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Psalm 121

Psalm 121^[a]

God, Guardian of His People

¹A song of ascents.

I lift up my eyes to the mountains;^[b]
    from where will I receive help?
²My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth.^[c]
³He will not permit your foot to stumble;
    he who guards you will not fall asleep.^[d]
⁴Indeed, the one who guards Israel
    never slumbers, never sleeps.^[e]
⁵^[f]The Lord serves as your guardian;
    he is at your right hand to serve as your shade.
⁶The sun will not strike you during the day,
    nor the moon during the night.
⁷^[g]The Lord will protect you against all evil;
    he will watch over your life.
⁸The Lord will watch over your coming and your going
    both now and forevermore.

Footnotes

Psalm 121:1 The ground of Palestine is rough, and journeys meant discomforts: rocks, cold, nights in the open; but the pilgrim took courage, for the Lord protects each of his own.
This psalm is a prayer for Christians in a time of uncertainty. We find ourselves engaged, like the patriarchs, in the adventure that will lead us to the “rest” of the Promised Land, across the difficulties and dangers of the wilderness of this world (see Heb 11). We can ask ourselves with distress whence help will come to us that will enable us to complete our pilgrimage. We can be reassured. Sending us into the world on mission and pilgrimage, Jesus guarantees us his almighty assistance together with that of his Father (see Mt 28:19f; Jn 17:15-17). To enable us to overcome the world, its seductions, and its snares, Christ sends us the Holy Spirit, who continues the safeguarding solicitude of the Master toward us (see Jn 14:16f; 16:8).
Psalm 121:1 Mountains: the ridge on which Mount Zion with its temple was situated (see Pss 87:1; 125:2).
Psalm 121:2 Maker of heaven and earth: the psalmist makes what amounts to a credal statement, which has been incorporated into the Apostles’ Creed. It affirms the Lord’s sovereignty over the whole universe—heaven and earth—and demolishes all claims of sovereignty made for the pagan gods. The source of help can come only from the Lord, whose power is unlimited (see Pss 115:3; 124:8; 134:3; 146:6; Jer 10:11f).
Psalm 121:3 The pagan gods were said to sleep (as well as eat and drink), but the psalmist points out that the Lord never sleeps. Therefore, he can protect his devoted servants at all times and in all circumstances. The psalmist goes on to specify what this divine guardianship means. The Lord will not permit his faithful to “stumble” (see Pss 55:23; 66:9). He will also be their “shade” (v. 5; see Ps 91:1; Num 14:9; Jer 48:45; Lam 4:20), protecting them during the day or night (v. 6: see Pss 16:8; 91:5-6; 109:31). For the Lord is the Shepherd of his people (see Ps 23), who protects and guides them whether they are awake or sleeping, at home or on a journey, working or resting.
Psalm 121:4 The Lord also watches over Israel without sleeping. He is a guard who never falls asleep at his post, never goes off duty. He is always watching over his people to protect them from their enemies.
Psalm 121:5 The Lord maintains himself at his faithful’s “right hand,” the side of favor and trust, to “shade” them from the fierce heat of the sun and the malevolent influence of the moon. The ancients feared the evil spiritual effects of the moon (see Mt 17:15) as well as the bad physical effects of the sun (see Jud 8:3; Isa 49:10). The antiphon used with this psalm during the Easter Season in the Liturgy of the Hours, “The Lord watches over his people, and protects them as the apple of his eye,” reminds us that because of Christ’s Passion and Resurrection no physical or spiritual force can ever separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus (see Rom 8:31-39).
Psalm 121:7 The Lord is present to deliver his faithful both now and forever. Your coming and your going: an idiom signifying all ordinary human activity (see Deut 28:6; 31:2; Jos 14:11; 2 Sam 3:25).

Psalm 123-125

Psalm 123^[a]

Prayer in Time of Spiritual Need

¹A song of ascents.

I lift up my eyes to you,
    to you who are enthroned in heaven.^[b]
²Behold, as the eyes of servants^[c]
    are on the hand of their master,
or as the eyes of a maid
    focus on the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes are on the Lord, our God,
    as we wait for him to show us his mercy.
³Show us your mercy, O Lord, show us your mercy,
    for we have suffered more than our share of contempt.^[d]
⁴We have had to suffer far too long
    the insults of the haughty^[e]
    and the contempt of the arrogant.

Psalm 124^[f]

Thanksgiving for the Lord’s Help

¹A song of ascents. Of David.

