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Psalms 130

BSB·8 verses ·Old Testament
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1Out of the depthsמִמַּעֲמַקִּ֖יםmim·ma·‘ă·maq·qîm — Deep place, abyss, depthH4615 — Full Word Study → I cry to Youקְרָאתִ֣יךָqə·rā·ṯî·ḵā — To call, summon, or proclaimH7121 — Full Word Study →, O LORDיְהוָֽה׃Yah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study →! 2O Lordאֲדֹנָי֮’ă·ḏō·nāy — Master, LordH136 — Full Word Study →, hearשִׁמְעָ֪הšim·‘āh — to hear, listen, obeyH8085 — Full Word Study → my voiceבְק֫וֹלִ֥יḇə·qō·w·lî — voice, sound, or cryH6963 — Full Word Study →; let Your earsאָ֭זְנֶיךָ’ā·zə·ne·ḵā — Ear; the organ of hearing and listeningH241 — Full Word Study → beתִּהְיֶ֣ינָהtih·ye·nāh — to be, become, exist, happenH1961 — Full Word Study → attentiveקַשֻּׁב֑וֹתqaš·šu·ḇō·wṯ — To listen attentively, give heed, pay attentionH7183 — Full Word Study → to my plea for mercyתַּחֲנוּנָֽי׃ta·ḥă·nū·nāy — Earnest plea; humble supplication or entreatyH8469 — Full Word Study →. 3If Youאִם־’im- — If, whether; conditional conjunction with wide applicabilityH518 — Full Word Study →, O LORDיָ֑הּyāh — The Lord, Yahweh abbreviatedH3050 — Full Word Study →, kept trackתִּשְׁמָר־tiš·mār- — To guard, keep, observe, preserveH8104 — Full Word Study → of iniquitiesעֲוֺנ֥וֹת‘ă·wō·nō·wṯ — Iniquity, guilt, or moral wrongdoingH5771 — Full Word Study →, then who, O Lordאֲ֝דֹנָ֗י’ă·ḏō·nāy — Master, LordH136 — Full Word Study →, could standיַעֲמֹֽד׃ya·‘ă·mōḏ — to stand, take a stand, be establishedH5975 — Full Word Study →? 4Butכִּֽי־kî- — because, since, that (conjunction/reason marker)H3588 — Full Word Study → with Youעִמְּךָ֥‘im·mə·ḵā — with, together with, amongH5973 — Full Word Study → there is forgivenessהַסְּלִיחָ֑הhas·sə·lî·ḥāh — Forgiveness, pardon, remission of debt or sinH5547 — Full Word Study →, so thatלְ֝מַ֗עַןlə·ma·‘an — because of, for the sake of, in order thatH4616 — Full Word Study → You may be fearedתִּוָּרֵֽא׃tiw·wā·rê — to fear, revere, or be afraidH3372 — Full Word Study →. 5I wait forקִוִּ֣יתִיqiw·wî·ṯî — To wait for; to expect with hopeH6960 — Full Word Study → the LORDיְ֭הוָהYah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study →; my soulנַפְשִׁ֑יnap̄·šî — soul, life, person, selfH5315 — Full Word Study → does waitקִוְּתָ֣הqiw·wə·ṯāh — To wait for; to expect with hopeH6960 — Full Word Study →, and in His wordוְֽלִדְבָר֥וֹwə·liḏ·ḇā·rōw — word, matter, thing, affairH1697 — Full Word Study → I put my hopeהוֹחָֽלְתִּי׃hō·w·ḥā·lə·tî — To wait; to hope; to expect with patienceH3176 — Full Word Study →. 6My soulנַפְשִׁ֥יnap̄·šî — soul, life, person, selfH5315 — Full Word Study → waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morningלַ֝בֹּ֗קֶרlab·bō·qer — Morning; daybreak; the early part of the dayH1242 — Full Word Study →— more than watchmen wait for the morningלַבֹּֽקֶר׃lab·bō·qer — Morning; daybreak; the early part of the dayH1242 — Full Word Study →. 7O Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֗לyiś·rā·’êl — God prevailsH3478 — Full Word Study →, put your hopeיַחֵ֥לya·ḥêl — To wait; to hope; to expect with patienceH3176 — Full Word Study → inאֶל־’el- — to, toward, against; directional and relational prepositionH413 — Full Word Study → the LORDיְה֫וָהYah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study →, forכִּֽי־kî- — because, since, that (conjunction/reason marker)H3588 — Full Word Study → withעִם־‘im- — with, together with, amongH5973 — Full Word Study → the LORDיְהוָ֥הYah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study → is loving devotionהַחֶ֑סֶדha·ḥe·seḏ — Covenant loyalty and steadfast kindnessH2617 — Full Word Study →, and with Himעִמּ֣וֹ‘im·mōw — with, together with, amongH5973 — Full Word Study → is redemptionפְדֽוּת׃p̄ə·ḏūṯ — Redemption; deliverance; ransom paymentH6304 — Full Word Study → in abundanceוְהַרְבֵּ֖הwə·har·bêh — To increase, multiply, grow abundantH7235 — Full Word Study →. 8And Heוְ֭הוּאwə·hū — He, she, it; the third person pronounH1931 — Full Word Study → will redeemיִפְדֶּ֣הyip̄·deh — to redeem, ransom, or buy backH6299 — Full Word Study → Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לyiś·rā·’êl — God prevailsH3478 — Full Word Study → from allמִ֝כֹּ֗לmik·kōl — All, every, whole, totalityH3605 — Full Word Study → iniquityעֲוֺנֹתָֽיו׃‘ă·wō·nō·ṯāw — Iniquity, guilt, or moral wrongdoingH5771 — Full Word Study →.
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Chapter Commentary — Psalms 130
Chapter Overview

