Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 130:3
If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
3. If thou, Jah, shouldest mark iniquities ] Shouldest observe them and keep them in remembrance, instead of blotting them out of Thy record. Cp. Psa 79:8. The same word is used of God’s ‘observing’ the sinner (Job 10:14; cp. Job 14:16-17), and of ‘keeping’ anger (Jer 3:5; cp. Psa 103:9). The P.B.V., “If thou, Lord, wilt be extreme to mark what is done amiss,” is one of Coverdale’s boldly beautiful paraphrases.
Lord ] Adnai, as in Psa 130:2, implies that the servant is addressing his Master.
who would stand ] Before Thee in judgement. No one could maintain his innocence: all must inevitably be condemned as guilty at the bar of Divine justice. Cp. Psa 1:5; Psa 76:7; Psa 143:2; Ezr 9:15. This verse is virtually a confession of sin and a plea for pardon.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities – If thou shouldst observe, note, attend to, regard all the evil that I have done. The Hebrew word means properly to keep, to watch, to guard. The word, as used here, refers to that kind of vigilance or watchfulness which one is expected to manifest who is on guard; who keeps watch in a city or camp by night. The idea is, If God should thus look with a scrutinizing eye; if he should try to see all that he could see; if he should suffer nothing to escape his observation; if he should deal with us exactly as we are; if he should overlook nothing, forgive nothing, we could have no hope.
Who shall stand? – Who shall stand upright? Who could stand before thee? Who could hope to be acquitted? This implies
(1) that the petitioner was conscious of guilt, or knew that he was a sinner;
(2) that he felt there was a depth of depravity in his heart which God could see, but which he did not – as every man must be certain that there is in his own soul;
(3) that God had the power of bringing that to light if he chose to do it, so that the guilty man would be entirely overwhelmed;
(4) that he who urged the prayer rested his only hope on the fact that God would not mark iniquity; would not develop what was in him; would not judge him by what he saw in his heart; but would deal with him otherwise, and show him mercy and compassion.
Every man must feel that if God should mark iniquity as it is – if he should judge us as we are – we could have no hope. It is only on the ground that we may be forgiven, that we eau hope to come before him.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 130:3-4
If Thou, Lord, shouldst mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
A psalmists question and answer
I want to cheer some of you who at present hardly dare to pray. Yet you are the very people who may pray; you who think that the Lord will never hear you are the people whom lie is certain to hear and answer. When you are cleaned right out, when even the last rusty counterfeit farthing has been emptied out of your pocket, and you stand before your God as a wretched, starving, and bankrupt beggar, your abject poverty and dire need will commend you to His mercy and love.
I. First, we have a confession,–a confession which it will be well for every one of us to make (verse 3).
1. The psalmist may have felt that, if a human witness had been appointed to mark his sin, he might have been able to stand; but he says, If Thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, who shall stand? You have sometimes had a white pocket handkerchief, and you have admired its whiteness; but when the snow has fallen, and you have laid your handkerchief upon the newly-fallen snow, it has looked quite yellow instead of white; and so is it with the holiest life when it is placed by the side of the life of Christ, or looked at in the light of the perfect law of God; then we see how stained and defiled it really is. So, Lord, we might stand up before our fellow-men, and plead Not guilty, when they belie and slander us, as they do; but, before Thy holy presence, if Thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
2. The psalmist also speaks of a special form of guilt. He does not say, If Thou shouldest mark open and overt transgression,–the breaking out of bounds, and going astray in the paths of evil; but he says, If Thou shouldest mark iniquities. Pull that word to pieces, and it becomes in-equities–whatever is not right in the sight of God. If He were to mark those in-equities, who could stand before Him? Not one of us could do so.
3. Notice, next, how the psalmist inquires, Who shall stand? If there were any way of getting into heaven by a back door, or of hiding our sins from Gods eye, we might have some ground of hope; but there will come a day when we shall stand before God like prisoners at the bar. David, who probably wrote this psalm, had known many good men in his time, and he was accustomed to associate with the excellent of the earth; yet he says, O Lord, who shall stand? And I may repeat his question now, since God has marked our iniquities, Who among us can stand in His sight upon the footing of our own good works? Echo answers, Who?