^[g]If the Lord had not been on our side—
    let Israel now proclaim—^[h]
²if the Lord had not been on our side
    when our enemies attacked^[i] us,
³^[j]then they would have swallowed us alive
    as their wrath was kindled against us.
⁴^[k]The waters would have washed us away,
    the torrent would have swept over us,
⁵and we would have drowned
    in the raging waters.
⁶Blessed be the Lord,
    who did not give us as prey to their teeth.
⁷We have escaped like a bird
    from the snare of the fowlers;
the snare was broken,
    and we escaped.^[l]
⁸Our help is in the name of the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth.^[m]

Psalm 125^[n]

God, Protector of His People

¹A song of ascents.

Those who put their trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
    which cannot be shaken but stands fast forever.^[o]
²As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
    so the Lord surrounds his people
    both now and forevermore.^[p]
³The scepter of the wicked will not prevail
    over the land allotted to the righteous,
so that the righteous will not be tempted
    to turn their hands to evil.^[q]
⁴^[r]Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,
    to those who are upright of heart.^[s]
⁵But the Lord will assign to the ranks of the evildoers
    those who turn their hearts to wickedness.^[t]
May peace be granted to Israel.

Footnotes

Psalm 123:1 Upon returning from the Exile, Israel experienced prolonged and harsh humiliations: vexations from nearby nations and from the Persian administration and persecution later on. The pilgrims do not feel the need to recite at length the list of their misfortunes, for these are too well known. The prayer is expressed in a simple attitude: eyes humbly and perseveringly fixed toward the Lord await a sign of hope. Can people be more true before God?
This psalm can serve to show the right attitude we should have toward Christ. John (Jn 10:28f) amply indicates that the inner and outer life of the Church and Christians is sovereignly regulated by the risen Christ together with his Father. Our faith assures us that the almighty hand of Christ will save us when we call for help against our inner and outer enemies. We should keep our eyes fixed continuously on him in the never-ending battle we must wage in this world (see Heb 12:2).
Psalm 123:1 The psalmist indicates the awesome power of God, the Ruler of the universe enthroned in heaven, who “does whatever he pleases” (Ps 115:3), and whose love and wisdom are beyond our calculation (see Ps 36:5; Isa 55:9).
Psalm 123:2 The fate of male or female slaves was entirely in the hands of their masters or mistresses. Their welfare or their woe depended completely on the will of their overseers, whose hands could bestow benefits or punishments. Hence, the psalmist pictures the slaves as keeping their eyes fixed on their masters and mistresses. In like manner, God’s people fix their eyes on their Lord with utter dependence; like servants and a maid, they look to their Master—for acts of kindness and mercy.
For the Lord rules sovereignly. He is on the throne (see Pss 2:4; 11:4; 102:13; 115:3) even when the arrogant assail his people. No matter how exalted this God of Israel may be, he is still the Lord (“Yahweh”), the God who is faithful to the covenant he has made with his people and is ever ready to help them in any adversity.
Psalm 123:3 The psalmist prays for God’s favor (see Pss 6:3; 57:2; 86:3) to right the injustice done to God’s children, who have unjustly endured great contempt (see Ps 119:22) and ridicule (see Ps 44:13; Neh 2:19; 4:1). It is interesting to recall that in the Sermon on the Mount, contempt (“You fool”) ranks as more grievous than anger (see Mt 5:22). Yet, from the Christian point of view, to endure suffering (including contempt) for Christ is a necessity (see Lk 9:23; Col 1:24), as well as an honor (see Acts 5:41), for all his followers as they make their way to glory (see 1 Pet 4:13f).
Psalm 123:4 As is the case in our day, the People of God are mocked by the haughty and the arrogant (see Pss 52:3; 73:2ff), who rely on and seek only themselves, giving little thought to God. Although it is entirely permissible to pray to be delivered from this ridicule, another approach is to accept it in union with the suffering Christ. Even the Old Testament has passages recommending the acceptance of such suffering: “Let him offer his cheek to those who strike him and endure their insults. For the rejection by the Lord will not last forever. Even though he punishes, he will be compassionate in the abundance of his unfailing love. For he does not willingly afflict or cause grief to the children of men” (Lam 3:30-33).
Psalm 124:1 This psalm is the thankful cry of the chosen people that God saves because he has made a covenant with them. It contains four classic images—the monster (v. 3: “swallowed”), the water (v. 4: “waters” and “torrent”; v. 5: “waters”), the bull (v. 6: “prey to their teeth”), and the trapped bird (v. 7: “from the snare of the fowlers”)—that evoke the trials undergone by Israel as well as the sudden and extreme danger in which each person can find himself.
