Daily Devotion: Psalm 85:1-3

Psalm 85:1-3    "LORD, thou hast been favourable unto thy land: thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob.  (2)  Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah.  (3)  Thou hast taken away all thy wrath: thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger."

The writer of this Psalm speaks of all our sins being covered. "Thou has forgiven the iniquity of thy people."  In another place, the Psalmist writes, "Blessed is the man whose sins are forgiven." Sometimes I have to wonder if in our carnal minds, we are not fully capable of realizing just how terrible the least sin (as man would count it), transgresses against the glorious beauty of heaven and the incredible amazing grace of God.  How many times do we stop to say "Thank you Lord for the forgiveness of my sins."  I admit that when I ask the Lord to forgive me for something that I feel to be a "big sin" and I experience that feeling of forgiveness it is then that I stop and say, "Lord, thank  you for loving me to the degree that you forgave my sin."  But other than those atrocious things we do, how often do we say "Thank you for the forgiveness of sins."

 Ah! Let us look at the beauty of verse three. "Thou hast taken away all thy wrath: thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger."  We must first understand that God hates sin. "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness." (Romans 1:18) God's violent passion, His anger, His abhorrence of sin, His vengeance and punishment against all unrighteousness (all sin - little, medium, big) is revealed from heaven. This anger, or wrath, includes everything from little white lies to the most vicious crime that could be committed.

The Psalmist was blessed to see the truth of forgiveness as God has turned Himself from the fierceness of His anger. How and when did this happen? First, let's see the fierceness of His anger against unrighteousness (sins). The Prophet Isaiah was blessed to write concerning the suffering of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5) The fierceness of God's wrath against sin was poured out upon His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. He turned Himself from the fierceness of His anger. When did that happen?  Hear the words of Jesus: "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Mark 15:34) The Father "turned Himself" away from the fierceness of His anger. He would not look upon His own Son as He hung upon the cross. Why? Because He would not look upon sin and during three hours on the cross, Jesus was made to be sin. Paul, writing about the work of Jesus on the cross, wrote these words: "Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him." (Romans 5:9)

 "LORD, thou hast been favourable unto thy land: thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob.  (2)  Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people."

"To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.  (7)  In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace." (Ephesians 1:6-7)