Psalms 130:1-8; ; Psalms 131:1-3
It is not the oppression of Psalms 129:1-8 but the feeling of sin which has brought the soul of this just man into "the depths" (Psalms 130:1). Nevertheless no matter how low he feels, he can always call upon God. "With him is plenteous redemption" (v. 7)
V. 4 may perhaps astonish us. It would seem to us that forgiveness would have the effect rather of quelling fear. Yet the opposite is true! "The knowledge of grace", someone once wrote, "gives real depth in the work of the conscience. For we can only measure the horror of our situation by the lengths to which our Saviour went in order to rescue us from it" (Romans 6:14; 1 Peter 1:17-19).
Psalms 131:1-3. The trials of a believer play a useful role in humbling him and breaking his self-will (v. 1). God allows them and the believer should submit to them. When something which he loved has been taken away from him, his soul finds itself "weaned" (v. 2). He is like the little child who is suddenly deprived of his mother’s milk yet is still close to his mother. At that moment he does not understand that this is part of growing up. Similarly the Lord sometimes sees fit to take away from us something which we regard as precious and cannot do without so that we have to depend on Him alone (v. 3; read Psalms 130:5-7 again).