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Illustration for Psalm 130: Out of the Depths

Psalm 130

Out of the Depths

ComfortWhen AfraidBedtime

From the deepest, darkest place, the writer cries out to God. If God counted all our sins against us, none of us could stand before Him. But He offers forgiveness! So we wait for God like a night watchman waits for the morning to come.

  1. 1Out of the depths I cry to You, O LORD.
  2. 2Lord, hear my voice. Let Your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.
  3. 3If You, LORD, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?
  4. 4But with You there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve You.
  5. 5I wait for the LORD; my soul waits, and in His word I put my hope.
  6. 6My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning.
  7. 7O Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with Him is full redemption.
  8. 8He Himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.

What it means

When we have done wrong and feel far from God, we can cry out to Him from the depths. He hears! And He offers forgiveness so completely that we should wait for Him with even more hope than a night watchman waits for the dawn.

A little prayer

Lord, I cry out to You from the depths of my heart. You are a God who forgives — that is why I come to You. Help me to wait for You with hope, trusting that Your mercy is coming. Amen.

Memory verse

“I wait for the LORD; my soul waits, and in His word I put my hope.”

Psalm 130:5 (BSB)

It says forgiveness is what makes God approachable rather than what makes Him lenient.

Talk about it

Questions with no single right answer — for a family table or a Sunday-school circle.

  1. The psalm starts 'out of the depths'. What are the depths for you?
  2. It says if God kept a record of sins, nobody could stand. Is that frightening or a relief?
  3. The writer waits for God more than watchmen wait for morning. How badly does a night-watchman want morning?
  4. What are you waiting for the end of?

Try this

Waiting for morning

Find out what time sunrise is. Set an alarm for fifteen minutes before, and watch it come. Read verse 6 while you wait.

Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible (BSB)