Psalm 130:1–8 (ESV)
1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD!
2 O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy!
3 If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.
5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;
6 my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.
7 O Israel, hope in the LORD! For with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption.
8 And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

Because God is merciful, there is hope. If God tallied all of our wrongdoings and gave us what we deserved, we would all be in big trouble. We have all failed miserably and our condemnation would be the just reward for our actions. “If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?” The answer is no one.

“But with you there is forgiveness… I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope.” Praise be to God that he stands ready to forgive the repentant heart. Those who cry out to God and ask forgiveness find what they desire: redemption. God’s word tells us about this forgiveness and tells us of eternal life for all who believe. The weight of condemnation can be removed and replaced with the thrilling hope of an eternity in the presence of the Lord. That is what the Christian believer waits for with eager expectation. That is our hope.

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