For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage:  Psa 130

1 Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord;
2     Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears be attentive
    to my cry for mercy.

3 If you, Lord, kept a record of sins,
    Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness,
    so that we can, with reverence, serve you.

5 I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits,
    and in his word I put my hope.
6 I wait for the Lord
    more than watchmen wait for the morning,
    more than watchmen wait for the morning.

7 Israel, put your hope in the Lord,
    for with the Lord is unfailing love
    and with him is full redemption.
8 He himself will redeem Israel
    from all their sins.

A. Find Out

1. What is the psalmist doing? v.1,2
2. What terrible option might there have been? v.3
3. But instead what is there? v.4
4. So what is the psalmist doing? v.5,6
5. What does he call Israel to do and for why? v.7
6. Of what is he personally sure? v.8

B. Think:

1. Of what about himself is the psalmist aware?
2. Why is that a problem?
3. But what is the truth about that?

C. Comment:

                The psalmist provides the pilgrim coming to meet the Lord in Jerusalem, with this eleventh ‘song of ascents’, a focus on our own unworthiness to meet the Lord.

                His cry to the Lord (v.1) comes from deep anguish within him; it is a plea for the Lord to be attentive to him and have mercy on him (v.2). The thing about mercy is that it is undeserved and so you have no grounds to bargain for it, all we can do is cry for it in the hope that the Lord will grant it our of His love and compassion.

                The psalmist is aware of his sins (v.3) and aware that if the Lord kept a record there would be no hope for him, but actually there is something wonderful: the Lord forgives (v.4) so there is hope and a holy awe. It is not something he takes for granted and so he waits on the Lord (v.5a) trusting in His word (v.5b). He would have known of the Old Testament Scriptures referring to God as compassionate, gracious, abounding in love and forgiving (Ex 34:6,7) – but he did not take it for granted and so waited on the Lord until he sensed this forgiveness was forthcoming. His call was to Israel to similarly ‘hope in the Lord’ (v.7) for His love and redemption, but this ‘hope’ is a strong assurance which is why he can finish with a strong assurance: “He WILL redeem Israel (v.8), he is sure of it!

D. Application:

1. Are we aware of the lord’s love, graciousness and forgiveness?
2. Do we have that same strong hope?