A Song Hama’aloth (1)

Rev. J. Van Haaren (1933-1983)

Our text is taken from a portion of the psalms that is called the Songs Hama’aloth or, as we know them in the King James Bible, Songs of Degrees. Hama’aloth means to “rise up” or to “proceed.” These songs were sung by the pilgrims when they went up to the temple in Jerusalem at the occasion of the three great feasts. There is a great amount of diversity amongst these songs. There is not one of them that is like another. In this manner each person who was going up to the feast could find words which expressed the condition of his soul. Luther has said of this psalm that it could have been written by the apostle; with this he meant that the Apostle Paul could have written it since it follows wholly in his line. It is just in this psalm that the hell-worthiness of the sinner is pictured; yet, there is also praise for the riches of God’s grace.

Here we find a person speaking who, taught by the Holy Spirit, not only has experienced in all of his awful condition what it means to be a sinner before God but also in the depths of his knowledge of sin may taste something of God’s grace. He calls out of the depths which means that this is where he is. He uses a well-known example to picture his deep need. We should think of pits where rainwater was gathered. In times of drought, however, they were without water. The bottom was then covered with a slippery mud where one could not stand, wherein a person would sink. Whosoever ended up in such a pit was in a very precarious state. It was impossible to save one’s self. Every attempt at self-preservation led to sinking deeper in the mud. If no help came from outside of the pit, a person would be irretrievably lost.

Well, it is in such a great need that the poet finds himself, and to picture the awfulness of his condition, he speaks of “depths” in the plural. By the light of the Holy Spirit he has learned to see himself, and that means that he cannot exist before God. He feels himself totally lost. Do you also know something of that? By nature, we are not people of the depths but of the level ground. We do not concern ourselves with matters dealing with eternity. Oh, certainly, we confess that we are unconverted and that we are dead in sin and trespasses, but we do not experience anything of this confession. We live on in deadly ease and a terrible superficiality. Oh, that you would awaken before you sink away in the depths of God’s eternal wrath!

There are people who speak of the depth of their fall and of the depth of their misery who think that it will go well with them. These people, however, in spite of their “deep” speaking, are themselves characterized by a terrible superficiality because as long as we speak about the depths, we are not in but stand at the edge of the depths. The poet, however, finds himself in the depths. When does a person come into the depths? When God comes in his life. When he is uncovered to his lost state, both at the beginning and in continuance, he learns to know the depths of his feeling of sin and of missing God. That is how it is with the poet. No, it is not an external need that oppresses him. We do not read anything of being sick or of being oppressed by the enemy. His need existed because of the knowledge and sense of his sin. At such a time he is not thinking of a specific sin into which he may have fallen; no, he goes bowed down under the sense of his sinfulness. His godless existence oppresses him. He is a condemnable sinner.

Just think of it, not just to repeat it, but to truly experience it, to be sensible of it, to be it! Sin has become sin; he is consumed by it, and that causes him to call out. As long as you can still talk about your misery, your misery is not deep enough, for then you still have ground under your feet.

The poet cries out, however, because he cannot continue in the depths. That is why he sings a song of rising up, for the Songs Hama’aloth are born in the depths. As an unworthy one he appears before God’s countenance, pleading for mercy. Just listen to the names whereby he addresses the Lord. If you have a good Bible, then in verse 1 of Psalm 130, we read the word Lord, and in verse two the word Lord. Lord is the name Jehovah, God’s greatest name. Therein is declared not only that He is holy and righteous but also that he desires to be merciful. Lord is the name Adonai, the name which expresses God’s almighty Being. He rules over all, for with Him nothing is too wonderful. By using these two names the poet means to say, “Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou can help me. No, I am not worthy that Thou wouldst look upon me. I cannot plead upon anything. If Thou wouldst pass me by, Thou would do no injustice, but, O Lord, art not Thou the God in whom all grace is found?” “Thy people shall Thy mercy know; Thy truth and goodness still abound, to wrath and anger Thou art slow” (Psalter 234:3). The poet cannot be without God. To miss Him is worse than death. Do you understand that?

