John Calvin Commentary Psalms 130:4

"But there is forgiveness with thee, That thou mayest be feared." — Psalms 130:4 (ASV)

But with thee there is forgiveness. This verse leads us further. Though all people confess with the mouth that there is no human being in the world whom God may not justly condemn to everlasting death, if it should so please Him, yet how few are persuaded of the truth which the Prophet now adds: that the grace they need will not be denied them?

They either sleep in their sins through stupidity, or fluctuate amid a variety of doubts, and, eventually, are overwhelmed with despair. This maxim, “that no man is free from sin,” is, as I have said, accepted by everyone without dispute; and yet the majority shut their eyes to their own faults and settle securely in hiding places to which, in their ignorance, they have resorted, unless they are forcibly roused out of them. Then, when pursued closely by the judgments of God, they are overwhelmed with alarm, or so greatly tormented that they fall into despair.

The consequence of this lack of hope in people that God will be favorable to them is an indifference about coming into the Divine presence to supplicate for pardon. When a person is awakened with a vivid sense of the judgment of God, he cannot fail to be humbled with shame and fear.

However, such self-dissatisfaction would not suffice unless faith were also added, whose role it is to lift up the hearts that were cast down with fear and to encourage them to pray for forgiveness. David then acted as he should have when, in order to attain genuine repentance, he first summons himself before God’s judgment seat; but, to keep his confidence from failing under the overpowering influence of fear, he quickly adds the hope of obtaining pardon.

Indeed, it is a matter of our daily observation that those who do not proceed beyond thinking themselves deserving of endless death rush, like frenzied people, with great impetuosity against God. Therefore, the better to confirm himself and others, the Prophet declares that God’s mercy cannot be separated or torn away from Him.

“As soon as I think upon You,” he says, in essence, “Your clemency also presents itself to my mind, so that I have no doubt that You will be merciful to me, since it is impossible for You to divest Yourself of Your own nature: the very fact that You are God is to me a sure guarantee that You will be merciful.” At the same time, it should be understood that he is not speaking here of a confused knowledge of God’s grace, but of such a knowledge of it as enables the sinner to conclude with certainty that as soon as he seeks God, he will find Him ready to be reconciled to him.

Therefore, it is not surprising that among the Papists there is no steady calling upon God, when we consider that, because they mingle their own merits, satisfactions, and worthy preparation—as they term it—with the grace of God, they always continue in suspense and doubt regarding their reconciliation with God.

So it happens that by praying they only increase their own sorrows and torments, just as if a person were to lay wood on a fire already kindled. Whoever would profit from the exercise of prayer must necessarily begin with free remission of sins.

It is also proper to note the final cause—as we say—for which God is inclined to forgive, and never comes forward without showing Himself ready to be reconciled with those who serve Him. This final cause is that this hope of obtaining forgiveness is absolutely necessary for the existence of piety and the worship of God in the world.

This is another principle of which the Papists are ignorant. They indeed make long sermons about the fear of God, but by keeping poor souls in perplexity and doubt, they build without a foundation. Unquestionably, the first step to serving God rightly is to submit ourselves to Him willingly and with a free heart.

The doctrine that Paul teaches concerning giving alms (2 Corinthians 9:7), that God loveth a cheerful giver, should be extended to all parts of life. How is it possible for anyone to offer himself cheerfully to God unless he relies upon His grace and is certainly persuaded that the obedience he offers is pleasing to Him?

When this is not the case, all people will rather shun God and be afraid to appear in His presence, and if they do not turn their backs on Him completely, they will resort to subterfuges. In short, the sense of God’s judgment, unless joined with the hope of forgiveness, strikes people with terror, which must necessarily engender hatred.

It is undoubtedly true that the sinner, who, alarmed at the Divine threatenings, is tormented within himself, does not despise God, but yet he shuns Him; and this shunning of Him is downright apostasy and rebellion. From this it follows that people never serve God rightly unless they know that He is a gracious and merciful being.

The other reason to which I have referred must also be remembered. This reason is that unless we are assured that what we offer to God is acceptable to Him, we will be overcome by indolence and stupidity, which will keep us from doing our duty.

Although unbelievers often show a great deal of earnestness, just as we see the Papists laboriously occupied with their superstitions, yet, because they are not persuaded that God is reconciled to them, they do not, all the while, offer Him any voluntary obedience. Were they not held back by a slavish fear, the horrible rebellion of their heart, which this fear keeps hidden and suppressed, would soon manifest itself externally.