Psalms 130

A penitential psalm crying from the depths for mercy.

Psalms 130 - Out of the Depths I Cried

Psalm 130 begins with one of the Psalter's most quoted lines, "out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD," as the writer asks who could stand if God marked every iniquity. Its urgent tone contrasts with the harsher plea against enemies in Psalms 129.


> Out of the depths I have cried to you, Yahweh.

Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my petitions.

If you, Yah, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand?

But there is forgiveness with you, Therefore you are feared.

I wait for Yahweh. My soul waits. I hope in his word.

My soul longs for the Lord more than watchmen long for the morning; More than watchmen for the morning.

Israel, hope in Yahweh, For with Yahweh there is loving kindness. With him is abundant redemption.

He will redeem Israel from all their sins.

The psalmist's patient hope, waiting "more than they that watch for the morning," closely parallels the confident trust of <a href="/bible/web/psalms/chapter-33/20">Psalms 33:20</a>. Read more songs of ascent on the <a href="/bible/web/psalms">Psalms overview</a>, or move ahead to the quiet humility of <a href="/bible/web/psalms/chapter-131">Psalms 131</a>.