Psalms 130

¹A Song of degrees. Out 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.

Psa 130:1-8. The penitent sinner’s hope is in God’s mercy only. 1-2. depths--for great distress (Psa 40:2; 69:3).

³If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?

3. shouldest mark--or, “take strict account” (Job 10:14; 14:16), implying a confession of the existence of sin. who shall stand--(Psa 1:6). Standing is opposed to the guilty sinking down in fear and self-condemnation (Mal 3:2; Re 6:15, 16). The question implies a negative, which is thus more strongly stated.

⁴But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.

4. Pardon produces filial fear and love. Judgment without the hope of pardon creates fear and dislike. The sense of forgiveness, so far from producing licentiousness, produces holiness (Jr 33:9; Eze 16:62, 63; 1Pe 2:16). “There is forgiveness with thee, not that thou mayest be presumed upon, but 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.

5-6. wait for the Lord--in expectation (Psa 27:14). watch for, &c.--in earnestness and anxiety.

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.

7-8. Let Israel, &c.--that is, All are invited to seek and share divine forgiveness. from all his iniquities--or, “punishments of them” (Psa 40:12, &c.).