Not only does the psalmist pray out loud to God, but they also do so repeatedly! The psalmist says “…listen to my pleas (plural) for mercy.”

Sometimes it can feel like God turns a deaf ear toward us when we pray. What do we do when it seems as if our words are uttered in faith but met with silence? That felt reality doesn’t deter the psalmist!

“Oh Lord, hear my voice!” While God can hear our prayers spoken and unspoken, the psalmist encourages us to vocalize our prayers! When was the last time you prayed out loud? Today, turn up the volume of your prayers…

We don’t merely exist in the depths, but rather Psalm 130 teaches us that the depths can become a school and classroom for prayer. “Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD!” It’s here in the season of Advent when the valley can transform into a sanctuary!

Many Christians would say as they come into church, “Leave your burdens at the door.” Not Psalm 130! It says just the opposite: “Bring your burdens through the door!”

Welcome to the first Sunday in Advent! While Psalm 130 is a well-known psalm, it can be easy to forget that it is a part of the collection of psalms known as the songs of Ascents (or Degrees).