TODAY’S SERMON Psalm 130 – Hope Series: A Pilgrimage of the Heart The Psalms of Ascent

Psalm 130 A song of ascents  1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD;   2 O Lord, hear my voice.        Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.  3 If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins,        O Lord, who could stand?  4 But with you there is forgiveness;        therefore you are feared.  5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,        and in his word I put my hope.  6 My soul waits for the Lord        more than watchmen wait for the morning,        more than watchmen wait for the morning.  7 O 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.

“Help, God—the bottom has fallen out of my life!” Psalm 130:1 (The Message)

Psalm 130 A song of ascents  1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD;   2 O Lord, hear my voice.        Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.  3 If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins,        O Lord, who could stand?  4 But with you there is forgiveness;        therefore you are feared.  5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,        and in his word I put my hope.  6 My soul waits for the Lord        more than watchmen wait for the morning,        more than watchmen wait for the morning.  7 O 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.

BIBLICAL HOPE IS NOT… Wishful Thinking

BIBLICAL HOPE IS NOT… Wishful Thinking Optimism An optimist would say, “The glass is half full." A pessimist would say, “Who cares? We're all going to die, sooner or later. Also, my head hurts and I'm tired. There's never anything good on TV. I hate my job."

BIBLICAL HOPE IS NOT… Wishful Thinking Optimism Self-Confidence

Psalm 130 A song of ascents  1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD;   2 O Lord, hear my voice.        Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.  3 If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins,        O Lord, who could stand?  4 But with you there is forgiveness;        therefore you are feared.  5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,        and in his word I put my hope.  6 My soul waits for the Lord        more than watchmen wait for the morning,        more than watchmen wait for the morning.  7 O 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.

Psalm 130 A song of ascents  1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD;   2 O Lord, hear my voice.        Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.  3 If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins,        O Lord, who could stand?  4 But with you there is forgiveness;        therefore you are feared.  5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,        and in his word I put my hope.  6 My soul waits for the Lord        more than watchmen wait for the morning,        more than watchmen wait for the morning.  7 O 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.

Psalm 130 A song of ascents  1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD;   2 O Lord, hear my voice.        Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.  3 If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins,        O Lord, who could stand?  4 But with you there is forgiveness;        therefore you are feared.  5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,        and in his word I put my hope.  6 My soul waits for the Lord        more than watchmen wait for the morning,        more than watchmen wait for the morning.  7 O 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.

Romans 5:3-4 “3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope.”

Should Disappointment, parent of Despair, Strive for her son to seize my careless heart; When, like a cloud, he sits upon the air, Preparing on his spell-bound prey to dart: Chase him away, sweet Hope, with visage bright, And fright him as the morning frightens night! JOHN KEATS, “To Hope”

Psalm 130 A song of ascents  1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD;   2 O Lord, hear my voice.        Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.  3 If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins,        O Lord, who could stand?  4 But with you there is forgiveness;        therefore you are feared.  5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,        and in his word I put my hope.  6 My soul waits for the Lord        more than watchmen wait for the morning,        more than watchmen wait for the morning.  7 O 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.

Memory + Faith + Time + Vision = BIBLICAL HOPE Memory + Faith + Time + Vision = HOPE

Biggers, John. Shotgun, Third Ward # 1, 1966