Last Sunday’s psalm continue with the theme of hope out of despair. Lazarus walks out of his grave, and the dry bones of Ezekiel’s vision are knit together with sinews once more. This psalm takes such hope and applies it to the individual heart. It traces for us a path from despair, and has been much used by Christians thought the ages. Before we get to the words of the psalm itself, perhaps we might first consider the path it takes.
First the believer cries out, longing for God to hear the words of despair. Then there is an acknowledgement that as we are sinners, we have no right to come before God. Yet, God is a God who forgives and so we faithfully wait for an answer. We find hope in the words of Scripture as our souls wait for God. And we wait as people who trust in the goodnesses of God, who will - will - redeem his people.
So join with countless Christians throughout the centuries and embrace this psalm when you feel you are in the ‘depths’
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD!
O Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my pleas for mercy!
If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
But with you there is forgiveness,
that you may be feared.
I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.
O Israel, hope in the LORD!
For with the LORD there is steadfast love,
and with him is plentiful redemption.
And he will redeem Israel
from all his iniquities. (Psalm 130)