II. The psalmists confidence (verse 4).
1. We know that there is forgiveness with God, because we have been informed by revelation concerning the character of God; and we find one prominent feature in the character of God is that lie delighteth in mercy.
2. Moreover, this impression, conveyed to us by the general tenor of the Scriptures, is deepened by the direct teaching of the Gospel. Why did Jesus come into the world to be a Saviour if God does not delight to save the lost? Why did He offer an atonement if it were not that sin might be put away by that atonement?
3. Further, we are assured that God will forgive sin because we have so many definite promises to that effect. This blessed Book is as full of promises and proclamations of mercy as an egg is full of meat. It abounds in messages of love and grace; it tells us that God willeth not the death of the sinner, that He delighteth not in judgment, for that is His left-handed work, but that His compassion freely moves towards the blackest and vilest of sinners when they repent, and return unto Him.
III. The consequence of forgiveness. There is forgiveness with Thee, that Thou mayest be feared. Thus, you see, the doctrine of free forgiveness actually produces in mans mind a fear of God. You might have thought the psalmist would have said, There is no forgiveness with Thee, that Thou mayest be feared; but it is not so.
1. The opposite of our text is very manifest. When there is no forgiveness, or when a man thinks there is none, what is the consequence? He is driven to despair, and despair often leads to desperate living. If there is no hope of forgiveness, then there is no proper fear of God.
2. Many are abiding in a state of carelessness, because they really do not know whether there is any pardon to be had. When a man is in doubt as to whether he can be forgiven, he says, I am afraid it would be a very long process, and I do not know whether I should get it even then. Perhaps, however, there is no pardon to be had, so I might become a religious man, and yet miss the forgiveness of sins. That is the thought of many, and therefore they become torpid and lethargic, careless and indifferent; but when the Holy Spirit teaches a man that there is forgiveness to be had, he would leap out of his very body rather than miss it.
3. How encouraging, too, is the belief that there is pardon to be had! But, more, how sanctifying is the actual reception of it! Walk carefully, prayerfully, humbly before God and men, putting your trust, not in yourselves, but in Christ alone, and you shall then find, in your experience, the best exposition of the text, There is forgiveness with Thee, that Thou mayest be feared; for you will prove, by your own fear of God, which is continually before your own eyes, that His free, rich, sovereign grace, manifested in your pardon, did not produce in you indulgence in sin, but gave you the sweet liberty of walking in holiness, and in the fear of the Lord. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
The sinner without excuse before God
I. Explain the meaning of the assertion. If Thou, Lord, shouldst execute the decrees of justice, and punish everything that is done amiss, the holiest man on earth would not be able to abide the trial; how much less would such a sinner as I be able to stand?
II. Confirm this truth from scripture and experience.
1. It is the constant doctrine of the Holy Scriptures; it is the uniform language of humility and penitence there (Psa 143:2; Job 9:2-4; Job 40:4-5; Job 42:5-6; Psa 19:12; Lam 3:22-23).
2. I shall propose three general subjects of examination.
(1) Hew many duties have you omitted which you must be sensible you ought to have performed?
(2) How often have you been guilty of express transgressions of the law of God?
(3) How many blemishes and imperfections cleave to those very duties which you endeavour to perform in obedience to his will?
III. Practical application.
1. How great is the deceitfulness of sin! How astonishing the blindness of sinners!
2. If the holiest cannot stand before God, if no flesh living can be justified in His sight, how fearful must be the state of those who are lying under the guilt of atrocious, aggravated, and repeated crimes!
