SUMMARY
The psalmist prays for help “out of the depths” and reminds Israel to hope in God’s steadfast loveThe steadfast love (hesed) of God is the assurance of God's loving kindness, faithfulness, and mercy. This assurance rings throughout the Old Testament, and is affirmed more than 120 times in the Psalms. In some hymns of praise the response of the people was likely... More.
ANALYSIS
This is a lament psalmA psalm is a song of praise. In the Old Testament 150 psalms comprise the psalter, although some of the psalms are laments and thanksgivings. In the New Testament early Christians gathered to sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. More in which the pray-er cries out of the “depths” of human need–including probably some particular present trouble, but also the recognition that no people can “stand” before God without peril because of the reality of human sin. The only hope–a great hope!–lies in God’s readiness to forgive (v. 4).
God’s forgiving and redeeming love makes the psalmist able to wait in hope for the answer to prayer (v. 5). All waiting is not hopeful, of course, but it can be here because of the poet’s firm trust in God. This “hopeful waiting,” encouraged in the Old Testament (see also Psalm 39:7; Isaiah 8:17; 51:5), is echoed by Paul (Romans 8:25; Galatians 5:5); it is another way to speak of living in faith.
The psalm ends by turning from petition to proclamation, assuring the hearer, then and now, of God’s steadfast love and power to redeem (v. 7).
