John Calvin Commentary Psalms 130

Out of the deep places have I cried to you, O Jehovah! It should be noted that the Prophet speaks of himself as sending forth his voice, as if from a deep gulf, feeling overwhelmed by calamities. Since miseries with no foreseeable end commonly bring despair in their wake, nothing is more difficult for people, when involved in grievous and deep sorrow, than to rouse their minds to prayer.

And it is remarkable that while we enjoy peace and prosperity, we are cold in prayer, because then our hearts are in a state of infatuated security, how in adversities, which ought to awaken us, we are even more stupefied. But the Prophet derives confidence in coming to the throne of grace from the very troubles, cares, dangers and sorrow into which he was plunged.

He expresses his perplexity and the earnestness of his desire both by the word 'cry' and by the repetition found in the second verse. Therefore, the barbarous ignorance of the Papists is all the more detestable, as they shamefully profane this Psalm by twisting it to a purpose entirely foreign to its true meaning.

For what purpose do they mumble it for the dead, if not because Satan has bewitched them, so that through their profanity they might extinguish a doctrine of unique usefulness? Since this Psalm was applied to the souls of the dead through a forced interpretation, it is widely believed to be of no use whatsoever to the living, and thus the world has lost an invaluable treasure.

If You, O God! should mark iniquities—here the Prophet acknowledges that although severely afflicted, he had justly deserved the punishment that had been inflicted on him. By his own example, he gives a rule that the whole Church ought toobserve: let no one presume to intrude into the presence of God, but approach by humbly pleading against His wrath. And especially when God deals severely with us, let us know that we are required to make the same confession that is expressed here.

Whoever either flatters himself or buries his sins by ignoring them deserves to waste away in his miseries; at least he is unworthy of obtaining from God the smallest relief. Whenever God then shows the signs of His wrath, let even the man who seems to others to be the holiest of all his peers humble himself to make this confession: that if God were to determine to deal with us according to the strict demands of His law, and to summon us before His tribunal, not one of the whole human race would be able to stand.

We grant that it is only one man who prays here, but he at once pronounces sentence on the whole human race. “All the children of Adam,” he essentially says, “from the first to the last, are lost and condemned, if God should require them to give an account of their life.” It is therefore necessary that even the holiest of men should pass under this condemnation, so that they may turn to the mercy of God as their only refuge.

The Prophet, however, does not mean to lessen his own fault by thus involving others with himself, as we see hypocrites do. When these dare not altogether justify themselves, they resort to this excuse: “Am I the first or the only man who has offended?” And thus, by mingling themselves with a multitude of others, they think themselves half absolved from their guilt.

But the Prophet, instead of seeking to shelter himself under such an excuse, rather confesses—after having thoroughly examined himself—that if not even one of the whole human race can escape eternal perdition, this, instead of lessening, rather increased his own liability to punishment. Whoever, as if to say, comes into the presence of God, whatever his eminence in holiness, must yield and stand confounded; what then will be the case for me, who am not one of the best?

The right application of this doctrine is for every person to examine earnestly his own life by the perfection that is required of us in the law. In this way, he will be forced to confess that all people without exception have deserved everlasting damnation; and each will acknowledge in respect to himself that he is a thousand times ruined.

Furthermore, this passage teaches us that since no one can stand by his own works, all who are accounted righteous before God are righteous as a result of the pardon and remission of their sins. In no other manner can anyone be righteous in the sight of God. Very differently do the Papists think.

They indeed confess that the deficiencies of our works are supplied by the leniency that God exercises towards us; but at the same time, they dream of a partial righteousness, on the ground of which people may stand before God. In entertaining such an idea, they go very far astray from the meaning of the Prophet, as will appear more plainly from what follows.

But with thee there is forgiveness. This verse leads us further. Though all people confess with the mouth that there is no human being in the world whom God may not justly condemn to everlasting death, if it should so please Him, yet how few are persuaded of the truth which the Prophet now adds: that the grace they need will not be denied them?

They either sleep in their sins through stupidity, or fluctuate amid a variety of doubts, and, eventually, are overwhelmed with despair. This maxim, “that no man is free from sin,” is, as I have said, accepted by everyone without dispute; and yet the majority shut their eyes to their own faults and settle securely in hiding places to which, in their ignorance, they have resorted, unless they are forcibly roused out of them. Then, when pursued closely by the judgments of God, they are overwhelmed with alarm, or so greatly tormented that they fall into despair.

The consequence of this lack of hope in people that God will be favorable to them is an indifference about coming into the Divine presence to supplicate for pardon. When a person is awakened with a vivid sense of the judgment of God, he cannot fail to be humbled with shame and fear.

However, such self-dissatisfaction would not suffice unless faith were also added, whose role it is to lift up the hearts that were cast down with fear and to encourage them to pray for forgiveness. David then acted as he should have when, in order to attain genuine repentance, he first summons himself before God’s judgment seat; but, to keep his confidence from failing under the overpowering influence of fear, he quickly adds the hope of obtaining pardon.

Indeed, it is a matter of our daily observation that those who do not proceed beyond thinking themselves deserving of endless death rush, like frenzied people, with great impetuosity against God. Therefore, the better to confirm himself and others, the Prophet declares that God’s mercy cannot be separated or torn away from Him.