Christians can pray this psalm with the sentiments suggested by Paul in a similar situation (see 2 Cor 1:8-10). We can direct it to the Father and Christ, through whom God saves the Church. Without Christ, who will be with us till the consummation of the world (see Mt 28:20), the Church and her members could not hold out against the gates of the netherworld (see Mt 16:18). As the Good Shepherd, Christ gives his life to save his flock from the ravenous wolf who never ceases prowling around her, ready to devour her (see Jn 10:11-15; 1 Pet 5:8). Christ masters the storm that is on the verge of swallowing up the already sinking boat with his disciples (see Mk 4:35-41); he breaks the snare that holds his imprisoned apostles, among others, Peter and Paul (see Acts 5:17-19; 12:1-11; 16:19-26). Truly, we can say with assurance: “Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth” (Ps 124:8).
Psalm 124:1 Because the Lord has been with his people, they have not perished (see Pss 94:17; 119:92) and have hope instead (see Neh 4:14). The ancients had a grateful awareness of God’s presence among them.
Psalm 124:1 Let Israel now proclaim: the people are invited to repeat the first phrase like a refrain (see Pss 118:2; 129:1).
Psalm 124:2 Enemies attacked: i.e., the arrogant (see Ps 123:4).
Psalm 124:3 The trials undergone by Israel are described in traditional images (monsters, wild beasts, drowning, and snares) to indicate the totality of the disaster that loomed so near. Swallowed: in addition to indicating death at the hands of some beast, it also functions as a metaphor for death itself, which is often portrayed by “the netherworld” that devours its victims (see Ps 55:16; Prov 1:12).
Psalm 124:4 The metaphor of water as a destructive force is common in the Old Testament (see Pss 18:17 and note; 32:6; 42:8; 69:2f, 16; Isa 8:7f; Lam 3:54) because of the destructive torrential rains common to that part of the world (see Jdg 5:21; Mt 7:27).
Psalm 124:7 A triumphant note underlies this verse: we escaped by the Lord’s doing; therefore, he is to be praised.
Psalm 124:8 The psalm culminates in the great confession (see note on Ps 121:2).
Psalm 125:1 In place of the grandeur and freedom to which they aspired during the Exile, Israel, after their return, experiences nothing but difficulties, miseries, and foreign oppressions. Under the weight of this cruel disillusionment, their courage fails and their faith in the Lord wavers. Fortunately, men of strong character like Zephaniah, Ezra, Nehemiah, and the aged prophet, Haggai providentially appear to restore their confidence in the Lord’s faithfulness.
The present psalm may date from this period of restoration. It sings of the perfect stability and security assured to his faithful by the Lord, who surrounds them as the mountains surround Jerusalem making it well-nigh impregnable. However, despite threats and against all appearances, God is the only certain power in human existence.
We can pray this psalm mindful of the help the Father granted to Israel of old, but above all, of the far superior aid he accords to the Church, to her Head, as well as to each of her members. It is this same aid that we are to praise with Christ.
Psalm 125:1 God’s people (those who put their trust in the Lord) are like Mount Zion, which symbolizes God’s help (see Pss 121:1f; 124:8), his presence in helping and protecting his people (see Pss 76:7-10; 132:13-16), and the privileges of the covenant relationship, which cannot be shaken but endures forever (see Pss 16:8; 46:6; 112:6f; Isa 28:16; 54:10).
Psalm 125:2 In the mountain range around Jerusalem, Mount Zion is surrounded by higher peaks: to the east lies the Mount of Olives, to the north Mount Scopus, to the west and south, other hills. So Mount Zion was regarded as secure because of its natural defensibility. God is around and present to his people (see Ps 34:8; Zec 2:7), both now and forevermore (see Pss 113:2; 115:18; 121:8).
Psalm 125:3 Over the years, the enemies of Israel have invaded and occupied the land of Canaan and even annexed all or part of Israel and Judah (see Ps 124:2-5). However, the psalmist declares that the Lord will never allow such a situation to endure. For foreign rulers often attempted to introduce the worship of their gods to the local population. Such foreign rule (symbolized by the term scepter—see Isa 14:5) imposed on Israel cannot coexist with the Lord’s protecting presence. For it might be an occasion for some of the godly to be tempted, to lose heart, and to fall away. Land allotted to the righteous: i.e., the Promised Land (see Ps 78:55).
Psalm 125:4 Though confident in the Lord’s protection, the people pray for his help. For the Lord deals with everyone as that person is and does. In times of trouble, God gives his grace more abundantly; at the same time, he never permits his faithful to be tested beyond their strength. However, he wishes us to pray for that grace. The psalm therefore closes with a petition for grace and judgment. One’s own weakness and the malice of the enemy conceal many dangers. May God not refuse his assistance to those who are of goodwill and try to walk the path of virtue, and at the same time may he banish those who follow the path of evil.
Psalm 125:4 Heart: see note on Ps 4:8.
Psalm 125:5 The evildoers are apostates who have turned to wickedness, i.e., paths that twist away from the main road (see Jdg 5:6). The psalmist invokes the law of talion against them (see Ps 18:27ff). Peace be granted to Israel: perhaps a short form of the priestly blessing (see Num 6:24-26), with Israel designating the group of the poor of the Lord (see Pss 73:1; 102:2; 128:6; 130:7f).