3. If any Christian desires to keep his ten-science tender and faithful, to have a deep, growing and humbling sense of his own sinfulness; if he would bar the gate against the entrance of pride, or banish it after it has obtained admission; if he desires to walk humbly and watchfully, let him live as in the presence of God, let him often sift himself at His awful tribunal. (J. Witherspoon, D. D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 3. If thou – shouldest mark iniquities] If thou shouldst set down every deviation in thought, word, and deed from thy holy law; and if thou shouldst call us into judgment for all our infidelities, both of heart and life; O Lord, who could stand? Who could stand such a trial, and who could stand acquitted in the judgment? This is a most solemn saying; and if we had not the doctrine that is in the next verse, who could be saved?
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Mark iniquities; observe them accurately, and punish them severely, as they deserve. Who shall stand in thy presence, or at thy tribunal? No man can acquit himself, or escape the sentence of condemnation, because all men are sinners, Ecc 7:20; Jam 3:2. To stand is a judicial phrase, and notes a mans being absolved or justified, upon an equal trial, as Psa 1:5; Rom 14:4, where it is opposed to falling.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3. shouldest markor, “takestrict account” (Job 10:14;Job 14:16), implying a confessionof the existence of sin.
who shall stand (Ps1:6). Standing is opposed to the guilty sinking down infear and self-condemnation (Mal 3:2;Rev 6:15; Rev 6:16).The question implies a negative, which is thus more strongly stated.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities,…. Or “observe” f them. Not but that God does observe the sins of men: he sees all the evil actions of bad men done in the dark, which cannot hide them from him; and all the iniquities of good men, so as to correct and chastise for them, but not with his eye of vindictive justice. Or “keep” g them; should he keep a watchful eye over them, make strict inspection into them, enter into a critical examination of them, and of all their aggravated circumstances; should he keep them in mind and memory, retain them in the book of his remembrance; should he lay them up, and keep them sealed among his stores, in order to be brought to light, and brought out as charges another day, and to the condemnation of men; should he set them before him in the light of his countenance, and not cast them behind his back and into the depths of the sea; should he visit for them in a way of wrath, or enter into judgment on account of them, with men in their own persons; demanding satisfaction for them at their own hands, without any regard to the sacrifice and satisfaction of his Son; all a man’s righteousness, repentance, humiliation and tears, would stand him in no stead, would not answer for him, or atone for his sins; still his iniquities would remain marked before God; the consequence of which would be eternal damnation, Jer 2:22;
O Lord, who shall stand? Not one; since all are sinners. The Arabic version adds, “before thee”; in his presence; in the house and courts of God, there to minister before him; to pray and praise, to preach and hear: or at his bar hereafter, with any boldness and confidence; so as to litigate the point with him in his court of judicature, before angels and men, and so as to carry the cause; the wicked shall not stand in judgment, Ps 1:5. Or who can stand before his vindictive justice, or bear his wrath and vengeance? No one can. See Na 1:6 Mal 3:2.
f “observaveris”, V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Musculus, Junius Tremellius, Piscator, Michaelis. g “Serves”, Cocceius “servaveris”, Muis.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
3. If thou, O God! shoudst mark iniquities (119) Here the Prophet acknowledges that although grievously afflicted, he had justly deserved such punishment, as had been inflicted upon him. As by his own example he gives a rule which the whole Church ought to observe, let no man presume to intrude himself into the presence of God, but in the way of humbly deprecating his wrath; and especially when God exercises severity in his dealings towards us, let us know that we are required to make the same confession which is here uttered. Whoever either flatters himself or buries his sins by inattention to them, deserves to pine away in his miseries; at least he is unworthy of obtaining from God the smallest alleviation. Whenever God then exhibits the tokens of his wrath, let even the man who seems to others to be the holiest of all his fellows, descend to make this confession, that should God determine to deal with us according to the strict demands of his law, and to summon us before his tribunal, not one of the whole human race would be able to stand. We grant that it is one man only who here prays, but he at once pronounces sentence upon the whole human race. “All the children of Adam,” he substantially says, “from the first to the last, are lost and condemned, should God require them to render up an account of their life.” It is therefore necessary that even the holiest