INTRODUCTION - Read Psalm 130, 6 & 32
We are now nearing the end of our “Song of Ascents” series. Psalm 130 begins with a personal testimony of God’s rescue from the depths of guilt and despair. The author then ascends “step by step” to a place where he could have faith and confidence in the living God.
Psalm 130 is also one of the seven “penitential psalms” (a psalm of repentance), as it speaks of the confession of sins, and the healing power of forgiveness. The Psalmist is praying, hoping and waiting for God’s help.It comes with a reminder that the Lord always listens to us when we “cry for help” and He “answers our prayers”.
“When I kept things to myself, I felt weak deep inside me. I moaned all day long. Then I confessed my sins to you and didn’t hide my guilt. I said, “I will confess my sins to the Lord,” and you forgave my guilt.Selah” Psalms 32:3, 5 (NCV)
“The Lord has heard my cry for help; the Lord will answer my prayer.”
Psalms 6:9 (NCV)
“Out of the depths I have cried to You, O LORD; Lord, hear my voice!Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.”
Psalm 130:1&2 (NKJV)
Martin Luther and Charles Wesley, were both touched by this Psalm, when they heard it sung. They were both stressed by trials and suffering they were enduring, mainly brought on by guilt. They praised the Lord for bringing them through these and “saving their souls”.
We too can read (or sing) this Psalm, when we are feeling in the depths of guilt, believing that the Lord will not only save us from our sins, but will deliver us our and anxiety and tribulation.
“You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.” Psalms 32:7 NIV
“He implores Israel to trust as He does, for the Lord will save His people from the mess their sins have brought them.” Pat & David Alexander.
CRYING OUT WITH A GUILTY SPIRIT - Read Psalm 130:1-2; Jonah 2
We all experience the depth of depression, anxiety and grief; but the author of this Psalm experienced the lowest of lowest, that of a GUILTY SPIRIT.
Consider the scene the psalmist has given us. The Hebrew word for “depths” normally refers to the salty, blue deep of the ocean. For the people in ancient Israel, it was a place of “utter despair”.
Jonah is an example of one who prayed from beneath the sea. He did so from inside “a huge fish” (whale). The mercy and kindness of God gave him a new life, as he was spat out by the whale, and he continued to serve the Lord.
“He said, “I cried out to the Lord in my great trouble, and he answered me. I called to you from the land of the dead, and Lord, you heard me! You threw me into the ocean depths, and I sank down to the heart of the sea. The mighty waters engulfed me; I was buried beneath your wild and stormy waves.” Jonah 2:2-3 (NLT)
“As my life was slipping away, I remembered the Lord. And my earnest prayer went out to you in your holy Temple……Then the Lord ordered the fish to spit Jonah out onto the beach.” Jonah 2:7,8 & 10 (NLT)
In Psalm 130, “the depths” are a lot dryer than what Jonah experienced. Still, the imagery of being lost at sea, with all the hopelessness of going under, is a vivid picture of the psalmist’s emotional state.
FORGIVENESS FROM OUR GRACIOUS GOD - Read Psalm 130:3&4, 86; Romans 14:8&9
“Hear my prayer, Lord; listen to my cry for mercy. When I am in distress, I call to you, because you answer me.”Psalms 86:6-7 (NIV)
“But I will offer sacrifices to you with songs of praise, and I will fulfill all my vows. For my salvation comes from the Lord alone.””
Jonah 2:9 (NLT)
Like Jonah before him the Psalmist is looking to God for mercy.
“If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you” (Psalm 130: 3–4 (NIV)
“To stand “ is a judicial phrase, and in this Psalm it shows us how we can be absolved from our sins and justified by God’s grace. This is opposed to “falling”.
“To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they WILL STAND for the Lord is able to make them stand.” Romans 14:4 NIV
It may take many years of developing a relationship with your Father God, but you will experience the peace and joy that comes with FORGIVENESS. You may not receive forgiveness from the world - family or friends - but you will enjoy forgiveness from a GRACIOUS GOD.
“But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you.” Psalms 130:4 NIV
“When Luther was in great trouble of soul, he was comforted by one who said to him, ‘Dost thou not believe thy Creed?’ ‘Yes,’ replied Luther, ‘I believe the Creed.’ ‘Well, then,’ rejoined the other, ‘one article in it is, “I believe in the forgiveness of sins.’” Luther’s heart was lightened at once by the remembrance of the words in this psalm, ‘there is forgiveness.’ “ Martin Luther cited by Charles Spurgeon.
We know that our forgiveness is sure because of what Jesus did for us in the cross. We know our salvation is eternal, for Jesus promised us this.
“For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.”
Romans 14:8-9 (NKJV)
“It may be that you have sinned many times and grievously; but ‘THERE IS FORGIVNESS.” Though a child of God, you have gone far astray from him; but ‘THERE IS FORGIVENESS’You have backslidden sadly and horribly; but ‘THERE IS FORGIVENESS” , The devil comes and howls at you, and tells you that your doom is sealed, and your damnation is sure; but “THERE IS FORGIVENESS.” Charles Spurgeon
PUTTING OUR HOPE IN GOD AND HIS WORD - Read Psalm 130:5&6
Having made his cries to the Lord, and confessed his sin, the Psalmist is now admitting his faith in God and His Word. He does this by waiting on the Lord. Unlike Jonah, the psalmist’s experiences in the depths seems to last more than three days.
“I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and IN HIS WORD I PUT MY HOPE.” (v. 5).
Using the name “Adonai (Lord)” repeatedly and then the words, “more than watchmen wait in the morning”, the Psalmist is showing how much faith and trust he has in “God’s promises”.
