Daily Devotion, May 12, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read Psalm 130. (NRSV)

While taking care of our two “grand dogs”, the words, “I cry to you, O Lord” caught my attention. I’ve not been around them in over a year due to the pandemic. Their “parents”, who have been around them a great deal due to the pandemic, are finely attuned to each one of their cries and can hear their faintest whimper. Out of their love for their dogs, they gave me clear instructions for how to respond to each distinct “cry”.

Is it possible that the Psalmist writer, David, whose life began as a shepherd boy hearing each cry and whimper of each sheep, knows that God hears his cries? Now David is realizing the extent of his own sins and his need for God’s forgiveness. His sins and guilt weigh heavily upon his back. He “cries” out to God in this prayer. “Out of the depths, O Lord, hear my cry for help.” 

“Out of the depths” is David’s perception of his distance away from God as he pleads for God’s forgiveness and mercy. The valley was where David perceived himself to be and during that time the Hebrew people perceived God’s dwelling place to be on the mountaintop. That’s quite a distance! So David is ready to “wait”. This word “wait” or “waits” is written three times.

 

David prays in the assurance that God is listening to his cries and will forgive his sins. Yes, he knows God’s ways of righteousness, and yet, he also knows God’s “habits of forgiveness”. (The Message) Out of God’s love for us, there is no distance away from God from which God can’t hear us. David lets his soul commune with God and receives God’s forgiveness, hope and redemption.

  

In verse 7 David moves from his own need for God’s redemption to that of Israel’s. David reminds the people of God’s steadfast love and God’s power to redeem. God calls the people back to the covenant relationship with God. Oftentimes, we must also cry out for God’s forgiveness as a large group or institution.

Personal Worship Option:

What are your cries unto God today? God is very near and is ready to hear your cries just now. God’s habit is forgiveness. It is not cheap grace. But it is God’s gift. God can forgive us, restore us, and redeem us to free us for joyful service again. Pause for a moment to share your cries with God.