Psalms 130:1-8

Context

Psalm 130¹

A song of ascents.²

130:1 From the deep water³ I cry out to you, O Lord.

130:2 O Lord, listen to me!⁴

Pay attention to⁵ my plea for mercy!

130:3 If you, O Lord, were to keep track of⁶ sins,

O Lord, who could stand before you?⁷

130:4 But⁸ you are willing to forgive,⁹

so that you might¹⁰ be honored.¹¹

130:5 I rely on¹² the Lord,

I rely on him with my whole being;¹³

I wait for his assuring word.¹⁴

130:6 I yearn for the Lord,¹⁵

more than watchmen do for the morning,

yes, more than watchmen do for the morning.¹⁶

130:7 O Israel, hope in the Lord,

for the Lord exhibits loyal love,¹⁷

and is more than willing to deliver.¹⁸

130:8 He will deliver¹⁹ Israel

from all the consequences of their sins.²⁰

[130:1] ¹sn Psalm 130. The psalmist, confident of the Lord’s forgiveness, cries out to the Lord for help in the midst of his suffering and urges Israel to do the same.

[130:1] ²sn The precise significance of this title, which appears in Pss 120-134, is unclear. Perhaps worshipers recited these psalms when they ascended the road to Jerusalem to celebrate annual religious festivals. For a discussion of their background see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 219-21.

[130:1] ³tn Heb “depths,” that is, deep waters (see Ps 69:2, 14; Isa 51:10), a metaphor for the life-threatening danger faced by the psalmist.

[130:2] ⁴tn Heb “my voice.”

[130:2] ⁵tn Heb “may your ears be attentive to the voice of.”

[130:3] ⁶tn Heb “observe.”

[130:3] ⁷tn The words “before you” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The psalmist must be referring to standing before God’s judgment seat. The rhetorical question expects the answer, “No one.”

[130:4] ⁸tn Or “surely.”

[130:4] ⁹tn Heb “for with you [there is] forgiveness.”

[130:4] ¹⁰tn Or “consequently you are.”

[130:4] ¹¹tn Heb “feared.”

[130:5] ¹²tn Or “wait for.”

[130:5] ¹³tn Heb “my soul waits.”

[130:5] ¹⁴tn Heb “his word.”

[130:6] ¹⁵tn Heb “my soul for the master.”

[130:6] ¹⁶tn Heb “more than watchmen for the morning, watchmen for the morning.” The words “yes, more” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[130:7] ¹⁷tn Heb “for with the Lord [is] loyal love.”

[130:7] ¹⁸tn Heb “and abundantly with him [is] redemption.”

[130:8] ¹⁹tn Or “redeem.”

[130:8] ²⁰tn The Hebrew noun עָוֹן (’avon) can refer to sin, the guilt sin produces, or the consequences of sin. Only here is the noun collocated with the verb פָּדָה (padah, “to redeem; to deliver”). The psalmist may refer to forgiveness per se (v. 4), but the emphasis in this context is likely on deliverance from the national consequences of sin. See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 192.