St Mary's, Appledore, North Devon

Reflection from Rev Hilary Kemp

Psalm 130 (NIV)

1 Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord; 2 Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.

3 If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? 4 But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you.

5 I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope. 6 I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning.

7 Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. 8 He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.

Reflection

Psalm 130 feels like it was written for Lent. It begins in the depths - “Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord.” There’s no pretending here. No polished spirituality. Just a person who knows what it’s like to feel overwhelmed, burdened, maybe even a little lost.

That’s why it’s such a gift for this season.

Lent invites us to be honest about the “depths” in our own lives - the places where we fall short, where we carry regret, where we feel stuck in patterns we wish we could break. Psalm 130 reminds us that faith doesn’t start with having it all together. It starts with crying out.

And notice - the psalmist doesn’t stay silent in shame. He turns toward God. That’s the shift. “If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness.” What a great line. It acknowledges reality - yes, we mess up - but it anchors hope in who God is. God is not a scorekeeper. God is a forgiver.

Lent isn’t about wallowing in guilt. It’s about rediscovering mercy.

The psalm also speaks about waiting: “I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits.” Waiting can feel uncomfortable. We like quick fixes, instant clarity, immediate reassurance. But spiritual growth is often slow and quiet. It’s more like dawn gradually breaking than a light switch flipping on. The psalmist says he waits “more than watchmen wait for the morning.” That’s not passive waiting - that’s expectant waiting. Trusting that light is coming, even when it’s still dark.

Maybe this Lent, Psalm 130 invites us to do three simple things: be honest about our depths, trust in God’s forgiveness, and practice hopeful waiting.

We don’t have to fix everything at once. We don’t have to climb out of the depths alone. We just need to cry out. To turn toward God. To wait for the morning.

Because the psalm ends with hope: “For with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption.” Not partial. Not reluctant. Full.

That’s where Lent leads us - through the depths, yes - but always toward love, always toward redemption, always toward the dawn.

St Mary's, Appledore, North Devon

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