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A Prayer for Mercy

A song ·for going up to worship [of ascents; C perhaps sung while traveling to Jerusalem to celebrate an annual religious festival like Passover].

130 Lord, ·I am in great trouble [L from the depths],
    so I ·call out [pray] to you.
Lord, hear my voice;
    ·listen to my prayer for help [L let your ear pay attention to the sound of my supplication].
Lord, if you ·punished people for all their sins [L observed/watched/guarded against iniquity],
    ·no one would be left [L who could stand…?], Lord.
But you forgive ·us [L your people],
    so you are ·respected [feared; Prov. 1:7].

I ·wait [hope] for the Lord ·to help me [L my soul hopes],
    and I ·trust [hope in] his word.
I ·wait for the Lord to help me [hope for the Lord]
    more than night watchmen wait for the ·dawn [morning],
more than night watchmen wait for the ·dawn [morning].

People of Israel, put your hope in the Lord
    because he is ·loving [loyal]
    and ·able to save [L with him is abundant redemption].
He will ·save [redeem] Israel
    from all their ·sins [iniquities].

Hope in the Lord’s Forgiving Love.

A Song of [a]Ascents.

130 Out of the [b]depths [of distress] I have cried to You, O Lord.

Lord, hear my voice!
Let Your ears be attentive
To the voice of my supplications.

If You, Lord, should keep an account of our sins and treat us accordingly,
O Lord, who could stand [before you in judgment and claim innocence]?(A)

But there is forgiveness with You,
That You may be feared and worshiped [with submissive wonder].(B)


I wait [patiently] for the Lord, my soul [expectantly] waits,
And in His word do I hope.

My soul waits for the Lord
More than the watchmen for the morning;
More than the watchmen for the morning.

O Israel, hope in the Lord;
For with the Lord there is lovingkindness,
And with Him is abundant redemption.

And He will redeem Israel
From all his sins.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 130:1 See Psalm 120 title note.
  2. Psalm 130:1 The Psalmist probably used “depths” figuratively, but the ancient rabbis understood this as an admonition to pray from a low place (in elevation) as a matter of humility.