Psalm 130
Psalm 130 is labeled a “Song of Ascents” because it was sung by the pilgrims as they traveled to Jerusalem for the three major festival: Passover, Pentecost, and Day of Atonement. On cannot approach God’s Temple without a profound sense of sinfulness leading to repentance. Psalm 130 expresses the pilgrim’s sincere repentance and his/her faith in God’s redemption for sin.
The first two verses express the sinner’s cry to Jehovah, issuing from the depths of sorrow for sin and calling upon God to mercifully hear his voice. This cry for God’s mercy is important, because the Bible says, “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear” (Isaiah 59:2). Looking at the ruins of Jerusalem destroyed by the Babylonians, the prophet Jeremiah said, “It is of the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not” (Lamentations 3:22).
The sinner acknowledges that God has every right to “mark iniquities,” as one makes marks on a chalk board. Indeed, who could stand before God with any confidence if God imputed our wickedness to us? The Psalmist adds immediately that “there is forgiveness with God” which inspires ever greater awe in God’s mercy and grace.
Though beset by many sins, the believer waits for God’s deliverance and His Word of hope. Indeed, the main reason for traveling to Jerusalem is to hear God’s Word, especially His word of forgiveness of remittance of sin. Because of sin’s guilt, the soul waits to hear about God’s forgiveness more than those who are ill that wait for the morning sunrise.
In the final section (verses 7 to 8), Israel (representing all believers in Christ) is urged to hope in the Lord, who shows mercy to sinners. Only through God does “abundant redemption” exist. St. Paul wrote, “Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more” (Romans 5:20). When the Psalm states, “He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities,” the Psalmist means that the Lord God of Israel will accomplish this redemption. The Holy Spirit meant more than God just pronouncing forgiveness. For Jesus, God’s Son and our Lord, would come from heaven to be born in this world in order to redeem, that is, to buy back sin by paying a ransom price. The only price that would satisfy God’s wrath over sin was Jesus’ death on the cross. God has promised to forgive the sins of all those who believe on Jesus as their Savior.