Psalms 130:2

Psa 130:2 Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.

Ver. 2. Lord, hear my voice] Precum exauditio identidem est precanda, Audience must be begged again and again; and if he once prepare our heart it is sure that he will cause his ear to hear, Psa 10:17; as when we bid our children ask this or that of us, it is because we mean to give it them.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2. (Psa 130:2) Lord, hearken to my voice; let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. The first word in Hebrew is the one strictly meaning Lord, and shewing that the prayer is offered to a sovereign God. The common verb to hear is here construed with a preposition, thus resembling, in its syntax, our verbs hearken, listen. The adjective attentive is peculiar to the later Hebrew, though its verbal root is of frequent occurrence in the psalms. Supplications, prayers for grace or mercy. See above, on Psa 28:6; Psa 31:2.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Psalms Translated and Explained (1850) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Verse 2. Lord, hear my voice] They could have no helper but God, and to him they earnestly seek for relief.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

2. let thine ears be attentive] Cp. 2Ch_6:40; 2Ch_7:15; Neh_1:7; Neh_1:11. Penitent Israel can plead for the audience which sin made impossible (Isa_59:1-2).

the voice &c.] Cp. Psa_28:2.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities,.... Or "observe" (f) them. Not but that God does observe the sins of men: he sees all the evil actions of bad men done in the dark, which cannot hide them from him; and all the iniquities of good men, so as to correct and chastise for them, but not with his eye of vindictive justice. Or "keep" (g) them; should he keep a watchful eye over them, make strict inspection into them, enter into a critical examination of them, and of all their aggravated circumstances; should he keep them in mind and memory, retain them in the book of his remembrance; should he lay them up, and keep them sealed among his stores, in order to be brought to light, and brought out as charges another day, and to the condemnation of men; should he set them before him in the light of his countenance, and not cast them behind his back and into the depths of the sea; should he visit for them in a way of wrath, or enter into judgment on account of them, with men in their own persons; demanding satisfaction for them at their own hands, without any regard to the sacrifice and satisfaction of his Son; all a man's righteousness, repentance, humiliation and tears, would stand him in no stead, would not answer for him, or atone for his sins; still his iniquities would remain marked before God; the consequence of which would be eternal damnation, Jer 2:22;

O Lord, who shall stand? Not one; since all are sinners. The Arabic version adds, "before thee"; in his presence; in the house and courts of God, there to minister before him; to pray and praise, to preach and hear: or at his bar hereafter, with any boldness and confidence; so as to litigate the point with him in his court of judicature, before angels and men, and so as to carry the cause; the wicked shall not stand in judgment, Psa 1:5. Or who can stand before his vindictive justice, or bear his wrath and vengeance? No one can. See Nah 1:6, Mal 3:2.

(f) "observaveris", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Musculus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Michaelis. (g) "Serves", Cocceius; "servaveris", Muis.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Lord, hear my voice - This is the prayer; this is what he cried. It is the language of earnest pleading.

