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The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

Psalms 130:3-4

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalms 130:3 If God should mark iniquities (as if he kept them in a record book), no one, not even the faithful who are singing this, could stand. And yet with the Lord there is forgiveness (compare Psalms 86:5; Psalms 103:3; Daniel 9:9). This is why he may be feared (that is, worshiped and served in loving reverence).

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See also Psalms 130:3-4 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Psalms 130:3. _IF THOU - SHOULDEST MARK INIQUITIES_] If thou shouldst set down every deviation in thought, word, and deed from thy holy law; and if thou shouldst call us into judgment for all o...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    IF THOU, LORD, SHOULDEST MARK INIQUITIES - If thou shouldst observe, note, attend to, regard all the evil that I have done. The Hebrew word means properly to keep, to watch, to guard. The word, as use...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    PSALM 120-134 The Psalms of Degrees Fifteen brief Psalms follow, called songs of degrees, or, ascents. They were in all probability used by Israel going up to Jerusalem three times a year to celebrat...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    CXXX. WAITING FOR GOD. Psalms 130:1. depths refers primarily to God's exaltation in heaven, man's position far below on earth. Psalms 130:4. The fear of Yahweh was to pious Jews the sum of religion....

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 722 GOD’S MERCY AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO PRAYER Psalms 130:1. _Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    SHOULDEST MARK INIQUITIES— i.e. As a rigorous judge, exactly take notice of every offence committed against thee and thy holy commandments:—_Who shall stand?_ "Who could be able to stand the trial, so...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    PSALMS 130 DESCRIPTIVE TITLE Ransomed out of the Depths. ANALYSIS Stanza I., Psalms 130:1-2, The Fact of Supplication. Narrated. Stanza II., Psalms 130:3-4, The Terms of the Supplication Stated.

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? IF THOU, LORD, SHOULDEST MARK INIQUITIES, O LORD, WHO SHALL STAND? "Mark" - i:e., take strict account of iniquities (; ; ). "Stand...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    The _De Profundis_—a song of redemption from trouble through faith in God. Probably a very late Ps. The Ps. is antiphonal. First voice (Psalms 130:1), Second voice (3, 4), First voice (5, 6), Chorus ...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    Psalms 107:150 _GORDON CHURCHYARD_ PSALMS 130 PSALMS FOR CLIMBING; PSALMS 120:134 Jesus said, "We wi

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    IF THOU. — The word rendered “mark” is “watch” in Psalms 130:6. If “Jah” were to watch for men’s lapses, as one watches for the dawn, nothing but signal punishment could follow. So Job (Job 10:14; Job...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    אִם ־עֲוֹנֹ֥ות תִּשְׁמָר ־יָ֑הּ אֲ֝דֹנָ֗י מִ֣י...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    Psalms 130:1 IN a very emphatic sense this is a song of ascents, for it climbs steadily from the abyss of penitence to the summits of hope. It falls into two divisions of four verses each, of which th...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

      “OUT OF THE DEPTHS” Psalms 130:1-8; Psalms 131:1-3 _The cry_, Psalms 130:1-2. The word _Lord_ occurs as often as there are verses. The soul in trouble repeats again and again that precious Name,...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    After the backward look there would fittingly be an inward look as the worshipper approached the place of worship. This is always a disquieting look. There is no confession here of specific sins, but...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, (b) who shall stand? (b) He declares that we cannot be just before God but by forgiveness of sins....

