What happensPermalink
In climbing couplets, the psalmist cries out for mercy, confesses his iniquity, expresses patient hope for God’s salvation, and declares confidence that the Lord’s steadfast love and plentiful redemption are sufficient not just for him but for all Israel.
Why it mattersPermalink
As a “Song of Ascent” (see Psalm 120), this psalm gives voice to pilgrims’ individual confession and the collective hope of Israel. Its themes of universal sin and radical dependence on God’s mercy reflect, among others, Exodus 34:6–7 and Psalm 103:8–12. The psalmist’s waiting for the Lord (v.6) evokes the watchman’s anticipation for morning, while the prayer for national redemption (v.8) anticipates the Messiah’s fulfillment (Luke 1:68–79).
Key versePermalink
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope.