If You, O LORD, Shout Mark Iniquities, O Lord, Who Could Stand? (Psalm 130:3)

If You, O LORD, Shout Mark Iniquities, O Lord, Who Could Stand? 

Who is really good at marking iniquities? Recalling conversations from some of my friends, it might be their ex-spouse. Or maybe it’s those people at church; or the pastor. The neighbors. Your co- workers. Why, we are surrounded by experts!

What our verse implies is that God, who knows all, and never forgets, is not such an expert at “marking iniquities.” People seem to think He is. One man described his view of God as holding a big hammer over his head. But this verse suggests another possibility.

Now there are a couple things to note. One is the repeated reference in this phrase, “O LORD,” and “O Lord.” In modern translations, there is a distinction made using the same English letters for names of God. One is “Lord” (Hebrew, Adonai, meaning “sovereign”); and the other is “LORD” (Hebrew, Yahweh, the covenant name given to Israel, I Am that I Am). We have both names used side by side here and throughout Psalm 130. Therefore, we find that this surprising “deficiency” in God’s character applies specifically to those who are in covenant relationship to Him. In New Covenant terms, we would say that God does not mark iniquities with those whose sins are forgiven. Note Psalm 32:1-2 - “Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.”

The other note that we should make in this text is the ensuing phrase: “But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.” The “but,” as I have been pointing out in daily emails, is a disruption in the normal course of events, or, a disruption in what one might expect. We would expect to be held to account for our sins, “but” with You there is forgiveness.

It seems to me that we can go wrong with regard to this point in two different directions. First, for the one living by faith in the promises of God, we can fail to grasp the wonder and miracle of forgiveness. This is to fail to integrate faith in the promise with our acceptance with God in Christ. The other mistake is for those not in covenant fellowship with God to go around assuming that God forgives everybody for everything. This person, not made right with God through faith in Christ, has not learned what the phrase means when it says, “that You may be feared.”