Psalm 130

Last Updated on February 24, 2023 by Rayna

Psalm 130 gets my heart’s attention as I read it because I can relate to the pain of despair being expressed. I can also attest to God’s faithful answers to each one of my heart’s cries. This is a psalm of redemption. When David began writing he was afflicted in his soul but he ends the psalm with words of redeeming hope.

David’s Heart Cry

David begins with a heart cry from his soul requesting an answer to his prayer. David pleas for God’s mercy to be released in his life. I have been in this place more times than I care to admit and I can relate to this gut cry for God to intervene.

1 Lord, I cry out to you out of the depths of my despair!

2 Hear my voice, O God! Answer this prayer and hear my plea for mercy.

3 Lord, if you measured us and marked us with our sins, who would ever have their prayers answered?

Psalm 130:1-3, TPT

David says to Father God that he is crying out to Him from the depths of his despair. How many times have I cried out to God in this place? I’m sure you can relate too. And, the beautiful thing about this psalm is that God is right there to listen. David reminds God that if He measured us by our sins no one would ever get their prayers answered. This is a nod to the abundant grace each of us lives in each day.

Worship Ushers In Breakthrough

As David goes on, he tells God how wonderful is His forgiving love. This forgiving love fuels David’s passion to hold on and wait for God’s breakthrough. David then gets revelation of the wonder of God’s love and expresses his understanding of why we worship Him. The worship of Father God, Holy Spirit, and Jesus Christ ushers in breakthrough and hope.

4 But your forgiving love is what makes you so wonderful. No wonder you are loved and worshiped!

5 This is why I wait upon you, expecting your breakthrough, for your Word brings me hope.

Psalm 130: 4-5, TPT

Longing and Waiting for God

As we place God back in His rightful place as our Breakthrough and our Hope it creates in us a longing for Him. This longing helps us to press through during difficult situations. If you are in a situation where you need breakthrough I want to encourage you to pray and ask God for to create a longing in your heart for Him. As you seek Him you will find Him.

6 I long for you more than any watchman would long for the morning light. I will watch and wait for you, O God, throughout the night.

Psalm 130:6, TPT

Waiting on the Lord is an active waiting. Think of it like waiting on tables. When you wait tables you are serving others for your job. As we wait on the God to answer our heart’s cries we are serving Him. His glory is manifested through what we learn during our faith and waiting.

Keep Hoping

David then encourages all of God’s people (Israel) to keep hoping, trusting, and waiting on God. You can learn more about this when you read my posts about the healing process and how to receive emotional healing.

7 O Israel, keep hoping, keep trusting, and keep waiting on the Lord, for he is tenderhearted, kind, and forgiving. He has a thousand ways to set you free!

8 He himself will redeem you; he will ransom you from the cruel slavery of your sins!

Psalm 130: 7-8, TPT

I love that David describes Poppa God as tenderhearted, kind and forgiving. So many times when I need breakthrough or emotional healing in an area of my heart I immediately think that God does not want to answer me because of my mistakes. Nothing could be further from the truth! He is so kind and forgiving. God has a tender heart toward us and as we realize this we can receive Him that way.

I want to encourage you to mediate on this chapter of Psalm 130 and let Holy Spirit speak to your heart about the way He wants to set you free. Not only are there a thousand ways to set you free but God has also ransomed you from the cruel slavery of your sins. By sending His son, Jesus, to us for redemption we are set free from sin if only we believe in Him. Gone are the days of beating yourself up for your past mistakes. Hand them over to God and ask for forgiveness. As you receive forgiveness then extend that same forgiveness to yourself.

There are a thousand ways to set you free!

When we cry out in despair to God sometimes we can fall in the trap of expecting the answer to come in a way that is familiar to us. God is not bound by time nor is He confined to our experiences. Open your heart and your mind and let Him into your life in a new way. With His infinite love, He can do more than you could ever think or imagine.

If you let Jesus in to the areas of your heart that are in distress and in emotional pain, you open yourself up to healing, hope and redemption. You can invite Him in through a simple prayer saying,“God, I invite you in to this area of my heart that hurts. I give you permission to heal me in Your way and not my way. Teach me with Your Wisdom and Understanding. Amen.”

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Did this blog post speak to your heart? I hope so! My heart is to reach your heart and share what I have learned in my journey with Jesus. Sign up today to receive my emails featuring the latest from Seeking Him Today by going to our Stay In Touch page.