Psalm 130:5 Study Bible: I wait for the LORD. My soul waits. I hope in his word.

◄ Psalm 130:5 ►

I wait for the LORD; my soul does wait, and in His word I put my hope.

I wait for the LORD
The Hebrew word for "wait" here is "קָוָה" (qavah), which conveys a sense of eager anticipation and hope. This is not a passive waiting but an active, expectant longing for the LORD's intervention and presence. In the historical context of Israel, waiting for the LORD often meant trusting in His timing and deliverance, as seen throughout the narratives of the Old Testament. This phrase encourages believers to cultivate a posture of patience and trust, knowing that God's timing is perfect and His promises are sure.

my soul does wait
The repetition of the concept of waiting emphasizes the depth of the psalmist's longing. The Hebrew word for "soul" is "נֶפֶשׁ" (nephesh), which refers to the entire being or life of a person. This indicates that the waiting is not just a mental exercise but involves the whole self—mind, body, and spirit. It reflects a deep, personal commitment to trust in God, even when circumstances are challenging. Historically, this kind of waiting was a common theme in the Psalms, where the psalmists often expressed their struggles and their steadfast hope in God's faithfulness.

and in His word
The term "word" in Hebrew is "דָּבָר" (dabar), which can mean a spoken word, command, or promise. In the context of the Psalms, "His word" often refers to God's promises and the Scriptures. The psalmist's hope is anchored in the reliability and truth of God's word. This reflects a deep reverence for the Scriptures, which are seen as the ultimate source of guidance and assurance. For conservative Christians, this underscores the importance of Scripture as the foundation of faith and the source of hope.

I put my hope
The Hebrew word for "hope" is "יָחַל" (yachal), which implies a confident expectation. This is not a wishful thinking but a firm assurance based on the character and promises of God. Throughout the Bible, hope is portrayed as a vital aspect of faith, sustaining believers through trials and uncertainties. The psalmist's declaration of hope in God's word serves as an inspiration for believers to trust in God's promises, knowing that He is faithful to fulfill them.

Persons / Places / Events

1. The Psalmist
The author of Psalm 130, traditionally attributed to David, who expresses a deep longing and hope in the Lord.

2. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant name of God, emphasizing His faithfulness and relationship with His people.

3. The Soul
Represents the innermost being of the Psalmist, indicating a deep, personal engagement with God.

4. The Word of God
Refers to God's promises and revelations, which are the foundation of the Psalmist's hope.

5. Israel
While not directly mentioned in this verse, the context of the Psalm is a communal lament, reflecting the collective hope of the nation.

Teaching Points

The Discipline of Waiting
Waiting on the Lord is an active, faith-filled discipline that requires patience and trust in God's timing.

Hope Anchored in God's Word
Our hope should be firmly rooted in the promises and truths found in Scripture, which provide stability and assurance.

The Role of the Soul in Faith
Engaging our soul in waiting on the Lord involves our emotions, will, and intellect, fostering a holistic relationship with God.

The Communal Aspect of Hope
While this verse is personal, it reflects a broader communal hope, reminding us of the importance of encouraging one another in faith.

The Transformative Power of Hope
Hope in the Lord transforms our perspective, enabling us to endure trials with a sense of purpose and expectation.

Bible Study Questions

1. How does the concept of waiting on the Lord challenge your current understanding of patience and faith?

2. In what ways can you actively put your hope in God's word in your daily life?

3. How does engaging your soul in waiting on the Lord differ from merely waiting passively?

4. What are some practical ways you can encourage others in your community to hope in the Lord?

5. How does the assurance of God's promises in Scripture impact your response to difficult circumstances?

Connections to Other Scriptures

Psalm 27:14
This verse also emphasizes waiting on the Lord, encouraging strength and courage in the process.

Lamentations 3:24-26
Highlights the goodness of waiting quietly for the salvation of the Lord, reinforcing the theme of hope in God's word.

Romans 8:24-25
Discusses hope in what is not yet seen, paralleling the Psalmist's waiting and hope in God's promises.

Hebrews 11:1
Defines faith as confidence in what we hope for, connecting to the Psalmist's trust in God's word.

Isaiah 40:31
Promises renewed strength for those who wait on the Lord, aligning with the Psalmist's expression of hope.

Sermons

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
Our Waiting is a Watching	R. Tuck	Psalm 130:5, 6
The Estate and Disposition of the Holy Man After His Prayer		Psalm 130:5-6
The Quiet Life in its Dependence	W. M. Statham.	Psalm 130:5-6
The Soul Waiting for God	O. A. Jeary.	Psalm 130:5-6
Waiting	A. J. Macleane, M. A.	Psalm 130:5-6
Waiting, Hoping, Watching		Psalm 130:5-6

People

David, Psalmist

Places

Jerusalem

Topics

Hope, Hoped, Soul, Wait, Waited, Waiting, Waits

Dictionary of Bible Themes

Psalm 130:5

     8031   trust, importance
     8214   confidence, basis of
     8678   waiting on God
     9612   hope, in God

Psalm 130:1-6

8613 prayer, persistence

Psalm 130:5-6

     8318   patience
     8493   watchfulness, believers
     8603   prayer, relationship with God
     8618   prayerfulness

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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