is it said a plenteous redemption in regard of the price that was paid to redeem us? for we are redeemed with a price, not of gold or precious stones, but with the precious blood of the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world. For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son to be a ransom for us, and this I am sure is a plenteous redemption. -- Sir Richard Baker.

Verse 7. Plenteous redemption, or more literally, "redemption plenteously." He calls it plenteous, as Luther says, because such is the straitness of our heart, the slenderness of our hopes, the weakness of our faith, that it far exceeds all our capacity, all our petitions and all our desires. --J. J. Stewart Perowne.

Verse 7-8. This Psalm containeth an evident prophecy of the Messias; in setting forth his plentiful redemption, and that he should redeem Israel, that is, the Church, from all their sins. Which words in their full sense were used by an angel to Joseph, in telling him that the child's name should be JESUS, "because he should save his people from their sins": Matthew 1:21. --Sir John Hayward (1560-1627), in "David's Tears," 1623.

 

HINTS FOR PASTORS AND LAYPERSONS

Verse 7. Redeeming grace the sole hope of the holiest. --W. B. H.

Verse 7.

Verse 7-8. It is our wisdom to have personal dealings with God.

 

EXPOSITION

Verse 8. And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities. Our iniquities are our worst dangers: if saved from these, we are saved altogether; but there is no salvation from them except by redemption. What a blessing that this is here promised in terms which remove it out of the region of question: the Lord shall certainly redeem his believing people from all their sins. Well may the redemption be plenteous since it concerns all Israel and all iniquities! Truly, our Psalm has ascended to a great height in this verse: this is no cry out of the depths, but a chorale in the heights. Redemption is the top of covenant blessings. When it shall be experienced by all Israel, the latter day glory shall have come, and the Lord's people shall say, "Now, Lord, what wait we for?" Is not this a clear prophecy of the coming of our Lord Jesus the first time? and may we not now regard it as the promise of his second and more glorious coming for the redemption of the body? For this our soul doth wait: yea, our heart and our flesh cry out for it with joyful expectation.

 

EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS

Verse 8. He will redeem. "HE" emphatic, He alone, for none other can. --J. J. Stewart Perowne.

Verse 8. From his iniquities. Not only from the punishment (as Ewald and Hupfeld). The redemption includes the forgiveness of sins, the breaking of the power and dominion of sin, and the setting free from all the consequences of sin. --J. J. Stewart Perowne.

Verse 8. Iniquities. Iniquities of eye -- has conscience no voice there? Is no iniquity ever practised by your eye? Let conscience speak. Iniquity of ear -- is there no iniquity that enters into your heart through the ear? You cannot listen to a conversation in the street without iniquity entering into your heart through what Bunyan calls "Ear gate." Iniquity of lip -- do you always keep your tongue as with a bridle? Do your lips never drop anything unbecoming the gospel? Is there no carnal conversation, no angry word at home, no expression that you would not like the saints of God to hear? What! your lips always kept so strictly that there is never a single expression dropped from them which you would be ashamed to utter before an assembly of God's people? Iniquity of thought -- if your eyes, ears, and lips are clean, is there no iniquity of thought? What! in that workshop within, no iniquitous suggestions, no evil workings? Oh, how ignorant must we be of ourselves, if we feel that we have no iniquity of thought! Iniquity of imagination -- does not fancy sometimes bring before you scenes of sensuality in which your carnal nature is vile enough to revel? Iniquity of memory -- does not memory sometimes bring back sins you formerly committed, and your evil nature is perhaps base enough to desire they had been greater Iniquity of feeling -- no enmity against God's people ever working? no pride of heart? no covetousness? no hypocrisy? no self righteousness? no sensuality? no base thought that you cannot disclose even to your bosom friend? But here is the blessed promise -- a promise only suited to Israel: for all but Israel lose sight of their iniquities, and justify themselves in self righteousness. None but Israel feel and confess their iniquities, and therefore to Israel is the promise of redemption limited: "He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities." What! all? Yes, Not one left? No, not a trace, not a shade, not the shadow of a shade; all buried, all gone, all swallowed up, all blotted out, all freely pardoned, all cast behind God's back. --Joseph C. Philpot, 1802-1869.