Psalm 128-130

Psalm 128^[a]

Happy Home of the Righteous

¹^[b]A song of ascents.

Blessed^[c] are all those who fear the Lord
    and walk in his ways.
²You will eat the fruit of your labors;
    you will enjoy both blessings and prosperity.^[d]
³Your wife will be like a fruitful vine^[e]
    within your house;
your sons will be like shoots of an olive tree
    around your table.
⁴Such are the blessings that will be bestowed
    on the man who fears the Lord.
⁵^[f]May the Lord bless you from Zion^[g]
    all the days of your life.
May you rejoice in the prosperity of Jerusalem
⁶    and live to see your children’s children.^[h]
Peace be upon Israel.

Psalm 129^[i]

Prayer in Time of Persecution

¹^[j]A song of ascents.

They have greatly oppressed me from my youth—^[k]
    let Israel say—
²they have greatly oppressed me from my youth,
    but never have my enemies prevailed against me.
³The plowers plowed upon my back,^[l]
    making deep furrows.
⁴However, the Lord is righteous,
    freeing me from the bonds of the wicked.
⁵^[m]May all those who hate Zion
    be thrown back in shame and confusion.^[n]
⁶^[o]May they be like grass on the rooftops
    that withers before it can be plucked,
⁷so that it can never fill the hands of the reapers
    or the arms of the binders of sheaves.
⁸May those who pass by never cry out,
    “The blessing of the Lord be upon you!
    We bless you in the name of the Lord.”

Psalm 130^[p]

Prayer for Pardon and Peace

¹A song of ascents.

Out of the depths^[q] I cry to you, O Lord;
²    O Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears be attentive
    to my cries of supplication.^[r]
³If you, O Lord, kept a record of our sins,
    O Lord, who could stand^[s] upright?
⁴But with you there is forgiveness
    so that you may be revered.^[t]
⁵I wait for the Lord^[u] in anxious expectation;
    I place my hope in his word.
⁶My soul waits for the Lord
    more than watchmen wait for the dawn.
More than watchmen wait for the dawn^[v]
⁷^[w]let Israel wait for the Lord.
For with the Lord there is kindness,
    as well as plenteous redemption.
⁸He alone will redeem Israel
    from all its sins.