Chapter Overview

Psalm 130, known traditionally as De Profundis ("Out of the Depths"), is a penitential psalm that moves from deep despair to confident hope in God's mercy and redemption. The psalmist cries out from a place of spiritual anguish, acknowledging sin and God's justice, yet anchoring his faith in the certainty of divine forgiveness. This brief but profound psalm teaches us that confession, trust in God's character, and patient waiting are the pathway from guilt to restoration.

Verses 1–4: Crying Out and Confessing Sin

The psalm opens with a vivid image: the psalmist is in "the depths," calling urgently to the LORD (verses 1–2). This is not merely emotional sadness but spiritual despair rooted in the weight of sin. The depths represent the lowest point—separated from God's presence by guilt and shame. The psalmist pleads for God to hear his voice, asking that the Lord's ears be attentive to his supplications. This is prayer born from genuine need, not casual petition.

Verse 3 contains the crucial turning point: "If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?" Here the psalmist acknowledges a profound theological truth—if God kept a record of every sin and held us accountable without mercy, no one could survive His judgment. The word "mark" conveys the idea of God keeping score or recording our transgressions. This is not despair but honest confession; the psalmist knows he deserves condemnation.

Yet verse 4 brings the gospel: "But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared." This simple statement is the foundation of all Christian hope. Forgiveness is not earned; it is with God—it is His character and His gift. The psalmist recognizes that God's willingness to forgive actually produces fear (reverence, awe, and love) in the believer's heart. When we experience mercy we don't deserve, we are moved to worship and obedience.

Verses 5–6: Waiting and Hoping

Having confessed sin and grasped God's forgiveness, the psalmist now enters a season of patient waiting. Verse 5 states, "I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope." Notice the repetition—the whole person waits ("my soul"), and this waiting is anchored in God's word (His promises and revealed character). This is not passive resignation but active, confident expectation.

Verse 6 intensifies this image: the psalmist's soul waits for the Lord more eagerly than night watchmen wait for dawn. The repetition emphasizes the intensity and longing. Just as a watchman on the night watch longs for morning's light to break the darkness, so the believer longs for God's deliverance. This captures the essence of faith—holding on to hope even when circumstances seem dark and endless.

Verses 7–8: Hope Extended to Israel

The final verses broaden the personal testimony into corporate exhortation. The psalmist calls all Israel to "hope in the LORD" (verse 7), declaring that "with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption." The abundance of God's redemption is not limited; it is inexhaustible. Verse 8 concludes with the promise that God "shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities." Complete, total redemption is assured—not partial forgiveness, but redemption from all sin.

Application for Today

This psalm speaks powerfully to any Christian struggling under the weight of guilt or sin. It reminds us that God's forgiveness is not conditional on our worthiness but is His gracious gift to all who confess and believe. Our response is to wait patiently for His work of restoration in our lives, trusting His promises even when deliverance seems slow. Let Psalm 130 encourage you: no matter how deep your despair, God's mercy is deeper still, and His redemption is complete in Christ.

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