The poet approaches God’s throne as a supplicant. Does he not speak of supplications? As a beggar he pleads for a token of good. How simple and childlike is his prayer. It is as if he says, “Lord, Thou hast ears, and Thou art able to hear; I have a voice, and that is the voice of my supplications. Wilt Thou, Lord, hear my voice?” No, he does not ask for an answer even though that is, of course, his desire. He does not dare to ask for that. It would already be such a wonder if the Lord would hear his voice. It would be just if the Lord would turn His ears from the cry. For him it is not automatic that the Lord would hear and answer. Oh, there are so many who say, “I am praying so long already, and nothing happens.” It seems as if they have a right to an answer. This petitioner is without rights, however. He petitions for unmerited grace, but that is exactly the reason for his petition! That is the reason for the perseverance in his prayer, ”Lord, hear my voice: let Thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.” He cannot let the Lord go. His prayer is a continual pleading just like the prayer of the Canaanitish woman.

Do you know something of such pleading? How slothful we are in approaching unto Him! We do not realize that we are in such great danger. If we would come to the realization of it, we would, just like Jacob, not be able to let the Lord go unless He blessed us. Your groan would be, “Jehovah, God of hosts give ear, O Jacob’s God, in mercy hear.” Such a petitioner the Lord will hear and, also, answer, for He will show His good pleasure toward those who humbly seek Him. Would He let a beggar just stand there? You ask, ”But how can He answer the prayer of a sinful person?” That is because His Son was willing to stand in the breach for sinners, and His prayer is always heard. It is for His sake that the true petitioner may exult at God’s time, “The Lord will ever hear me, and when I pray be near me, to put my foes to shame. Turned back, no more to grieve me, they suddenly shall leave me, all glory to His name!”

Psalm 130 is one of the fifteen Songs Hama’aloth. As we noted earlier, Hama’aloth means to rise up or to proceed. Also in this psalm a pilgrim is speaking who is going up to the sanctuary. Soon he will appear before the countenance of that God who is of purer eyes than to behold evil. What will then become of this pilgrim? “What man shall the hill of Jehovah ascend, and who in the place of His presence attend? The man of pure heart, and of hands without stain, who swears not to falsehood nor loves what is vain.” Ah, when he looks at himself in the mirror of God’s holiness, then he is unclean, leprous, and full of sin. That is why he cannot exist before God.

Would it not be better if he would turn around and retrace his steps? That, however, he cannot do, for his desire is toward God. He cannot live anymore without God. He longs for His communion, and that is the reason for his sorrow and anguish. He cannot be without God, and he cannot exist before God. That is what gives rise to this song. God’s children know something of this. Was not a desire for God born in their heart when the Lord began His saving work in their soul? By the uncovering light of God’s Spirit, they see the breach between God and their soul which they have caused with their sin. That fills their heart with sorrow. How guilty they then see themselves before the Lord.

That is now the poet’s condition. Just listen to what he says: “If Thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?” No, he does not say, when I look at my sins, but when Thou doest so. It does not concern what we think of ourselves or what God’s children think of us. We stand accountable before God, and He is the Searcher of the heart. When He would begin a close examination and apply the measuring stick of His righteousness, who can then stand before Him? Not one!

The poet sees his sins as God sees them. That is why he speaks about unrighteousnesses. That means that everything he does is in conflict with the Lord’s righteousness. If he is placed upon the balance of God’s justice, he will be found wanting. No, he cannot find any good in himself; even his good deeds are sin, and his righteousnesses are as filthy rags. Who, then, can stand before this holy Lord God?

(To be continued)

The Call to the Ministry

John Kershaw (1791-1870)

There are four things that attend every one that God sends to labor in His vineyard:

First, they have an inward call from God, which is the Spirit’s mighty operation leading them into the work (Galatians 2:8).

Second, they are fitted and qualified for the work by the great Head of the Church, who has ascended up on high and led captivity captive, and received (ministerial) gifts for men (Ephesians 4:12).

Third, the Lord in His providence opens doors for them without their having to push themselves forward in the work, for He never sends a man but He has a work for him to do. He strengthens and supports him in it.

Fourth, when the Lord sends a man to preach, His power so attends the word spoken by him, that He is made manifest in the souls of God’s people as the Lord’s messenger (1 Thessalonians 1:5).

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