“Out of the depths have I cried unto Thee, O Lord.” Psalm 130.1. And he did not cry in vain. The depths from which he cried were the depths of sin; for he said, “If Thou, Lord, shouldst mark iniquity, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with Thee, that Thou mayest be feared.” “Let Israel hope in the Lord; for with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is plenteous redemption. And He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.” So out of the depths of iniquity we may cry to the Lord, with the assurance that He will gladly help us. We cannot be too low down for Him to reach us.
The Pagan maxim, which too many quote as though it were Bible, is, “God helps him who helps himself.” But the truth revealed in the Bible is that God helps the man who is not able to help himself. Read the account of a storm on the sea, and of deliverance from it, as recorded in Psalm 107.23-30. Of the men in the storm it is said: “Their soul is melted because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end. Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and He bringeth them out of their distresses.” So it was when Jehoshaphat, on behalf of the people, said to the Lord, “For we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do; but our eyes are upon Thee,” (2 Chronicles 20.12) and the Lord sent deliverance.
All these things “were written for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope.” Romans 15.4. “For we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are; yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4.15, 16. Infirm means without strength; without strength implies being overcome by sin. So we learn that in the midst of defeat, when borne down under sin, we may come with boldness to Jesus, and find forgiveness and help.