Psalm 130:4 Study Bible: But there is forgiveness with you, therefore you are feared.

◄ Psalm 130:4 ►

But with You there is forgiveness, so that You may be feared.

But with You
This phrase emphasizes the personal relationship between the believer and God. The Hebrew word for "with" is "עִמָּךְ" (immak), which conveys a sense of presence and companionship. In the context of ancient Israel, this reflects the covenant relationship God had with His people, where He promised to be with them, guiding and protecting them. This assurance of God's presence is a cornerstone of faith, reminding believers that they are never alone in their struggles or sins.

there is forgiveness
The Hebrew word for "forgiveness" is "סְלִיחָה" (selichah), which is used exclusively in the context of divine forgiveness. This is not merely a pardon but a complete removal of guilt. In the ancient Near Eastern context, forgiveness was often transactional, but in the biblical sense, it is a gracious act of God, unearned and freely given. This forgiveness is central to the Christian faith, as it points to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who made atonement for sin once and for all.

so that You may be feared
The word "feared" comes from the Hebrew "יִרְאָה" (yirah), which can mean fear, reverence, or awe. In this context, it is not about being afraid of God in a negative sense but having a profound respect and reverence for His holiness and justice. Historically, the fear of the Lord was seen as the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10), guiding believers to live righteously. This reverence is a response to God's mercy and forgiveness, acknowledging His power and authority in our lives. It inspires a life of worship, obedience, and devotion, recognizing that God's ways are higher than our own.

Persons / Places / Events

1. The Psalmist
The author of Psalm 130, traditionally believed to be David, who expresses a deep sense of repentance and reliance on God's mercy.

2. God
The central figure in this verse, depicted as the one who offers forgiveness and is to be revered.

3. Israel
The nation to whom the Psalmist belongs, often seen as a collective representation of God's people seeking redemption.

Teaching Points

The Nature of God’s Forgiveness
God's forgiveness is complete and transformative. It is not merely a pardon but a restoration of relationship.

The Fear of the Lord
The fear mentioned here is not terror but a profound respect and awe that leads to worship and obedience.

Repentance and Reverence
True repentance leads to a deeper reverence for God. Recognizing our need for forgiveness should draw us closer to Him.

Forgiveness as a Path to Worship
Understanding and accepting God's forgiveness should lead us to worship Him more fully, acknowledging His grace and mercy.

Living in the Light of Forgiveness
As recipients of God's forgiveness, we are called to extend forgiveness to others, reflecting God's character in our relationships.

Bible Study Questions

1. How does understanding God's forgiveness change your perspective on your own sins and shortcomings?

2. In what ways can the fear of the Lord, as described in Psalm 130:4, influence your daily decisions and actions?

3. How can you cultivate a heart of repentance that leads to a deeper reverence for God?

4. What are some practical ways you can demonstrate God's forgiveness in your relationships with others?

5. How do the connections between Psalm 130:4 and other scriptures deepen your understanding of God's character and His expectations for His people?

Connections to Other Scriptures

Exodus 34:6-7
This passage describes God's nature as merciful and forgiving, which aligns with the theme of forgiveness in Psalm 130:4.

1 John 1:9
This New Testament verse emphasizes the promise of forgiveness for those who confess their sins, echoing the assurance found in Psalm 130:4.

Proverbs 9:10
The fear of the Lord is described as the beginning of wisdom, connecting to the idea that God's forgiveness leads to reverence.

Matthew 6:12
In the Lord's Prayer, Jesus teaches about seeking forgiveness, which parallels the Psalmist's acknowledgment of God's forgiving nature.

Hebrews 12:28-29
This passage speaks of worshiping God with reverence and awe, which is a response to His forgiving nature as mentioned in Psalm 130:4.

Sermons

Divine Forgiveness	J. Leifchild.	Psalm 130:4
Divine Forgiveness	David Thomas, D. D.	Psalm 130:4
Fear, the Fruit of Divine Forgiveness		Psalm 130:4
Forgiveness and Fear	C. A. Chadwick, D. D.	Psalm 130:4
Forgiveness Generating Fear	R. Tuck	Psalm 130:4
Forgiveness of Sin		Psalm 130:4
Hope of Forgiveness with God	J. Witherspoon, D. D.	Psalm 130:4
The Assurance of God's Forgiveness	S. Conway	Psalm 130:4
The Design Which God has in Forgiving Sin	R. South, D. D.	Psalm 130:4
There is Forgiveness		Psalm 130:4
A Cry Out of Mental Distress	J. O. Keen, D. D.	Psalm 130:1-8
A Cry to God for the Forgiveness of Sin	C. Short	Psalm 130:1-8
A Prayer for Deliverance	D. Smith, M. A.	Psalm 130:1-8
De Profundis	S. Conway	Psalm 130:1-8
Deep Places	A. Symson.	Psalm 130:1-8
Encouragement for the Penitent	H. Woodcock.	Psalm 130:1-8
From the Depths to the Heights	A. Maclaren, D. D.	Psalm 130:1-8
In the Depths		Psalm 130:1-8
Pardoning Mercy	Expository Outlines	Psalm 130:1-8
The Commendable Conduct of Man Under Trial	Homilist	Psalm 130:1-8
The Pilgrim Song of Penitence	T. W. Chambers, D. D.	Psalm 130:1-8
Thy Depth of Repentance	Homilist	Psalm 130:1-8
A Psalmist's Question and Answer		Psalm 130:3-4
The Sinner Without Excuse Before God	J. Witherspoon, D. D.	Psalm 130:3-4