of men should pass under this condemnation, that they may betake themselves to the mercy of God as their only refuge. The Prophet does not however mean to extenuate his own fault by thus involving others with himself, as we see hypocrites do, who when they dare not altogether justify themselves, resort to this subterfuge, “Am I the first or the only man who has offended?” and thus, mingling themselves with a multitude of others, they think themselves half absolved from their guilt. But the Prophet, instead of seeking to shelter himself under such a subterfuge, rather confesses, after having thoroughly examined himself, that if of the whole human race not even one can escape eternal perdition, this instead of lessening rather increased his obnoxiousness to punishment. Whoever, as if he had said, shall come into the presence of God, whatever may be his eminence for sanctity, he must succumb and stand confounded, (120) what then will be the case as to me, who am not one of the best? The right application of this doctrine is, for every man to examine in good earnest his own life by the perfection which is enjoined upon us in the law. In this way he will be forced to confess that all men without exception have deserved everlasting damnation; and each will acknowledge in respect to himself that he is a thousand times undone. Farther, this passage teaches us that, since no man can stand by his own works, all such as are accounted righteous before God, are righteous in consequence of the pardon and remission of their sins. In no other manner can any man be righteous in the sight of God. Very differently do the Papists think. They indeed confess that the deficiencies of our works are supplied by the lenity which God exercises towards us; but at the same time they dream of a partial righteousness, on the ground of which men may stand before God. In entertaining such an idea they go very far astray from the sense of the Prophet, as will appear more plainly from the sequel.
(119) The allusion is to judicial proceedings. It is as if the Psalmist had said, If thou wert, like an earthly judge, to note down every minute circumstance of guilt, who would be able to stand such a trial, or leave thy court unconvicted, or uncondemned? The verb, “ שמר, denotes not only to mark, or observe, but to observe diligently, so as to retain a perpetual memory of what is done amiss a rigid and judicial observation of faults: see Job 10:14; Job 14:16 ” Phillips.
(120) “ Et demeure confus.” Fr.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(3) If thou.The word rendered mark is watch in Psa. 130:6. If Jah were to watch for mens lapses, as one watches for the dawn, nothing but signal punishment could follow. So Job (Job. 10:14; Job. 14:16) actually believed God did watch; while the prophets Jeremiah (Jer. 3:5) and Amos (Amo. 1:11) use the word of the strict care taken that the consequences should follow the sin. It is a fact worthy of attention, that misfortune provokes at this crisis, in this people so profoundly religious, not murmurings against the Divine dealings, but a sense of deep contrition.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
3. Mark iniquities Literally, Keep iniquities, or, watch iniquities closely; that is, remember them accurately in order to bring them to punishment. The same idea is conveyed in Deu 32:34; Job 14:17; Hos 13:12. In such a strict course of justice who could stand! But opposite to this preserving, or “sealing up,” the record of our sins for judgment, stands the merciful non-imputation, or forgiveness, of sin through faith in the atonement, as in Psa 32:2; Rom 4:7-8. On this mercy alone, without human merit, depends the hope of every man.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 130:3. Shouldest mark iniquities i.e. As a rigorous judge, exactly take notice of every offence committed against thee and thy holy commandments:Who shall stand? “Who could be able to stand the trial, so as to be acquitted by thee?”
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
I beg the Reader to take notice of the different Printing of the word Lord in this verse; the former is JAH, the latter is Adonai. For particulars respecting the difference of the two names, I refer the Reader to what was offered in the Comment on Psa 110 . And in addition to what is there said, I request the Reader to remark with me the great earnestness of soul which is here manifested, when crying to be heard, and deprecating divine displeasure against iniquities, the soul lays hold in so short a compass of both those glorious names.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 130:3 If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
Ver. 3. If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities ] This and the next verse contains, saith one, the sum of all the Scriptures. Twice he here nameth the Lord, as desirous to take hold of him with both his hands. Extremity of justice he deprecateth; he would not be dealt with in rigour and rage. Extrema, fateor; commeritus sum, Deus; Quid enim aliud dixero? It is confessed I have deserved the extremity of thy fury; but yet let me talk with thee, as Jer 12:1 or reason the case.
O Lord, who shall stand?
