Psalm Chapter 130 KJV
King James Version, Holy Bible
1 Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord.
2 Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.
3 If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
4 But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.
5 I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.
6 My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.
7 Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.
8 And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
Key Takeaways from This Psalm:
Psalm 130:1
Verse: מִמַּעֲמַקִּים קְרָאתִי אֵלֶיךָ
Transliteration: Mi-ma’amakim kerati eleikha
English: “Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord!”
Focus Word: מַעֲמָקִים (Ma’amakim)
- Root: ע-מ-ק (Ayin-Mem-Qof)
- Meaning: “Depths,” “abyss,” “deep places.”
- Deeper Insight: Ma’amakim symbolizes extreme distress or spiritual depth, emphasizing heartfelt dependence on God.
| Hebrew Word + Transliteration | Verse + Snippet | Meaning | Scholarly Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| מַעֲמַקִּים — ma‘amakim | Verse 1 — “Out of the depths I cry…” | “Depths,” deep places. | Ma‘amakim (“depths”) conveys profound spiritual or emotional despair. It evokes imagery of drowning beneath burdens. The term opens the Psalm with intense lament. — Wilhelm Gesenius, Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon |
| שִׁוַּעְתִּי — shiv‘ati | Verse 1 — “…I cry unto You.” | “To cry for help,” plead. | Shiv‘ati (“to cry for help”) expresses urgent appeal for divine intervention. It merges desperation with faith. The verb frames the entire Psalm as supplication. — Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary |
| קוֹלִי — koli | Verse 2 — “Lord, hear my voice!” | “Voice,” sound. | Koli (“voice”) emphasizes personal expression of suffering. It underscores relational communication with God. The term draws attention to urgency in prayer. — Carl Friedrich Keil, Keil & Delitzsch Commentary |
| הַקְשִׁיבָה — hakshivah | Verse 2 — “…let Your ears be attentive…” | “To listen,” pay attention. | Hakshivah (“pay attention”) conveys desire for focused divine hearing. It expresses dependence on God’s responsiveness. The verb highlights intimate prayer. — Wilhelm Gesenius, Lexicon |
| עָוֹן — avon | Verse 3 — “If You should mark iniquities…” | “Iniquity,” guilt. | Avon (“iniquity”) denotes moral guilt deserving judgment. It portrays the human condition apart from mercy. The word frames the need for forgiveness. — Franz Delitzsch, Commentary |
| שָׁמַר — shamar | Verse 3 — “…if You should mark…” | “To keep,” watch, reckon. | Shamar (“to mark/keep account”) expresses careful observation with judicial implications. It implies accountability under divine scrutiny. The verb underscores the impossibility of standing before God without grace. — Carl Friedrich Keil, Keil & Delitzsch Commentary |
| סְלִיחָה — selichah | Verse 4 — “But there is forgiveness with You…” | “Forgiveness,” pardon. | Selichah (“forgiveness”) signifies pardon grounded in divine mercy. It reveals God’s gracious character. The term provides the theological logic for reverence. — Wilhelm Gesenius, Lexicon |
| קִוִּיתִי — kivviti | Verse 5 — “I wait for the LORD…” | “To wait,” hope expectantly. | Kivviti (“to wait/hope”) indicates patient, expectant trust. It frames hope as active and persevering. The verb forms the heart of the Psalm’s theology. — Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary |
| דָּבָר — davar | Verse 5 — “…and in His word I do hope.” | “Word,” promise. | Davar (“word/promise”) denotes authoritative divine speech. It provides the foundation of hope. The term stresses the reliability of God’s promises. — Carl Friedrich Keil, Commentary |
| פְדֻת — pedut | Verse 8 — “He shall redeem Israel…” | “Redemption,” deliverance. | Pedut (“redemption”) emphasizes liberation achieved through divine power. It encompasses spiritual and national deliverance. The word concludes the Psalm with assurance. — Wilhelm Gesenius, Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon |
Biblical Scholars On This Chapter:
| Scholar (Institution & Dates) | Work | View on Psalm 130 |
|---|---|---|
| Hugh Binning (University of Glasgow, 1627–1653) | Sermons on the Psalms | Binning portrays deep penitence and hope in divine forgiveness as central to spiritual life. |
| William Lowth (University of Oxford, 1660–1732) | Commentary on the Psalms | The Psalm emphasizes patient waiting for God’s mercy and the assurance of redemption. |
| Johann Albrecht Bengel (University of Tübingen, 1687–1752) | Gnomon Novi Testamenti | Bengel highlights that humble confession of sin aligns the soul with God’s saving grace. |
| Philip Doddridge (Northampton Academy, 1702–1751) | Family Expositor | Doddridge stresses that hope in God strengthens the believer during periods of despair. |
| James Durham (St Andrews / Edinburgh, 1622–1658) | Commentary on the Psalms | Durham presents the Psalm as guiding penitents toward patience, trust, and joyful expectation. |
FORGIVENESS IS A VIRTUE.
If there is one thing that is practically difficult to do, it is forgiveness. The nature of man is such that is easily offended. No wonder Jesus said in Matthew 11:6 and Luke 7:23, “And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me”. People easily take offence at the actions and inactions of others; they get hurt and then find it difficult to forgive. However, offence will definitely come (Luke 17:1). The Contemporary English Version of Luke 17:1 says, “There will always be something that causes people to sin…”. Therefore, whether we like it or not, people will always offend us.
In the story of the Prodigal son (Luke 15:20-30), a little wonder is why the elder brother was offended by the fact that his younger brother came back home and was forgiven. He was accepted back to the family and the fatted calf was even killed to celebrate his return. The elder brother never expected his father to forgive such an ungrateful and squanders son. It was out of the natural order to forgive such a person.
Forgiveness has become so difficult to the extent that it is unbelievable when expressed in our present society. If you tell a person that you have forgiven him, he will still ask you whether you are sure. It’s quite funny that even the offender does not believe he would be forgiven. It’s sad that this was the same situation the prodigal son found himself in when he said in verses 18 to 19;
“I will arise and go to my father, and I will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son: MAKE ME AS ONE OF THY HIRED SERVANTS.”
Forgiveness is not easy. That is why it is a virtue. Forgiveness is the nature of God and He does not mark iniquity like the elder brother of the prodigal son did when he recounted his own good deed while recounting the unforgivable evil his younger brother exhibited. He told his father that he served him for many years and has never at any time sinned against him. This might be true but the elder brother is just like members of a Christian gathering who will not go after a lost soul in the church and when a member who left the church at a point but later returned to the church as a transformed soul, they get offended rather than rejoice and thank God for his life.
“For God so love the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”. (John 3:16)
One of the reasons God is to be feared is that there is forgiveness and salvation with Him. He will have mercy on whomsoever He chooses to be an object of his mercy. Even if your sin is as scarlet, God is full of mercy and will make them white as snow. He is not a man; he will forgive and receive you again.
Prayer:
Father, please forgive me of my sins and teach me to make forgiveness a virtue. May I be able to forgive all those who have wronged me and those who will wrong me in Jesus' name.