Each day I wait in the Lord for answers to my prayers. I ready and study God’s Word, waiting for God to answer my needs, “revealed in His Word”.
“The poet used a vivid image to express his patient anticipation in waiting on God. We see a watchman in the darkness of the early morning, scanning the horizon for the first sign of the dawn. The watchman doesn’t doubt that morning will come, but only wonders when, and watches for it diligently. “ David Guzik
“The genius of the Psalm resides in their ability to convey images of the messages of hope in God - images from everyday life, in this case, the waiting watchmen. He conveys the message to all kinds of people in many different times and places, and expresses what he most hopes for from God.” Daniel.J Harrington -
cited by David & Pat Alexander.
CONCLUSION -REDEEMING ISRAEL -
Read Psalm 130:7&8; Isaiah 55:6&7
“O Israel, hope in the Lord; for with the Lord there is unfailing love. His redemption overflows. He himself will redeem Israel from every kind of sin.”Psalms 130:7-8 NLT
These verses now change from being “PERSONAL to PUBLIC”, as the Psalmist now encourages the people of Israel to share his FAITH IN GOD.
“The psalmist put his faith and hope in the Lord Himself, not in the mercy or redemption God would bring. He looked to the Giver before the gift. When God’s people humbly look to Him, there is MERCY and ABUNDANT REDEMPTION for both the individual and the community." David Guzik
We too may have a lot of sins that still play on our heart and mind - filling our soul with GUILT. But no matter how many sins we have committed, God’s MERCY AND GRACE are greater, and he will "redeem (forgive) you".
This is the “confident conclusion to this psalm”, demonstrating trust and hope in our Father God - who will indeed bring redemption to “ the individual and the nation” overwhelmed in the depths of their sin.
“Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously.”Isaiah 55:6-7 NLT
Our redemption also comes from Jesus Christ, God’s Son, who again we are reminded died for our sins and rose again so we could not only have forgiveness of our sins, but everlasting cleansing. When Jesus was asked for a sign, he spoke of Jonah too.
“For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” Matthew 12:29&30 (NIV)
“The people knew after three days inside the fish, the Lord delivered Jonah from the depths. He walked away, alive and well. Jesus, too, would be delivered, not merely from his tomb but from death itself. That doesn’t mean we’ll never again feel the depths of despair in this world. Still, it does mean that, like the psalmist before us, we can have confidence that our story will not end there. In the depths, remember this: hope lives because Jesus lives.” John Greco
“For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.” Romans 6:7-11 NLT
CONCLUSION -REDEEMING ISRAEL -
Read Psalm 130:7&8; Isaiah 55:6&7
“O Israel, hope in the Lord; for with the Lord there is unfailing love. His redemption overflows. He himself will redeem Israel from every kind of sin.”Psalms 130:7-8 NLT
These verses now change from being “PERSONAL to PUBLIC”, as the Psalmist now encourages the people of Israel to share his FAITH IN GOD.
“The psalmist put his faith and hope in the Lord Himself, not in the mercy or redemption God would bring. He looked to the Giver before the gift. When God’s people humbly look to Him, there is MERCY and ABUNDANT REDEMPTION for both the individual and the community." David Guzik
We too may have a lot of sins that still play on our heart and mind - filling our soul with GUILT. But no matter how many sins we have committed, God’s MERCY AND GRACE are greater, and he will "redeem (forgive) you".
This is the “confident conclusion to this psalm”, demonstrating trust and hope in our Father God - who will indeed bring redemption to “ the individual and the nation” overwhelmed in the depths of their sin.
“Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously.”Isaiah 55:6-7 NLT
Our redemption also comes from Jesus Christ, God’s Son, who again we are reminded died for our sins and rose again so we could not only have forgiveness of our sins, but everlasting cleansing. When Jesus was asked for a sign, he spoke of Jonah too.
“For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” Matthew 12:29&30 (NIV)
“The people knew after three days inside the fish, the Lord delivered Jonah from the depths. He walked away, alive and well. Jesus, too, would be delivered, not merely from his tomb but from death itself. That doesn’t mean we’ll never again feel the depths of despair in this world. Still, it does mean that, like the psalmist before us, we can have confidence that our story will not end there. In the depths, remember this: hope lives because Jesus lives.” John Greco
“For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.” Romans 6:7-11 NLT
“There is a Redeemer” 1977, Keith Green (Performer), Melody Green (Compose) Capitol Christian Music Group, Capitol CMG Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
“I Will Wait for You” (Psalm 130), 2018, Keith & Kirsten Getty (Performers), Keith Getty, Keith Getty ,Stuart Townend , Jordan Kauflin , Matthew Sherman Merker (Composers), Getty Music (You Tube)
“I Set my Hope”, 2023, Keith and Kristen Getty, Matt Boswell, Matt Papa (Composers and Performers), Getty Music (You Tube)
"The Holy Bible - New Century Version", 2005, Thomas Nelson.
"The Holy Bible - New International Version", 2011, Biblica
"The Holy Bible - New King James Version", 1982, Thomas Nelson
"The Holy Bible - New Living Translation, " 2015, Tyndale House Publishers
Alexander, Pat & David, 2009, "The Lion Handbook of the Bible - 4th Edition, Lion Hudson Publishers
Greco, John, 2022, "The Songs of Ascent - A Devotional Adventure in the Book of Psalms", Broadstreet Publishers
Guzik, David, 2020, "Psalm 130 - Out of the Depths", www.enduringword.com
Spurgeon, Charles, 1885/2021, "The Treasury of David - Commentary of Psalms", Chrisianity.com