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 130:3-4
Psa 130:3-4
“If thou, Jehovah, shouldest mark iniquities.
O Lord, who could stand?
But there is forgiveness with thee,
That thou mayest be feared.”
“If thou shouldest mark iniquities” (Psa 130:3). This emphasizes the truth that if God kept a permanent record of all sins instead of forgiving them, no mortal could stand justified in the sight of God. The epic question of the Apocalypse is, “The great day of God’s wrath has come, and who shall be able to stand?” (Rev 6:17).
“But there is forgiveness with thee” (Psa 130:4). No greater insight into God’s character is to be found anywhere in the Old Testament. Indeed yes, God has forgiveness; and, although it was not available in the absolute sense during the Old Covenant days, yet devout, God-fearing souls certainly found the equivalent of it in God’s remission of the penalties deserved in anticipation of the Atonement in the times of the Incarnation. Paul referred to this as, “The passing over of the sins done aforetime.” (Rom 3:25).
“That thou mayest be feared” (Psa 130:4). The thought here is that, “The only hope is in God’s forgiveness, which in turn quickens the feeling of awe in the sinner seeking forgiveness, without which his eternal death is certain.
E.M. Zerr:
Psa 130:3. Mark is from SHAMAR and also means “regard.” The verse means that if the Lord should take our iniquities seriously, intending to hold all to strict account, then none of us would stand to “get by.”
Psa 130:4. Instead of holding us to strict account of justice, there is forgiveness from the Lord. However, this leniency must not be abused, but the favored person should thereby be led to fear or respect God for his goodness.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
shouldest mark: Psa 143:2, Job 9:2, Job 9:3, Job 9:20, Job 10:14, Job 15:14, Isa 53:6, Joh 8:7-9, Rom 3:20-24
Reciprocal: Num 11:11 – wherefore have Num 17:13 – any thing 2Sa 12:13 – The Lord 1Ki 8:30 – forgive 1Ki 8:46 – there is no man 2Ch 6:21 – forgive 2Ch 6:36 – for there is no man Ezr 9:15 – we cannot Neh 13:22 – spare me Job 9:28 – I know Job 22:4 – will he enter Job 25:4 – How then Psa 5:5 – stand Psa 79:8 – remember Psa 103:10 – dealt Psa 119:124 – Deal Ecc 7:20 – there Jer 2:22 – yet thine iniquity Hos 3:5 – fear Mat 18:24 – ten thousand Luk 11:4 – forgive us Luk 18:13 – God Rom 2:4 – goodness Rom 4:7 – General 1Co 4:4 – yet Gal 2:16 – that Gal 3:11 – that Gal 5:17 – so Phi 3:9 – not 2Ti 1:18 – mercy Jam 2:11 – Now 1Jo 1:10 – we say Rev 6:17 – who
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 130:3-4. If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities Observe them accurately, and punish them severely, as they deserve; O Lord, who shall stand? In thy presence, or at thy tribunal. No man could acquit himself, or escape the sentence of condemnation, because all men are sinners. To stand is a judicial phrase, and imports a man being absolved or justified upon a fair trial. But there is forgiveness with thee Thou art able and ready to forgive repenting sinners; that thou mayest be feared Not with a slavish, but a filial fear and reverence, This mercy of thine is the foundation of all religion, without which men would desperately proceed in their impious courses, without any thought of repentance.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
130:3 If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, {b} who shall stand?
(b) He declares that we cannot be just before God but by forgiveness of sins.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
2. A strong expression of trust 130:3-4
The psalmist realized that if God gave people what they deserve, no one would be able to survive. To mark iniquities means to keep a record of them and hold the sinner accountable for each one. Fortunately God forgives. He does not "keep track" of every sin and exact punishment for it. The psalmist was speaking of how God deals with His redeemed people. The consequence of God forgiving should be that His forgiven people fear Him. Fearing God, a term that in the Old Testament virtually means trusting God, shows itself in obedience and worship.
"If you take seriously the guilt of sin, you will take seriously the grace of forgiveness." [Note: Ibid., p. 351.]