Psa 130:3 If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?

In Psalm 130, the Psalmist asks a frightening question: “If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?” (v.3). If God keeps a record of all our sins, could we stand before Him? And, where will we be in eternality? The Bible tells us that one sin is enough to keep us from heaven (Romans 6:23). What if God keeps track of all the sins we have committed in this life? The frightening news is that God does keep a record of sins. Read the following verses: Matthew 25:42: “For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: [43] I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.” 2Corinthians 5:10: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” Revelation 20:13: “And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.” The truth of the matter is, no one can stand before God IN his sin: “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23a). But, fear not, the Psalmist continues: “But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared” (v.4). It is good news to us: we will stand before God if our sins have been forgiven: “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). The Psalmist says: “For with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption” (v.7b). The Psalmist cries out to God for mercy: “Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD” (v.1). “Out of the depths” can refer to his deep afflictions, sorrow, sin, or distress. The most reasonable guess would be he was referring to his sins because of what he said in verses 3 and 4. Likewise, we need to cry out to God for mercy. We need to be like the tax collector in Jesus’ parable of the tax collector and the Pharisee. How did the tax collector pray? Luke 18:13 says: “And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.” He was contrite, humble, and sorrowful. God will mark any sin that has not been repented of and sought forgiveness: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Our God is merciful and loving. The Psalmist is grateful for His forgiveness. He says: “My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning” (v.6). Do you know how it feels like to wait intensely for the morning? If you are having a bad night cough, you will know it. If you had been in the national service, you would have experienced it when you were performing guard duties. The night watchmen long for the morning to come. The Psalmist waits for God more intensely than the watchmen waited for the morning to come. How about us? How do we wait for the Lord? “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31). If we desire mercy, we must wait on the Lord.