People

David, Psalmist

Places

Jerusalem

Topics

Feared, Forgiveness, Mayest

Dictionary of Bible Themes

Psalm 130:4

8334 reverence, and God's nature

Psalm 130:1-4

6688 mercy, demonstration of God's

Psalm 130:1-6

8613 prayer, persistence

Psalm 130:2-4

1230 God, the Lord

Psalm 130:3-4

     5816   consciousness
     6653   forgiveness, divine
     8822   self-justification
     8844   unforgiveness

Library

November the Thirtieth the Spring and the River
"With the Lord there is mercy." --PSALM cxxx. That is the ultimate spring. All the pilgrims of the night may meet at that fountain. We have no other common meeting-place. If we make any other appointment we shall lose one another on the way. But we can meet one another at the fountain, men of all colours, and of all denominations, and of all creeds. "By Thy mercy, O deliver us, good Lord!" "There is forgiveness with Thee." That is the quickening river. Sin and guilt scorch the fair garden of …
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

Israel's Hope; Or, the Centre of the Target
WHEN HE PENNED this psalm, the writer, David, was in deep distress, if not of circumstances, yet of conscience. He constantly mentions iniquities, and begs forgiveness. He felt like a shipwrecked mariner, carried overboard into the raging sea. Thus he reviews the situation--"Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord." Yet he lived to tell the tale of deliverance. His prayer from among the waves was a memory worth preserving, and he does preserve it. The mercy of God to him he weaves into a …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 37: 1891

'de Profundis'
PSALM cxxx. 1. Out of the deep have I cried unto thee, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice. What is this deep of which David speaks so often? He knew it well, for he had been in it often and long. He was just the sort of man to be in it often. A man with great good in him, and great evil; with very strong passions and feelings, dragging him down into the deep, and great light and understanding to show him the dark secrets of that horrible pit when he was in it; and with great love of God too, and of …
Charles Kingsley—The Good News of God

My Savior, on the Word of Truth
"I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in His word do I hope." -- Psalm 130:5. My Savior, on the word of truth In earnest hope I live; I ask for all the precious things Thy boundless love can give. I look for many a lesser light About my path to shine; But chiefly long to walk with Thee, And only trust in Thine. In holy expectation held, Thy strength my heart shall stay, For Thy right hand will never let My trust be cast away. Yea, Thou hast kept me near Thy feet, In many a deadly strife, …
Miss A. L. Waring—Hymns and Meditations

The Night Watch
Heinrich Suso Ps. cxxx. 6 Oh when shall the fair day break, and the hour of gladness come, When I to my heart's Beloved, to Thee, O my Lord, go home? O Lord, the ages are long, and weary my heart for Thee, For Thee, O my one Beloved, whose Voice shall call for me. I would see Thee face to face, Thou Light of my weary eyes, I wait and I watch till morning shall open the gate of the skies; The morn when I rise aloft, to my one, my only bliss, To know the smile of Thy welcome, the mystery of Thy kiss. …
Frances Bevan—Hymns of Ter Steegen, Suso, and Others

Fervent Supplication. --Ps. cxxx.
Fervent Supplication.--Ps. cxxx. Out of the depths of woe, To Thee, O Lord! I cry; Darkness surrounds me, but I know That Thou art ever nigh. Then hearken to my voice, Give ear to my complaint; Thou bidst the mourning soul rejoice, Thou comfortest the faint. I cast my hope on Thee, Thou canst, Thou wilt forgive; Wert Thou to mark iniquity, Who in thy sight could live? Humbly on Thee I wait, Confessing all my sin; Lord, I am knocking at thy gate, Open and take me in. Like them, whose longing …
James Montgomery—Sacred Poems and Hymns