Footnotes

Psalm 128:1 A prosperous home, such is the happiness reserved by God for the righteous—so thought the sages of Israel (see Prov 3:33). Although the people soon realized that God’s reward is more mysterious, the joy and intimacy of the hearth, delicately invoked in this psalm, and the gathering of all in a Jerusalem radiant with peace remain the most suggestive images of the happiness that God will bestow on the righteous. The psalmist is encouraging the individual to contribute to the building up of the kingdom of God by living a godly life. Through him, his family will be built up, and God’s blessing will be extended to all the People of God.
In praying this psalm, we can apply it above all to the spiritual goods that God reserves for Christian families. However, we know that the heavenly Father does not fail to add to his supernatural benefits such natural ones as the blessings and happiness promised by the psalmist: prosperity, professional success, fecundity, longevity, and peace.
Psalm 128:1 The psalmist delineates the blessings of a God-fearing family: the right relationship with God, obedience to his words, fruitful labor, compatible loving parents, godly children, and domestic harmony.
Psalm 128:1 The wise man was especially concerned with walking in the ways of the Lord (see Pss 1:1; 25:9f; Prov 14:2), ways of love, fidelity, and uprightness. Blessed: see note on Ps 1:1. Fear the Lord: see note on Ps 15:2-5. His ways: i.e., his commandments (see Pss 27:11; 86:11; 143:8).
Psalm 128:2 In godly living, the judgment of God on humans (see Gen 3:17-19) is alleviated, for labor is truly blessed by God.
Psalm 128:3 The imagery of vine and olive shoots recalls the times of David and Solomon (see 1 Ki 4:25) and the blessing associated with the Messianic Age (see Mic 4:4; Zec 3:10). To sit under one’s vine and fig tree symbolized tranquillity, peace, and prosperity. The metaphor of the vine indicates that the wife will be not only fruitful but also everything that a wife should be for the good of the family (see Prov 31:10-31). The children (shoots of an olive tree) will be strong and later on continue the father’s work (see Ps 52:10; Jer 11:16; Hos 14:6).
Psalm 128:5 The psalmist further summarizes the blessedness of the righteous—unbroken prosperity, true relationship with God, secure national defense, and long life. In doing so, he implicitly calls upon and encourages each one of the faithful to contribute to the building up of the kingdom of God by leading an upright life in the presence of God.
Psalm 128:5 The presence of God extends to his faithful servant wherever he may live. For the new People of God, it signifies the blessing of God on all who have the Spirit dwelling in them. From Zion: see Pss 9:11; 20:3; 135:21.
Psalm 128:6 Live to see your children’s children: this prayer for the righteous corresponds to the phrase found in verse 5: “all the days of your life.” It calls down upon them God’s blessing of longevity, which was one of the greatest favors to be sought in a time when an idea of the afterlife had not yet been fully attained. Peace be upon Israel: see note on Ps 125:5. By these words, the psalmist applies God’s blessing on the individual to the whole People of God, requesting well-being and prosperity for all. Paul may be echoing this phrase in Gal 6:16: “May peace and mercy be given to all who follow this rule, and to the Israel of God.” It sums up Paul’s concern that God’s people should show themselves true citizens of “the Jerusalem that is above” (Gal 4:26).
Psalm 129:1 The present psalm repeats the theme of Ps 124, concerning the past endurance of Israel, joining to it a prayer for the prompt defeat and eviction of its enemies. Recalling past oppressions and attacked on all sides, the pilgrims besought the Lord to overthrow the post-Exilic dominations. From the time of their Egyptian bondage, the chosen people have suffered oppression (vv. 1-2), but the Lord has always delivered them from their enemies. The poet expresses his theme by utilizing rural images. He leaves us a prayer of recourse to God—not of resignation—when we are haunted by the memory of fear or too much distress.
Christians can pray this psalm while evoking the continuous assaults that the Church has suffered from her birth and the future triumph that God will assure her over her enemies. The entire Book of Revelation illustrates this theme.
Psalm 129:1 The enemies of Israel, who are at the same time enemies of the Lord, have much stomped on, oppressed, and tried to snuff out the chosen people from their youth in Egypt and during the Exodus. But they have been unable to do so because the Lord has broken their yoke in time. The psalmist may be thinking of the nomads making incursions at the time of the Judges; the Philistines dangerously invading at the time of Saul and David; the Assyrians conquering and destroying Samaria; and the Babylonians conquering and destroying Jerusalem.
Psalm 129:1 From my youth: from the sojourn in Egypt and the entrance into the Promised Land (see Ps 89:46; Ezek 23:3; Hos 2:15).
Psalm 129:3 The plowers plowed upon my back: in Ps 124, the enemies are likened to destructive floods and to a hunter; here, they are likened to a farmer who plows the field with long furrows. The plowers are the warriors, the long furrows are the wounds and adversities, and the field is the back of Israel—a metaphor of Israel’s history of suffering (see Isa 21:10; 41:15; Jer 51:33; Am 1:3; Mic 4:13; Hab 3:12).
