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Wisdom & Poetry · WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE

Psalm 130

Psalm 130 is read especially through the theme of mercy & forgiveness, within Book V (Psalms 107–150). Its language invites attentive prayer before quick application.

Mercy & ForgivenessPilgrimage
Psalms overview
Old Testament

Psalm 130

1A Song of Ascents. Out of the depths I have cried to you, LORD.

2Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my petitions.

3If you, LORD, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand?

4But there is forgiveness with you, therefore you are feared.

5I wait for the LORD. My soul waits. I hope in his word.

6My soul longs for the Lord more than watchmen long for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.

7Israel, hope in the LORD, for there is loving kindness with the LORD. Abundant redemption is with him.

8He will redeem Israel from all their sins.

READ IN CONTEXT

Understanding Psalm 130

Psalm 130 is read especially through the theme of mercy & forgiveness, within Book V (Psalms 107–150). Its language invites attentive prayer before quick application. Read it within the complete five-book Psalms collection, then compare its prayer language with the types of prayer found across Scripture. Classification is a reading aid rather than a replacement for the Psalm's own movement and tension.

Collection

Book V (Psalms 107–150). The five-book shape of the Psalter helps readers hear individual prayers within a deliberately arranged collection.

Themes detected

Mercy & Forgiveness, Pilgrimage. Read for these themes while remaining open to tension and secondary movements.

TEXT-DERIVED READING NOTES

What to notice in Psalm 130

Psalm 130 contains 8 verses and about 104 words in this translation. These observations come from the chapter itself; they are prompts for close reading, not claims about its only possible meaning.

The opening movement

Verse 1 begins: “A Song of Ascents. Out of the depths I have cried to you, LORD.” Ask what situation, voice, image, or argument this opening establishes for everything that follows.

The closing movement

Verse 8 closes: “He will redeem Israel from all their sins.” Compare the ending with the opening and note what changed, resolved, intensified, or remained open.

Vocabulary worth tracing

Recurring or prominent content words include voice, sins, soul, hope, watchmen, morning. Follow where each word appears and whether its meaning shifts with the speaker or setting.

COMMON QUESTIONS

About Psalm 130

Which Bible translation is shown here?+

This page reproduces the World English Bible Protestant edition (WEBP), a modern-English translation dedicated to the public domain.

How should I cite a specific verse?+

Use the book, chapter, and verse—for example, Psalms 130:1—and name the World English Bible if the wording matters. Each verse number above is a direct anchor link.

Does the chapter number define the complete literary unit?+

Not always. Chapter and verse numbers were added for navigation. Check the paragraphs, scenes, poetic stanzas, or argument before and after this chapter.

What kind of Psalm is this?+

Our reading profile emphasizes mercy & forgiveness, with related themes of Mercy & Forgiveness, Pilgrimage. Many Psalms blend genres or move between moods, so this label is a guide rather than a rigid classification.

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