Have you ever found yourself in a dark place, wondering how and when you’d find your way out of it and back into the joy and light of life?

Maybe it’s because of sin. You gave into temptation or made some bad choices. It could be something big that’s left some scars on your heart and mind, or just a momentary lapse back into walking by the flesh – a harsh word to a loved one that’s caused a rift in your relationship.

Maybe it’s not sin that has brought you low, but simply the trials of life. Attacks by the enemy on your mind. A challenging trial that God has allowed to sharpen your witness for Christ and shape you more into the image of Christ.

No matter how deep you’re in it, or how long you’ve been there, or what brought you there, the psalmist offers us hope that God is able and willing to bring us through.

Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord.
Lord, hear my voice!
Let Your ears be attentive
To the voice of my supplications.
If You, Lord, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
But there is forgiveness with You,
That You may be feared.

I wait for the Lord, my soul does wait,
And in His word do I hope.
My soul waits for the Lord
More than the watchmen for the morning;
Indeed, more than the watchmen for the morning.
O Israel, hope in the Lord;
For with the Lord there is lovingkindness,
And with Him is abundant redemption.
And He will redeem Israel
From all his iniquities.

A few observations…

The psalmist was “in the depths.” The Hebrew word is maʿămaqqîm, and it’s used only five times in the Old Testament. The other four references are more descriptive, referring to deep mire, or deep waters. I have sunk in deep mire, and there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, and a flood overflows me (Psalm 69:2). It’s a vivid picture!

The answer is clear: Cry out to the Lord! Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.

Also, the psalmist tells us where our hope is found – the forgiveness, lovingkindness, and abundant redemption that only God can provide. Redemption is a buying back – a restoration.

We need the redemption of salvation, but we also need to be restored many times throughout our lives. God’s forgiveness assures us that, as the psalmist says, the Lord does not mark our iniquities – He is willing and able to cover them with the blood of Jesus and not hold them against us. His lovingkindness is His mercy, favor, and grace that underscores every action He takes or circumstance He allows. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Lovingkindness and truth go before You (Psalm 89:14). God can only do good.

To me, the crux of the matter is found right in the middle of the psalm, in verses five and six.

We wait for the Lord with all our souls – our minds, our emotions, and our wills.

We find our hope in His Word – the absolute source of truth which is a spring of joy.

We wait with confidence, knowing God will act on our behalf, just as surely as the watchman knows the morning will come.

That’s what we are … watchmen waiting for the morning. Sometimes the night is long. Sometimes the weather is challenging. We strain to see in the dark and wonder about the things we cannot see.

But we know without a doubt, morning is coming. The sun always comes up, and the night must give way to the light of day.

Don’t lose hope when you are in the depths. Cry out to Jesus. Fix your eyes on Him, the hope of glory, and wait for the morning.

Psalm 30:5b – Weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy come in the morning.