My Soul with Patience Waits
[1192]Festal Song: William H. Walter, 1894 [1193]Swabia: Johann M. Spiess, 1745 Psalm 130 Tate and Brady, 1698 DOXOLOGY My soul with patience waits For thee, the living Lord: My hopes are on thy promise built, Thy never-failing word. My longing eyes look out For thy enlivening ray, More duly than the morning watch To spy the dawning day. Let Israel trust in God; No bounds his mercy knows; The plenteous source and spring from whence Eternal succour flows; Whose friendly streams to us Supplies …
Various—The Hymnal of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the USA

On Perfection
"Let us go on to perfection." Heb. 6:1. The whole sentence runs thus: "Therefore, leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection: Not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God;" which he had just before termed, "the first principles of the oracles of God," and "meat fit for babes," for such as have just tasted that the Lord is gracious. That the doing of this is a point of the utmost importance the Apostle intimates in the next …
John Wesley—Sermons on Several Occasions

"There is Therefore Now no Condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus,
Rom. viii. 1.--"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, &c." All the promises are yea and amen in Christ Jesus; they meet all in him and from him are derived unto us. When man was in integrity, he was with God, and in God, and that immediately, without the intervention of a Mediator. But our falling from God hath made us without God, and the distance is so great, as Abraham speaks to the rich man, that neither can those above go down to him, nor he come up to them. …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

The Christian's Hope
Scripture references: 1 Timothy 1:1; Colossians 1:27; Psalm 130:5; 43:5; Proverbs 10:8; Acts 24:15; Psalm 71:5; Romans 5:1-5; 12:12; 15:4; 1 Corinthians 9:10; Galatians 5:5; Ephesians 1:18; Philippians 1:20; Colossians 1:5; 1 Thessalonians 1:3; 2:19; Titus 1:2; 2:13; 3:7; Psalm 31:24; 71:14,15. HOPE IN THE PRESENT LIFE That which a man ardently hopes for he strives to realize. If he desires fame, office or wealth he will seek to set forces in motion, here and now, which will bring him that which …
Henry T. Sell—Studies in the Life of the Christian

Regeneration by Faith. Of Repentance.
1. Connection of this chapter with the previous one and the subsequent chapters. Repentance follows faith, and is produced by it. Reason. Error of those who take a contrary view. 2. Their First Objection. Answer. In what sense the origin of Repentance ascribed to Faith. Cause of the erroneous idea that faith is produced by repentance. Refutation of it. The hypocrisy of Monks and Anabaptists in assigning limits to repentance exposed. 3. A second opinion concerning repentance considered. 4. A third …
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion

Israel's Hope Encouraged;
OR, WHAT HOPE IS, AND HOW DISTINGUISHED FROM FAITH: WITH ENCOURAGEMENTS FOR A HOPING PEOPLE. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. 'Auspicious hope! in thy sweet garden grow Wreaths for each toil, a charm for every woe.' Christian hope is a firm expectation of all promised good, but especially of eternal salvation and happiness in heaven, where we shall be like the Son of God. This hope is founded on the grace, blood, righteousness, and intercession of Christ--the earnest of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Out of the Deep of Sin.
Innumerable troubles are come about me. My sins have taken such hold upon me, that I am not able to look up; yea, they are more in number than the hairs of my head, and my heart hath failed me.--Ps. xl. 15. I acknowledge my faults, and my sin is ever before me. Against Thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in Thy sight.--Ps. li. 3. I said, I will confess my sins unto the Lord; and so Thou forgavest the wickedness of my sin.--Ps. xxxii. 6. Blessed is the man whose iniquity is forgiven, and …
Charles Kingsley—Out of the Deep

"That the Righteousness of the Law Might be Fulfilled in Us,"
Rom. viii. 4.--"That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us," &c. "Think not," saith our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, "that I am come to destroy the law,--I am come to fulfil it," Matt. v. 17. It was a needful caveat, and a very timeous advertisement, because of the natural misapprehensions in men's minds of the gospel. When free forgiveness of sins, and life everlasting, is preached in Jesus Christ, without our works; when the mercy of God is proclaimed in its freedom and fulness, …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

The Essence of Prayer.
"Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints."--Ephes. vi. 18. In the last place we consider the work of the Holy Spirit in prayer. It appears from Scripture, more than has been emphasized, that in the holy act of prayer there is a manifestation of the Holy Spirit working both in us and with us. And yet this appears clearly from the apostolic word: "Likewise the Spirit helpeth also our infirmities: for …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

Its Meaning
Deliverance from the condemning sentence of the Divine Law is the fundamental blessing in Divine salvation: so long as we continue under the curse, we can neither be holy nor happy. But as to the precise nature of that deliverance, as to exactly what it consists of, as to the ground on which it is obtained, and as to the means whereby it is secured, much confusion now obtains. Most of the errors which have been prevalent on this subject arose from the lack of a clear view of the thing itself, and …
Arthur W. Pink—The Doctrine of Justification

Psalms
The piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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