Unknown
Psalm 130
A Song of degrees.
Scripture (KJV)
1Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord.
2Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.
3If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
4But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.
5I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.
6My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.
7Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.
8And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
Summary
Psalm 130 is one of the "Penitential Psalms" and a Song of Ascents. It begins in the depths—the cry of a soul that has nowhere to turn but up. The psalmist pleads for the Lord to hear, then immediately confesses that if God kept a record of sins, no one could stand. This honesty about guilt opens onto a stunning hope: "But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared." Forgiveness does not make God cheap; it makes Him awesome. The forgiven soul waits for the Lord more intently than watchmen wait for the morning, certain that with Him is mercy and plenteous redemption.
The major themes are repentance, forgiveness, waiting, hope, and redemption. The movement is from cry to confession to hope to corporate exhortation: "Let Israel hope in the Lord." Practically, the psalm teaches that the depth of sin is matched by the depth of God’s mercy and that waiting is the shape of faith between cry and dawn. The great lesson is that the God who could mark every iniquity instead offers forgiveness that leads to reverent fear.
Key Themes
A Prayer from Psalm 130
Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord. Hear my voice; let Your ears attend to my supplications. If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, who could stand? But with You there is forgiveness, that You may be feared. I wait for You, Lord; my soul waits, and in Your word I hope. Make me like the watchmen who long for the morning—more than they that watch for the morning, let my soul watch for You. Let Israel hope in You, for with You is mercy and plenteous redemption. Redeem me from all my iniquities, and bring me up from the depths to the dawn of Your presence. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Reflection Questions
- 1From what "depths" am I crying out to the Lord today?
- 2How does the truth that "there is forgiveness with thee" change my view of God?
- 3What would it look like to wait for the Lord "more than they that watch for the morning"?
- 4Whom can I encourage by saying, "Let Israel hope in the Lord"?
Related Psalms
Psalm 51
“Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.”
David’s great prayer of repentance; a broken and contrite heart God will not despise.
Read morePsalm 32
“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.”
The joy of confessed sin forgiven; instruction to trust in the Lord.
Read morePsalm 130
“Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord.”
Psalm 130 is one of the "Penitential Psalms" and a Song of Ascents, beginning in the depths and rising to hope.
Read morePsalm 143
“Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness.”
Psalm 143 is the last of the traditional Penitential Psalms and a lament of David under severe persecution.
Read morePsalm 6
“O Lord, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.”
A penitent plea for mercy in sickness and distress, ending in confident hope.
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