“As soon as I think upon You,” he says, in essence, “Your clemency also presents itself to my mind, so that I have no doubt that You will be merciful to me, since it is impossible for You to divest Yourself of Your own nature: the very fact that You are God is to me a sure guarantee that You will be merciful.” At the same time, it should be understood that he is not speaking here of a confused knowledge of God’s grace, but of such a knowledge of it as enables the sinner to conclude with certainty that as soon as he seeks God, he will find Him ready to be reconciled to him.

Therefore, it is not surprising that among the Papists there is no steady calling upon God, when we consider that, because they mingle their own merits, satisfactions, and worthy preparation—as they term it—with the grace of God, they always continue in suspense and doubt regarding their reconciliation with God.

So it happens that by praying they only increase their own sorrows and torments, just as if a person were to lay wood on a fire already kindled. Whoever would profit from the exercise of prayer must necessarily begin with free remission of sins.

It is also proper to note the final cause—as we say—for which God is inclined to forgive, and never comes forward without showing Himself ready to be reconciled with those who serve Him. This final cause is that this hope of obtaining forgiveness is absolutely necessary for the existence of piety and the worship of God in the world.

This is another principle of which the Papists are ignorant. They indeed make long sermons about the fear of God, but by keeping poor souls in perplexity and doubt, they build without a foundation. Unquestionably, the first step to serving God rightly is to submit ourselves to Him willingly and with a free heart.

The doctrine that Paul teaches concerning giving alms (2 Corinthians 9:7), that God loveth a cheerful giver, should be extended to all parts of life. How is it possible for anyone to offer himself cheerfully to God unless he relies upon His grace and is certainly persuaded that the obedience he offers is pleasing to Him?

When this is not the case, all people will rather shun God and be afraid to appear in His presence, and if they do not turn their backs on Him completely, they will resort to subterfuges. In short, the sense of God’s judgment, unless joined with the hope of forgiveness, strikes people with terror, which must necessarily engender hatred.

It is undoubtedly true that the sinner, who, alarmed at the Divine threatenings, is tormented within himself, does not despise God, but yet he shuns Him; and this shunning of Him is downright apostasy and rebellion. From this it follows that people never serve God rightly unless they know that He is a gracious and merciful being.

The other reason to which I have referred must also be remembered. This reason is that unless we are assured that what we offer to God is acceptable to Him, we will be overcome by indolence and stupidity, which will keep us from doing our duty.

Although unbelievers often show a great deal of earnestness, just as we see the Papists laboriously occupied with their superstitions, yet, because they are not persuaded that God is reconciled to them, they do not, all the while, offer Him any voluntary obedience. Were they not held back by a slavish fear, the horrible rebellion of their heart, which this fear keeps hidden and suppressed, would soon manifest itself externally.

I have waited for Jehovah. After testifying in general that God is ready to show mercy to poor sinners who turn to Him, the Psalmist concludes that he is consequently encouraged to have good hope. The past tense in the verbs wait and trust is used for the present: I have waited means I wait, and I have hoped means I hope. The repetition in the first part of the verse is emphatic, and the word soul adds further emphasis, implying that the Prophet trusted in God with the deepest affections of his heart.

From this we also gather that he was not only patient and steadfast before men, but that even in his innermost heart he had maintained quietness and patience before God, which is a clear proof of faith. Many, no doubt, are restrained by vainglory from openly murmuring against God or betraying their distrust, but there is hardly one in ten who, when removed from the sight of others, waits for God in his own heart with a quiet mind.

The Psalmist adds, in the concluding clause, that what supported his patience was the confidence he placed in the divine promises. If these promises were taken away, the grace of God would necessarily disappear from our sight, and our hearts would then fail and be overwhelmed with despair.

Furthermore, he teaches us that being content with the word of God alone is genuine proof of our hope. When a person, embracing the word, becomes assured that God will care for their welfare, this assurance will be the source of waiting or patience. Although the Prophet here speaks to himself to confirm his faith, there is no doubt that he suggests to all God’s children similar grounds for confidence for themselves. First, he presents the word to them so that they may depend entirely upon it; and next, he warns them that faith is vain and ineffectual unless it leads us to patience.

My soul hath waited for the Lord before the watchers of the morning. In this verse, he expresses both the ardor and the perseverance of his desire. In saying that he anticipated the watchmen, he shows by this comparison with what diligence and eagerness he longed for God. And the repetition is a proof of his perseverance, for there is no doubt that by this he intended to express an uninterrupted continuation of the same course, and consequently, perseverance.

Both these qualities in his devotion are worthy of attention, for it is all too clear how slow and cold we are in lifting our minds to God, and also how easily we are shaken and even fall at every little blast of wind.

Furthermore, since the night watches were in ancient times usually divided into four parts, this passage may be explained as implying that just as the night watchmen, who keep watch by turns, are careful in looking for the morning to dawn, so the Prophet looked to God with the greatest mental attentiveness. However, the more natural interpretation seems to be that just as in the morning the gatekeepers are more alert than anyone else and are the earliest to rise to be at their assigned posts, so the Prophet’s mind quickly hastened to seek God.

The repetition, as I have already observed, shows that he remained with his gaze perseveringly fixed on his object. We must always be careful not to let our fervor diminish through the weariness of delay, should the Lord keep us in suspense for any length of time.