“O Israel!
Hope in Yahweh!
With Yahweh
There is steadfast love.
With him
There is great power to redeem.
He will redeem Israel
From all its iniquities.”
This short psalm ends with a sense of hope. The psalmist called on Israel to have hope in Yahweh and his steadfast love. Yahweh has the power to redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
“I wait for Yahweh.
My soul waits.
I hope in his word.
My soul waits for Yahweh
More than those who watch for the morning,
More than those who watch for the morning.”
This psalmist waits and hopes for Yahweh. His soul waits and hopes in the word of Yahweh. This waiting is greater than those who wait for the morning sunrise, a phrase that is mentioned twice so as not to forget it.
“Yahweh!
If you should mark iniquities,
Yahweh!
Who could stand?
But there is forgiveness with you.
Thus you may be revered.”
No one could stand up to Yahweh if he marked all the iniquities that we have done. However, Yahweh is forgiving so that he should be revered.
A song of ascent
“Out of the depths,
I cry to you!
Yahweh!
Yahweh!
Hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
To the voice of my supplications!”
Psalm 130 is another in this series of pilgrimage songs or psalms on the ascent to Jerusalem. However, this is more a penitential psalm that cries from the depths of despair. This psalmist cried out to Yahweh. He wanted Yahweh to listen. He wanted Yahweh to have his ears attentive to his prayers of supplication.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 