Psalms 130:1

“Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord.] Out of deep waters, out of the depths of the sea; not literally, as Jonah, who really was there, and from thence cried unto the Lord, (Jon 2:2-6); but figuratively; meaning that he had been in the depths of sin, or brought into a low estate by it, as all men are: they are brought into debt by it, and so to a prison, the prison of the law, to be under its sentence of curse and condemnation; to a ditch, a horrible pit, a pit wherein is no water, and out of which men cannot extricate themselves; to a dunghill, to the most extrem poverty and beggary; to a dungeon, a state of thraldom, bondage, and captivity; into an hopeless and helpless…”

“The writer, perhaps Solomon (compare Psa 132:8-9), after relating David's pious zeal for God's service, pleads for the fulfilment of the promise (Sa2 7:16), which, providing for a perpetuation of David's kingdom, involved that of God's right worship and the establishment of the greater and spiritual kingdom of David's greater Son. Of Him and His kingdom both the temple and its worship, and the kings and kingdom of Judah, were types. The congruity of such a topic with the tenor of this series of Psalms is obvious. (Psa. 132:1-18) This vow is not elsewhere recorded. It expresses, in strong language, David's intense desire to see the establishment of God's worship as well as of His kingdom.…”

“Out of the depths - The word rendered “depths” is from a verb - עמק ‛âmaq - which means to be deep; then, to be unsearchable; then, to make deep; and it would apply to anything low, deep, or profound, as the ocean, a pit, or a valley. The word used here occurs elsewhere only in the following places: Psalms 69:2, Psalms 69:14, where it is rendered “deep,” applied to waters; and Isaiah 51:10; Ezekiel 27:34, where it is rendered “depths.” The word, as used here, would be applicable to deep affliction, dejection, or distress. It would be applicable (a) to affliction - the depths of sorrow from loss of friends, property, or bodily suffering; (b) sin - the depths into which the soul is plunged…”

“Ps 130 Beginning with himself as a representative of the community, the psalmist cries for God’s mercy (130:1-3) out of deep distress. He places his hope in the Lord (130:4-6), knowing that the Lord will rescue when and as he chooses. Based on this confidence, the psalmist invites Israel to wait for the Lord (130:7-8). 130:1-3 A cry from the depths is from a place of deep distress (cp. 69:2, 14; Isa 51:10; Ezek 27:34). Out of the frailty of his being, the psalmist prays for divine favor.”

“Out of: Psa 18:4-6, Psa 18:16, Psa 25:16-18, Psa 40:2, Psa 42:7, Psa 69:1, Psa 69:2, Psa 69:14, Psa 69:15, Psa 71:20, Psa 88:6, Psa 88:7; Psa 116:3, Psa 116:4; Lam 3:53-55; Jon 2:2-4; Heb 5:7 Psalms 130:2”

“The depths (מעמקּים) are not the depths of the soul, but the deep outward and inward distress in which the poet is sunk as in deep waters ( Psa 69:3, Psa 69:15). Out of these depths he cries to the God of salvation, and importunately prays Him who rules all things and can do all things to grant him a compliant hearing (שׁמע בּ, Gen 21:12; Gen 26:13; Gen 30:6, and other passages). God heard indeed even in Himself, as being the omniscient One, the softest and most secret as well as the loudest utterance; but, as Hilary observes, fides officium suum exsequitur, ut Dei auditionem roget, ut qui per naturam suam audit per orantis precem dignetur audire. In this sense the poet prays that His ears…”