“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, ESV)
This beautiful psalm of 8 verses is actually a song in four parts (stanzas). Each builds upon the other and brings a specific focus when considered step-by-step, then culminating in one beautiful picture. Notice the 4 sections of this psalm.
Part 1: The cry of man (Vs. 1-2). This is the cry of someone who is in depths of darkness and knows the need of forgiveness and help.
Part 2: The forgiveness of the Lord (Vs. 3-4). If there was no forgiveness in God, none could stand before him; instead we can fear (have reverential respect for) him.
Part 3: Waiting for the Lord (Vs. 5-6). The call has gone out and the forgiveness is there, but now the soul waits upon the word of the Lord. The focus hear is on the desire to find what God wants and requires.
Part 4: The need for all Israel to have hope (Vs. 7-8). This process is available to all of God’s people, not just a few.
As a child of God if I will call, he will forgive; and if I will wait (seek his will), I have hope.