Out Of The Depths, I Cry To You, O LORD
Devotional
Companion to the Psalter
A Devotional Guide to the Psalms
Object:
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope ...
O Israel, hope in the LORD!
For with the LORD there is steadfast love,
and with him is great power to redeem.
-- Psalm 130:5, 7
Theme: Waiting for redemption (De Profundis)
Outline
1-4 -- Overwhelmed with guilt and suffering, he pleads with God to hear and to forgive him.
5-8 -- Knowing God's revealed character, he is willing to wait in anticipation (hope) for a great redemption that is surely coming.
Notes
• Penitential
• One of the Song of Ascents (Psalms 120-134).
• While this could be a nation's prayer (Nehemiah 1:4-11), it is especially meant for an individual. Brief, eloquent, powerful, a perfect prayer for a penitent sinner.
• One of four psalms Luther called "Pauline Psalms" (32; 51; 130; 143) and also one of the seven Penitential Psalms.
• Saint Augustine had verse 4 written on the wall of his room as he lay dying.
• "Depths" = one's own private hell as well as fear of God's judgment.
• "Revered" -- forgiveness restores the fellowship that was broken.
• "There is no picture here of the proud humanity that the Greeks valued so much; rather it is the true humanity of humility."1
For Reflection
• From Luther: "Now there are some who want to set the goal, appoint the hour and measure, and prescribe to God how they are to be helped. And if they do not experience this, they despair; or, if possible, they seek help elsewhere. These do not tarry and wait for the Lord. God is supposed to wait for them, be ready at once, and help exactly as they themselves have designed. Those who wait for the Lord, however, ask for mercy; but they leave it to God's gracious will when, how, where, and by what means He helps them."2
Prayer
Lord God, with grateful hearts we praise you for the Savior who shared our horrible times of testing and the temptations to despair, who knows the depths of our private hells, and who will bring us out of them into the pure, clean, holy, and bright glory of your kingdom. We will wait with keen anticipation for the great redemption that is coming from you, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
____________
1. George A.F. Knight, Psalms, Vol. 2 (New York: Cambridge Publishing, 1957), p. 290.
2. Martin Luther, Luther's Works, Vol. 14 (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1956), p. 192.
and in his word I hope ...
O Israel, hope in the LORD!
For with the LORD there is steadfast love,
and with him is great power to redeem.
-- Psalm 130:5, 7
Theme: Waiting for redemption (De Profundis)
Outline
1-4 -- Overwhelmed with guilt and suffering, he pleads with God to hear and to forgive him.
5-8 -- Knowing God's revealed character, he is willing to wait in anticipation (hope) for a great redemption that is surely coming.
Notes
• Penitential
• One of the Song of Ascents (Psalms 120-134).
• While this could be a nation's prayer (Nehemiah 1:4-11), it is especially meant for an individual. Brief, eloquent, powerful, a perfect prayer for a penitent sinner.
• One of four psalms Luther called "Pauline Psalms" (32; 51; 130; 143) and also one of the seven Penitential Psalms.
• Saint Augustine had verse 4 written on the wall of his room as he lay dying.
• "Depths" = one's own private hell as well as fear of God's judgment.
• "Revered" -- forgiveness restores the fellowship that was broken.
• "There is no picture here of the proud humanity that the Greeks valued so much; rather it is the true humanity of humility."1
For Reflection
• From Luther: "Now there are some who want to set the goal, appoint the hour and measure, and prescribe to God how they are to be helped. And if they do not experience this, they despair; or, if possible, they seek help elsewhere. These do not tarry and wait for the Lord. God is supposed to wait for them, be ready at once, and help exactly as they themselves have designed. Those who wait for the Lord, however, ask for mercy; but they leave it to God's gracious will when, how, where, and by what means He helps them."2
Prayer
Lord God, with grateful hearts we praise you for the Savior who shared our horrible times of testing and the temptations to despair, who knows the depths of our private hells, and who will bring us out of them into the pure, clean, holy, and bright glory of your kingdom. We will wait with keen anticipation for the great redemption that is coming from you, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
____________
1. George A.F. Knight, Psalms, Vol. 2 (New York: Cambridge Publishing, 1957), p. 290.
2. Martin Luther, Luther's Works, Vol. 14 (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1956), p. 192.
