In the quiet of our hearts, in the depth of our prayers,
God hears our cries, His attention never strays.
In distress and desperation, it's okay to express,
For God is our refuge, our strength, and nothing less.
An ever-present help in times of trouble and fear,
Inviting us to cast on Him every anxiety we bear.
Because He cares for us, with a love so profound,
In the vast ocean of His grace, we are safe and sound.
If God kept a record of sins, who could stand tall?
Yet, we're bathed in mercy, His forgiveness covers all.
Acknowledging our sins, in humility we bow,
Waiting patiently, in His promises we plow.
Hope in God's promises, trust in His unfailing love,
Redemption is His gift, sent from the heavens above.
God is always ready, His ears attuned to our plea,
Providing comfort and solace, setting our hearts free.
In our weaknesses and trials, His strength shines bright,
Perfect in our imperfections, guiding us through the night.
So let us remember, in every trying phase,
God's strength is made perfect, worthy of all praise.
REFLECTION:
Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to my voice in supplication. (Psalm 130:1-2)
God hears our cries and is attentive to our prayers. It is okay to express our distress and desperation to God. God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. He invites us to cast all our anxieties on Him because He cares for us.
If God kept a record of our sins, no one could stand. We are completely dependent upon God’s abundant mercy and forgiveness. Let us acknowledge our sins, wait patiently and hope in God’s promises, and trust in His unfailing love and redemption.
God is always ready to listen and provide comfort. It is through our weaknesses and trials that His strength is made perfect.
Dear Heavenly Father,
We come before You today, acknowledging that You hear our cries and are attentive to our prayers. In times of distress and desperation, we know it is okay to express our feelings to You. You are our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
We cast all our anxieties on You, for we know You care for us. If You kept a record of our sins, no one could stand. But we are grateful that we are completely dependent upon Your abundant mercy and forgiveness.
We acknowledge our sins before You, and with patience, we wait for Your divine intervention. We place our hope in Your promises, trusting in Your unfailing love and redemption.
We thank You for always being ready to listen and provide comfort. We acknowledge that it is through our weaknesses and trials that Your strength is made perfect.
In Jesus' name, we pray,
Amen.
Pericope:
Fifth Book of Psalms 107-150
PRAYER FOR PARDON AND MERCY
Psalm 130:1-8
Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8
R: With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.
1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice! 2 Let your ears be attentive to my voice in supplication. (R) 3 If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand? 4 But with you is forgiveness, that you may be revered. (R) 5 I trust in the Lord; my soul trusts in his word. 6 More than sentinels wait for the dawn, let Israel wait for the Lord. (R) 7 For with the Lord is kindness and with him is plenteous redemption; 8 and he will redeem Israel from all their iniquities. (R)
Background:
Psalm 130, also known as “De Profundis,” is one of the seven penitential psalms, a series of psalms marked by an awareness of sin and a powerful assurance of forgiveness. It’s a song of ascents, a collection of psalms sung by Jewish pilgrims on the way to Jerusalem.
The psalm begins with a personal testimony of God’s rescue from the depths of guilt, and then ascends step by step to a place where the author can give confidence to others in their trust in God.
Here’s a breakdown of the verses:
Verses 1-2: The psalmist cries out to God from the depths, a metaphor for total misery or the depth of the awareness and guilt of sin. The psalmist pleads for God to hear his voice and be attentive to his supplications.
Verses 3-4: The psalmist acknowledges that if God kept a record of sins, no one could stand before Him. But with God is forgiveness, which leads to reverence.
Verses 5-6: The psalmist expresses his trust in God and his hope in God’s word. He waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning.
Verses 7-8: The psalmist encourages Israel to hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and full redemption. He assures that God will redeem Israel from all its sins.
This psalm is a profound expression of hope in God’s mercy and redemption, despite the awareness of personal sin. It’s a reminder of God’s promise to provide salvation and His unfailing love.
Learning Lessons:
Psalm 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 offers several important spiritual lessons:
Crying Out to God in Distress: The psalmist’s cry from the depths teaches us that it’s okay to express our distress and desperation to God. He hears our cries and is attentive to our prayers.
God’s Forgiveness: The psalmist acknowledges that if God kept a record of sins, no one could stand. This reminds us of our sinfulness and God’s abundant mercy and forgiveness.
Waiting and Hoping in God: The psalmist waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning. This teaches us about patient trust and hope in God’s promises.
God’s Unfailing Love and Redemption: The psalmist encourages Israel to hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and full redemption. This gives us assurance of God’s unfailing love and His promise to redeem us from all our sins.
These lessons encourage us to cry out to God in our distress, acknowledge our sins, wait patiently and hope in God’s promises, and trust in His unfailing love and redemption. They remind us of our dependence on God’s mercy and the hope we have in His salvation. (Conversation with Copilot)