Psalm 129:5 The psalmist prays that God may humiliate pagan powers to whom Israel remains subject after the Exile (see notes on Pss 5:11; 35).
Psalm 129:5 Those who hate Zion disregard God and include not only the wicked of the world but also the Israelites, who do not fear the Lord (see Ps 125:5).
Psalm 129:6 May God make the wicked suffer the same fate as the grass that sprouts in the protective coating of clay covering roofs (see 2 Ki 19:26; Isa 37:27), which the dry and burning desert wind brutally withers up or men hastily root out. Just as this grass is taken up neither by the reaper nor by the sower, so may God cause the enemies of Israel, once beaten, to find no one to gather them or lift them up, no ally or reaper to whom others would wish success in his task with the cry, “The Lord be with you,” traditionally addressed by passersby to the harvesters who in turn would respond in kind: “The Lord bless you” (see Ru 2:4). May they thus be a wasted growth.
Psalm 130:1 This is the sixth of the seven Penitential Psalms (see Ps 6) and perhaps the psalm that has been most often recited down the centuries since the time when it became an invocation on behalf of the dead. It is both a prayer of sorrow and a hymn of hope. No other psalm reveals in so marvelous a way the mystery of God who forgives, reconciles, and redeems even those who abandon him. While wonderfully suitable for the deceased, it also befits anyone in the depths of sadness (e.g., Israel), for it makes hope rise for them like the dawn.
Because of the lofty plane on which it moves, this psalm does not need a transformation but only a greater profundity to become a Christian prayer. The parable of the Prodigal Son illustrates this perfectly (Lk 15).
Psalm 130:1 Depths: a metaphor of adversity (see Ps 69:2f, 15; Isa 51:10; Ezek 27:34), connoting alienation from God (see Jon 2:2-5) and approaching death.
Psalm 130:2 In his extremity, the psalmist appeals to the Lord, calling him by his proper name and so obliging him to answer his prayers and intervene. Although the reason for the distress is not indicated here, the petition implies that it is related to sin, and the next verse makes this point explicit.
Psalm 130:3 The unfortunate psalmist is well aware that the nature of his trouble is different from the depression of illness, homesickness, or persecution seen in some other psalms (e.g., Pss 6; 42; 69). It is guilt for sin, an evil that can cease only if God puts an end to the sins that cause the evil. Unless God granted pardon, no one could stand, i.e., pass through his judgment (see Ps 1:5) or enjoy the benefits of his presence (see Ps 24:3).
Psalm 130:4 God is full of forgiveness (see Dan 9:9; see also Pss 86:5; 103:3; Ex 34:7; 1 Jn 2:1f). And he is feared not only because of his great judgment and chastisement but also because of his great love in forgiving. The righteous respond with love and holy fear (see Deut 5:29; 1 Pet 1:17) as well as the desire not to offend him in the future (see Rom 2:4).
Psalm 130:5 After noting that God liberally dispenses pardon, the psalmist expresses in splendid phrases his desire (indeed his certitude) of seeing God come close to him soon to grant him pardon. The words I wait for the Lord indicate that the psalmist ardently desires God and seeks to draw near to him with all his might. In patient waiting, faith looks up to the Lord to grant his grace (see Lam 3:25f). In anxious expectation: literally, “My soul waits”: see note on Ps 6:4. His word: especially his covenant promises (see Pss 119:25, 28, 37, 42, 49, 65, 74, 81, 107, 114, 147) and his word of pardon.
Psalm 130:6 The psalmist waits for the Lord with much greater anticipation and certitude than watchmen wait for the dawn when they will be relieved of duty after guarding the city from night attacks (see Ps 127:1). More than watchmen wait for the dawn: by this twofold repetition after a fourfold expression of “hope” in the Lord, the psalmist succeeds in inculcating a true sense of longing, dependence, and assurance.
Psalm 130:7 Like the psalmist, crushed by miseries, Israel must also hope and wait for the Lord. Rich in grace (compassionate and saving love) and redemption (pardon), God will redeem Israel from all temporal and spiritual miseries; he will deliver the people from all their misfortunes and sins as he delivered them from Egypt once before. The word redemption, at first applied to the deliverance from slavery in Egypt (see Ex 12:27), later designates every type of liberation, every form of salvation (see Pss 25:20; 31:5; 44:27; Isa 43:14); here it signifies the profound liberation effected by the forgiveness of sins. The New Testament uses the word in the same sense—the redemption wrought by Christ (see Lk 2:38; Rom 3:24; Eph 1:7; Col 1:14; Rev 5:9). Kindness: see note on Ps 6:5.

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Chronological

Psalm 121[a]

God, Guardian of His People

Footnotes

Psalm 123[a]

Prayer in Time of Spiritual Need

Psalm 124[f]

Thanksgiving for the Lord’s Help

Psalm 125[n]

God, Protector of His People

Footnotes

Psalm 128[a]

Happy Home of the Righteous

Psalm 129[i]

Prayer in Time of Persecution

Psalm 130[p]

Prayer for Pardon and Peace

Footnotes

Psalm 121^[a]

Psalm 123^[a]

Psalm 124^[f]

Psalm 125^[n]

Psalm 128^[a]

Psalm 129^[i]

Psalm 130^[p]