Psalm 130 - Forgiveness

This psalm was one of the favourite psalms of Martin Luther because of its emphasis on forgiveness. He sang it on many occasions no doubt, but one well-known incident took place during a period of severe trial when he was in the castle of Coburg and had fallen into a swoon. On recovering, he asked his companions to sing this psalm in spite of the devil.

In verses 1 and 2, the psalmist says that he is in the depths, a graphic picture of a man overwhelmed by powerful waters. The verb indicates that he has been there for a while. There are several reasons why a believer could be in the depths: difficult providences in his personal life, denial of hopes that he may have anticipated, a sense of desertion by God. The psalmist’s mention of sin in verse 3 tells us what the cause of his dejection was. Nevertheless, he knows where help could be found, and it is in the God against whom he and others have sinned. Therefore, he turns to the Lord and asks for mercy.

In verse 3, the psalmist confesses the holy character of God and says that if the Lord treated him as he deserved he would have no expectation of help. Of course, it would have been foolish for the psalmist to look to the justice of God by itself. Yet he knows something wonderful about God, an aspect of his character that brings comfort from all of God’s other attributes and abilities. This aspect is God’s desire to forgive. As another psalm says, ‘The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy’ (Ps. 145:8).

It is the knowledge of this characteristic of God that makes a sinner bold and confident in the presence of the God whom he has sinned against. We only need think of David in Psalm 51. How bold he is, and yet how humble, as he confesses his sins and anticipates being restored to God’s service.

In verses 5 and 6, the psalmist likens the posture of his soul to the watchmen who stood on the walls of a city looking for the coming of daylight. There was expectancy of deliverance in the heart of the writer. The reason for his confidence was not in his earnest prayer but in the sure word of God. The reason why faith perseveres is that the believer knows that what God will give is worth waiting for. When deliverance comes, it will be marvellous.

Out of his own experience, then, the psalmist can comfort others (vv. 7-8). His words in these verses are a reminder that although each Christian has an individual path, it is a similar path to other believers. Because he has been forgiven much and rescued from great danger, he understands the needs of every other believer and he is sympathetic to them and confident about their deliverance and forgiveness as well.