From the TeachingtheWord Bible Knowledgebase

Part one of a series

Psalm 130 begins in the depths of our need, but ascends to the heights of God's redemption.

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.
If You, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?
But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared.
I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in His Word I do hope.
My soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning - yes, more than those who watch for the morning.
O Israel, hope in the LORD; for with the LORD there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption.
And He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

Sometimes we go through dark periods in the Christian life. We find ourselves "in the depths". In such times we cry out to God, but the answer seems long in coming, and we wonder if God has heard us. That is the nature of the heart-cry we find in the 130th Psalm.

A Song of Ascents

This is one of fifteen psalms, beginning with Psalm 120 and ending with Psalm 134, that are titled, "A Song of Ascents." These were pilgrim psalms. They were sung by the Israelites as they went up to Jerusalem for the various annual feasts under the Jewish law. All Jewish males were required to assemble at Jerusalem three times a year, and there were other occasions of pilgrimage during the year as well.

Jerusalem is at an elevation of about 2700 feet, and much of the rest of Israel is at sea level or even below sea level. So the Israelites would always speak of going "up to Jerusalem." And thus the title, "A Song of Ascents." It had a literal significance.

But in the case of Psalm 130, it also has a figurative significance. This psalm begins in the depths, spiritually speaking, but it ends on the heights.

A Favorite of Luther

Martin Luther said that this was one of his four favorite psalms. The others were Psalm 32, which speaks of the joy of the sinner who has been justified by faith in Christ alone; Psalm 51, David's great prayer of confession and repentance from sin; and Psalm 143, which is a companion song to the 130th psalm and expresses many of the same thoughts, but with particular emphasis on the psalmist's distress as he faces his enemies.

In this series, the Lord willing, we shall examine Psalm 130 phrase by phrase - the nature of the believer's cry; the position of the believer who cries out to God; the basis of our heart-cry; our unique standing before our Lord; and, our great hope in His mercies. May the Lord open our eyes, that we may behold wondrous things out of His Law (Psalm 119:18). We shall begin in the depths, but God willing we shall indeed ascend together to the heights of His redeeming grace.

Next: "Out of the Depths"

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