Let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications - Do not turn away from me; do not disregard my cry. See the notes at Psa 5:1.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Ver. 2. Lord, hear my voice. It is all we ask; but nothing less will content us. If the Lord will but hear us we will leave it to his superior wisdom to decide whether he will answer us or no. It is better for our prayer to be heard than answered. If the Lord were to make an absolute promise to answer all our requests it might be rather a curse than a blessing, for it would be casting the responsibility of our lives upon ourselves, and we should be placed in a very anxious position: but now the Lord hears our desires, and that is enough; we only wish him to grant them if his infinite wisdom sees that it would be for our good and for his glory. Note that the Psalmist spoke audibly in prayer: this is not at all needful, but it is exceedingly helpful; for the use of the voice assists the thoughts. Still, there is a voice in silent supplication, a voice in our weeping, a voice in that sorrow which cannot find a tongue: that voice the Lord will hear if its cry is meant for his ear. Let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication. The Psalmist's cry is a beggar's petition; he begs the great King and Lord to lend an ear to it. He has supplicated many times, but always with one voice, or for one purpose; and he begs to be noticed in the one matter which he has pressed with so much importunity. He would have the King hearken, consider, remember, and weigh his request. He is confused, and his prayer may therefore be broken, and difficult to understand; he begs therefore that his Lord will give the more earnest and compassionate heed to the voice of his many and painful pleadings. When we have already prayed over our troubles it is well to pray over our prayers. If we can find no more words, let us entreat the Lord to hear those petitions which we have already presented. If we have faithfully obeyed the precept by praying without ceasing, we may be confident that the Lord will faithfully fulfil the promise by helping us without fall. Though the Psalmist was under a painful sense of sin, and so was in the depth, his faith pleaded in the teeth of conscious unworthiness; for well he knew that the Lord's keeping his promise depends upon his own character and not upon that of his erring creatures.

Ver. 2. Lord, hear my voice, etc. Every prayer should have its reverent invocation, as every temple its porch. The two greatest prayers in the Old TestamentSolomon's prayer and Daniel's prayer both have it very emphatically. And it is a very distinct part of our own perfect model: "Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name." On our part it is deferential, and puts the mind into its proper form; while it places the great God, whom it addresses, where he ought to be, in the awe of his glory; in the magnitude of his power; in the infinitude of his wisdom and love. Never think little of that part of your prayer: never omit, never hurry over the opening address. Do not go into his presence without a pause, or some devout ascription. Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. True, he is always listening and waiting for his children's "cry", far more prepared to answer, than we are to ask. And the very fact that we are praying is a proof of his attention, for who but he put it into our hearts to make that prayer? Nevertheless, it becomes us, and honours him, to establish, at the outset, the right relationship between a creature and his Creator; between a child and his Father: "Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication." James Vaughan.

Ver. 2. Lord. Hebrew, Adonai. As Jehovah marks his unchangeable faithfulness to his promises of delivering his people, so Adonai his Lordship over all hindrances in the way of his delivering them. Andrew Robert Fausset, in "A Commentary, Critical, Experimental and Practical", 1866.

Ver. 2. Lord, hear my voice, etc. The expressions are metaphorical, and borrowed from the carriage of a parent to a child, and upon the matter his suit is this, Lord, notice me when I pray, as a parent will notice his distressed child's cry when he is like to ruin. Let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications; that goes a little further; that as a parent knowing a child to be in hazard, he will listen and hearken attentively if he can hear him cry, and notice and ponder that cry, and what he cries for; so he pleaded with God, that he would be waiting on and attentive, to see and hear if a cry should come from him, and that he would affectionately ponder and notice it when he hears it. George Hutcheson, 1678.

Ver. 2. Attention from God to ushow to gain it.

1. Let us plead the name which commands attention.

2. Let us ourselves pay attention to God's word.

3. Let us give earnest attention to what we ask, and how we ask.

4. Let us attentively watch for a reply.

Ver. 2. Lord, hear my voice.

1. Though it be faint by reason of distancehear it.

2. Though it be broken because of my distresshear it.

3. Though it be unworthy on account of my iniquitieshear it. W. H. J. P.

Psalms 130:3*

Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

2. Lord—Hebrew, Adonah. This divine name occurs three times in this psalm, and that of Jehovah five times. Delitzsch thinks this and Psalms 86, where Adonah is repeated seven times, are specimens of a third, or Adonajic style of psalms, added to the Jehovistic and Elohimic. The frequent occurrence of these awful names is evidence of intensity of desire and agony of spirit.

Attentive—Literally, With pointed ears— “strained attention.”—Delitzsch. The ears, and hence the mind, to be directed to this one point. The first two verses earnestly claim a hearing of the complaint.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Lord, hear my voice; i.e. "hear and grant my request;" or, as explained in the next clause, let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.