Wisdom for the Day: Psalm 130
A slight deviation in to the psalms this morning. The psalms also form part of what is known as the wisdom literature. Listen to the words of psalm 130.
Psalm 130
1 Out of the depths I cry to you, LORD;
2 Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.
3 If you, LORD, kept a record of sins,
Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness,
so that we can, with reverence, serve you.
5 I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits,
and in his word I put my hope.
6 I wait for the Lord
more than watchmen wait for the morning,
more than watchmen wait for the morning.
7 Israel, put your hope in the LORD,
for with the LORD is unfailing love
and with him is full redemption.
8 He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.
Have you ever been a watchman? In my time at sea as a cadet part of my training consisted of being on watch. The worst shift of all was the midnight to 4 in the morning shift. Even worse was the midnight to 6 am if we were on 6 hour shifts. I remember standing on the bridge wing of the ship in the wee small hours of the morning on a long ocean passage just gazing out at the darkness looking for a light on a horizon which would indicate another ship or a light that would indicate land. How I would long for the breaking of the dawn. The watching was so tedious, how I longed for the breaking of the dawn. Morning meant being able to relax, an easing of tension, anxiety, it meant getting in to the warmth, it meant rest and it meant putting at bay my hunger, the breakfast smells from the galley wafting up were torturous. The watchman longs for the morning.
The psalmist waits for the Lord more than the watchman waits for the morning.
The watchman here refers to the guard posted to look out for danger, such as on the city walls or at an outpost. The morning brings relief that any predators or danger can now be seen, it brings rest to eyes that are tired and relief from the anxiety of the unknown.
The coming of the Lord into our lives brings all these reliefs, that is why we long for it. The Lord brings us rest, he brings us relief, he brings us peace, he brings us safety, we rest in the Lord. For the watchman, the morning takes an age to come but the Lord is available to us 24/7 through meditating on his word, through prayer and through turning ourselves towards him.
Today, may your longing be for the Lord and nothing else.
