Psalm 130 is a heart cry. From the depths of desperation and pain, the psalmist pens a prayer that has echoed the heart cries of thousands of God’s children down the ages.
I love this psalm for its honesty and transparency. This prayer lays it all out there and pleads, this is me—sin-riddled and depraved—now You, O Lord, come through.
This psalm is a prayer for and during dark times.
The future is uncertain.
The past is murky.
The present is desperate.
I’ve been there. Feeling burdened with the guilt of sin and hardness of heart. It’s a cold, dreary, lonely place to be, with the distance between my Saviour and me, an ever-widening wilderness. Sometimes, in that place, it’s easy to give up. To throw in the towel so to speak.
But, thank God for the psalmist who wrote Psalm 130. He beautifully captures the turmoil of his spirit and the anguish of his soul, and at that moment when he reaches rock bottom, he turns his bleak gaze to His Maker, and there finds that most precious of gifts – hope.
He reminds himself of Yahweh's never-failing mercy to all sinners.
He recounts the fact that with El Shaddai there is forgiveness of unpardonable sin.
He recalls the truth that the Ancient of Days is a redeemer of irredeemable men and women.
He repeats to himself – wait and watch, for joy comes in the morning!
And so this lovely little prayer ends with the hope that our Saviour knows our condition, but He is also working it all out for good.
The assurance we have is that He will redeem everything – our lives, our times, our situations. So let us not lose heart in the waiting. Our God never fails.
I highly recommend listening to Shane & Shane’s rendition of this Psalm.
Photo by berenice martinez on Unsplash
Love this! This was my go to Psalm and also the Shane and Shane song 'I will wait for you!' in a time of struggle.
3 If You, Lord, should [a]mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
4 But there is forgiveness with You,
That You may be feared.
5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
And in His word I do hope.