“If You, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?” –Psalm 130:3
Painful human conflict is a fruit of sin God lists for Adam and Eve in Genesis 3. Our enmity with God in our sin commits spiritual adultery in our enmity with one another. No matter how healthy a marriage is, there is a threat of keeping a record of wrongs by both the husband and wife which feeds conflict. Good friendships formed over time can grow cold and distant over an angry word.
The temptation is to think we can fix conflict in our relationships by only talking with one another. “Against You and You only have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight,” cried David after adultery and murder (Psalm 51:4). The conflict which rages in our hearts is not made clean by talking about it to each other, but is only cleansed by the power of God.
Pleading to God for mercy “out of the depths” (vs 1) forces me to look upon God as holy and my standing before Him. If God should mark my iniquities, watching and marking down each sin of thought, word, and action, how could I stand His wrath? “But with You there is forgiveness,” trusts the one pleading for mercy (vs 4).
When I go to God harboring any enmity with others in a prideful unforgiving heart, I am not met with practical tools to smooth over my relationships. I encounter a God of tremendous holiness demanding perfection from a pitiful little creature like me. The Psalmist makes a great point: how could I stand against the fury of God’s anger if God kept a record of all my wrongs? God has every right to mark my iniquities. He is perfectly and eternally holy.
Yet, with God there is forgiveness. I look to the cruelty Christ suffered on the cross. There God displayed His intense hatred of sin; yet, also His love for me. In Christ who died this sinner’s death, I am not treated by God as my sins deserve. If God should mark my iniquities, I could not stand His fury. Since in God there is forgiveness, I enjoy His peace.
Though I had offended God’s holiness, I can stand before Him forgiven in peace. How then, pitiful, sinful creature, could I plead for mercy from God and mark others’ iniquities against me? Like the unforgiving servant, would I dare leave the King’s courtroom forgiven of an unforgivable debt only to be unforgiving toward others?
Having received mercy, the Christian is a student of the mercies of Christ. What causes conflicts and quarrels amongst us? Desires at war within us, says James 4:1. The peace between us as humans is tied to the desires in our hearts. If you notice tension, fits of rage, words said in anger in your relationships, go before God and you will study His holiness and your own wickedness. What is the desires of your heart you want so badly that you fight others to get it? God’s holiness will show you.
From the depths cry out to God for mercy, encounter God whose wrath you could not stand if He should mark your iniquities, find forgiveness in Him, and have your desires in your heart changed by mercy.
Heavenly Father, against You and You only do we sin. Our conflicts You see, angry words You hear, wicked thoughts You know. If You should mark our iniquities, we could not stand. In Christ whom You sent to endure the cross for us, we have forgiveness. O Lord, may Your mercies be a teacher for Your people to be merciful. We praise You for Your forgiveness and power to save. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