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Israel. This occurs in the preceding psalm. (Calmet) --- David encourages all to hope by his own experience. (Worthington)_...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    I beg the Reader to take notice of the different Printing of the word Lord in this verse; the former is JAH, the latter is Adonai. For particulars respecting the difference of the two names, I refer t...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    3._If thou, O God! shoudst mark iniquities _(119) Here the Prophet acknowledges that although grievously afflicted, he had justly deserved such punishment, as had been inflicted upon him. As by his ow...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Psalms 130 takes up another subject, of the place of which we have found clear traces before the sins of Israel as between the people and God. It is not, however, now merely legal distress. Confidence...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    IF THOU, LORD, SHOULDEST MARK INIQUITIES,.... Or "observe" f them. Not but that God does observe the sins of men: he sees all the evil actions of bad men done in the dark, which cannot hide them from...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? Ver. 3. _If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities_] This and the next verse contains, saith one, the sum of all the Scriptures. Twic...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities_ Observe them accurately, and punish them severely, as they deserve; _O Lord, who shall stand?_ In thy presence, or at thy tribunal. No man could acquit himse...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    PRAYER FOR FORGIVENESS OF SINS. A song of degrees, known of old as _ De Profundis,_ from its opening words in the Latin version, a sinner's cry to Jehovah for forgiveness and mercy....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    If Thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, observing them, bearing them in mind, imputing them to the sinner, O LORD, WHO SHALL STAND? No human being could stand up fearlessly before the all-seeing eye...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-4 The only way of relief for a sin-entangled soul, is by applying to God alone. Many things present themselves as diversions, many things offer themselves as remedies, but the soul finds that the L...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    MARK INIQUITIES; observe them accurately, and punish them severely, as they deserve. _Who shall stand in thy presence_, or at thy tribunal? No man can acquit himself, or escape the sentence of condemn...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Psalms 130:3 LORD H3050 mark H8104 (H8799) iniquities H5771 Lord H136 stand H5975 (H8799) shouldest mark -...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Psalms 130 This Psalm gives us what we may call the ascent of the soul from the depths to the heights. I. We have the cry from the depths. The depths which the psalmist means are those into which the...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Psalms 130:3 We have here the second stage in the journey of the soul from the abyss to God. I. Consider the state itself. "If Thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?" (1) The...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Psalms 130:3 I. It is when the sinner feels his weakness and his utter inability to deliver himself from the clinging guilt of the past, to shake off by the mere exercise of his will the evil habits a...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Psalms 130:1. _Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD._ «Sinking, sinking, sinking, drowning, dying, hope all but gone, almost everything gone, yet I have cried unto thee; with much fear, a...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Psalms 130:1. _Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD._ The most eminent of God's saints have been in the depths; wherefore, then, should I murmur if I have to endure trials? What am I that...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    I will first read the Psalm through, and afterwards say a few words by way of exposition. Psalms 130:1. Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD. Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attent...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Psalms 130:1. _Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD._ God's people have to go into the depths, and God's people pray in the depths, and often they pray best in the depths. The rarest pear...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: The Psalmist's desire toward God and his repentance before God. CHARACTERS: God, Psalmist. CONCLUSION: Those who cry to God out of a sincere heart when they are in the depths of despair wi...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    This is one of the _penitential_ psalms, which though it have no title, appears to have been composed by David when in deep distress. Psalms 130:6. _More than they that watch for the morning._ The wor...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _If Thou, Lord, shouldst mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?_ A PSALMIST’S QUESTION AND ANSWER I want to cheer some of you who at present hardly dare to pray. Yet you are the very people who ma...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Out of the depths have I cried unto Thee._ A PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE The psalm should probably be regarded as antiphonal; it is composed of several stanzas which were sung responsively by different...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    INTRODUCTION The Psalm before us, like the other pilgrim-songs, implies circumstances of bitterness; but it is, as in truth is each of them, more than a cry occasioned by outward hardship and danger....

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION THE cry of Israel in extreme distress—apparently a Captivity song. Israel has sinned and been punished; it now acknowledges its sins, and prays for mercy and forgiveness. Towards the end (P...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD. Lord, hear my voice: let your ears be attentive to the voice of my [prayers or] supplications. For if you, LORD, should start [making a list] marking...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Isaiah 53:6; Job 10:14; Job 15:14; Job 9:2; Job 9:20;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Mark — Observe them accurately and punish them as they deserve. Stand — At thy tribunal....

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