Verse 8. What a graceful and appropriate conclusion of this comprehensive and instructive Psalm! Like the sun, it dawns veiled in cloud, it sets bathed in splendour; it opens with soul depth, it closes with soul height. Redemption from all iniquity! It baffles the most descriptive language, and distances the highest measurement. The most vivid imagination faints in conceiving it, the most glowing image fails in portraying it, and faith droops her wing in the bold attempt to scale its summit. "He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities." The verse is a word painting of man restored, and of Paradise regained. --Octavius Winslow.

 

HINTS FOR PASTORS AND LAYPERSONS

Verse 8.

  • Titus 2:14

 

WORKS WRITTEN ABOUT THE HUNDRED AND THIRTIETH PSALM. IN SPURGEON'S DAY

A Treatise concerning the fruitful Sayings of David, The King and Prophet, in The Seven Penitential Psalms ... By the Right Reverend Father in God Ions Fisher, DD. and Bp. of Rochester. Printed in the Year 1714. This is a reprint in 12mo. of the Black Letter 4to. described on page 114 of Vol. 2. of "The Treasury of David." The work is more curious than useful.]

"An Exposition upon some select Psalms of David ... Written by that faithful servant of God M. Robert Rollok ... And translated out of Latine into English by Charles Lumisden ... Edinborgh ... 1600", 8vo. contains a short exposition on Psalm 130.

In "Select Works of Robert Rollock", edited for the Wodrow Society by William M. Gunn, Esq., Vol. 1 pp. 451-481, there are two expository Sermons on Psalm 130.

A Exposition On The Hundred And Thirtieth Psalm. Gathered out of some of the Ancient Fathers and later writers by Alexander Roberts. Bachelor of Divinity and Preacher of the Word of God at Kings Lind in Norfolk. London ... 1610. 4to.

David's Tears. By Sir John Hayward, Knight, Doctor of Lawe. London. Printed by John Bell, 1623. 4to. On Psalms 6, 32, and 130.

The Saints' Comforts. Being the substance of diverse Sermons. Preached on Psalm 130, the beginning Psalms 130:1-5 ... By a Reverend Divine now with God. Richard Sibbes. London ... 1638. 18mo. Reprinted in Vol. 6 of Sibbes' Works, Nichol's edition, 1863.

A Godly and Fruitful Exposition on the 130 Psalme, the sixth of the Penitentials, in A Sacred Septenarie or, A Godly And Fruitful Exposition On The Seven Psalms Of Repentance ... By Mr. Archibald Symson, late Pastor of the church at Dalkeeth in Scotland. London ... 1638. 4to.

In "Meditations And Disquisitions upon The Three last Psalmes of David. By Sir Richard Baker, Knight" 4to. 1639, there is an Exposition of Psalm 130. It will be found in Higham's reprint 1882 of Sir R. Baker's Expositions of the Psalms, pp. 257-271.

A Practical Exposition upon Psalm 130; wherein the Nature of the Forgiveness of Sin is declared; the Truth and Reality of it asserted; and the case of a Soul Distressed with the Guilt of Sin, and Relieved by a Discovery of Forgiveness with God, is at large Discoursed By John Owen, D.D., 4to.], 1668, 1669, 1680. There are modern reprints of this Exposition; and it is in Vol. 6 of Owen's Works, edited by W. H. Goold, 1881.

In "The Whole Works of Robert Leighton, D.D., Archbishop of Glasgow, 4 vols., 8yD., 1725", there are "Meditations on Psalm 130." Vol. 2. pp. 510-540.

Forty Five Sermons upon The 130 Psalme. Preached at IRWIN. By that Eminent Servant of Jesus Christ, Mr. George Hutcheson -- 1678], Minister of the Gospel. Edinburgh ... 1691. 8vo.

In "Sermons preached in Christ Church, Brighton, from October, 1877, to July, 1878, by the Rev. James Vaughan, M.A. London, 1878", there is a Course of Lenten Sermons on the 130th Psalm, entitled "Steps to Heaven."
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