Psalm 130 - a penitential Psalm

Hey y'all,

We're back today with a Psalm breakdown that I'm really excited about! I've been loving my read through of the psalms during my daily reading and wanted to share some thoughts from Psalm 130. As always, I recommend reading this psalm on your own first and then diving into with me!

Psalm 130 is considered one of the 7 penitential Psalms as per Cassiodorus in the 6th century. Basically they are 7 psalms of confession or penitence, meaning they are expressive of sorrow for sin.

Something of note in this psalm is the alternating uses of YAHWEH and Adonai as the names of God. Both are translated as Lord in English but there is a much weightier meaning when seeing that this prayer goes first to Yahweh - implying the covenant relationship with the Person he is praying to - and then to Adonai - the master and ruler of the universe. These two names alternate back and forth through the whole psalm giving us a full picture of the character of God. Yahweh Adonai

“As Jehovah marks [God’s] unchangeable faithfulness to his promises of delivering his people, so Adonai marks his Lordship over all hindrances in the way of his delivering them.” (Fausset, cited in Spurgeon)

Psalm 130

My Soul Waits for the Lord

A Song of Ascents.

1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD!

In many psalms we read this phrase “out of the depths” but typically it is paired with a following statement such as “of the grave” or “of the earth” but in this instance we can refer to the following verses of this psalm to find out what depths he is crying out from. Verse 3 gives us the indication that the psalmist is crying out of the depths of his own sin. Hence, the penitent nature of this psalm.

O Lord, hear my voice!

2 Let your ears be attentive

to the voice of my pleas for mercy!

The words that jumped out to me in this next verse set are hear and attentive. There is such peace in knowing that God always hears our prayers and that he is attentive to them! However, it is a blessing, often unbeknownst to us, that they are not always answered as we see fit.

“It is better for our prayer to be heard than answered. If the Lord were to make an absolute promise to answer all our requests, it might be rather a curse than a blessing.” (Spurgeon)

3 If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities,

O Lord, who could stand?

Now we see the depths the psalmist cried out from. The word mark literally means to keep or watch, to guard. The implication is that God is marking our sins, watching them and keeping track with the intent to punish them duly.

This solemn thought rings true to my heart and makes me eternally thankful for the salvation that is spoken of in verse 4. On our own, not a one of us would be found worthy before the all-knowing God. Our merit alone is far from enough to clear us for heavens eternal abode. But like I said, verse 4 is the answer to this daunting question and where we are heading next.

4 But with you there is forgiveness,

that you may be feared.

This answer is everything. With YOU there is forgiveness. Boice puts it better than I ever could.

“You may not find forgiveness with other people. Your husband or your wife may not forgive you, if you have wronged him or her. Your children may not forgive you. Your coworkers may not forgive you. You may not even be able to forgive yourself. There is one who will, and that one is God. Write down where you can see and reflect on it often: Our God is a forgiving God.” (Boice)

No matter the circumstance, the sin, the time away from Him, God is always waiting and ready to forgive!

“And when God once speaks forgiveness, it can never be unspoken. Fear and doubt and misgiving may question, but cannot revoke it.” (Meyer)

A small recommendation on the latter half of this verse speaking of the fear of the Lord. Michael Reeves’ Rejoice and Tremble: the surprising good news of the fear of the Lord is an excellent book discussing this topic!

5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,

and in his word I hope;

6 my soul waits for the Lord

more than watchmen for the morning,

more than watchmen for the morning.

Now that the psalmist has plead his case he settles back and waits. Not an impatient, bad attitude kind of waiting, but a peaceable wait. The picture painted with the watchmen waiting for the morning gives us this bit of truth. There is no doubt in the watchman’s mind that dawn is coming. The only question is when?

6x in psalm 119 David says ”I hope in your word” and that is exactly how we all feel. God’s word is his second most precious gift - second only to Christ himself! It is God’s eternal word that we turn to in all times, in all needs. It his very life breath in our hands that tells us of who he is and what his Son has done. Thinking on hope in Christ lead me to the hymn ”My hope is built on nothing less”

7 O Israel, hope in the LORD!

For with the LORD there is steadfast love,

and with him is plentiful redemption.

Verse 7 takes us from the personal view we’ve been reading to the public view of the people of Israel. It seems to me that the psalmist wishes for israel the hope he has found. Hope in God, forgiveness through him, and peace granted by him.

The latter half of this verse harkens back to verse 4 and the amazing grace of God. With him is found not just love, but steadfast love. Not just redemption for the chosen few, but plentiful, abundant redemption for all that seek him!

8 And he will redeem Israel

from all his iniquities.

In my Bible Luke 1:68 was referenced “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,

for he has visited and redeemed his people.” Luke speaks of the redemption as past tense, something that has already been accomplished. In our last verse it is present tense, something that they are waiting on to occur. The Bible often answers its own questions and I find that to be very soothing, if that makes sense.

Well, we made it! Thanks so much for tuning to this post. As always I love to discuss and learn so if you have any thoughts, please reach out!

xo

ais