Read Psalm 130

“If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?” – Psalm 130:3

This is a turning point.

The psalmist has just cried out from the depths—but now he turns inward. He realizes what brought him there: sin. Guilt. Failure. Shame. But he also recognizes something deeper: if God were keeping a detailed ledger of our sins, none of us could stand.

This isn’t just poetic exaggeration. It’s spiritual realism.

We cannot come to God based on our performance. We don’t stand because we’re good. We stand because He is merciful. The gospel flips the logic of religion on its head. In Christ, our standing before God is no longer based on what we’ve done, but on what He’s done for us.

This verse asks a haunting question: Who could stand? But the New Testament answers it with hope: We stand by grace, through faith, because of Jesus (Romans 5:1–2).

Reflection Questions:

• Why is it significant that the psalmist acknowledges his sin before asking for forgiveness?
  
• What would it be like if God counted every sin against us?
  
• How does Jesus’ death and resurrection change your standing before God?
  
• Do you sometimes try to “earn” God’s forgiveness? What does this verse say to that?

Journaling Prompt:

Write a letter to God confessing the areas where you feel like you fall short. Then reread Psalm 130:3–4 and write how it speaks back to you.