Why read Psalm 129?
Read Psalm 129 as a prayer of repentance, forgiveness and patient hope. The cry from the depths is followed by trust in God's mercy and the image of waiting for morning.
You can read this psalm when its themes speak to your circumstances, or as part of your regular reading of the Psalter. This explanation draws on the text itself; the psalm is not reserved for one particular need.
In the 18th Kathisma of the Psalter, Psalm 129 awaits its reader with 8 verses of prayer arising from a real experience. It begins with «Out of the depths I cried to You;...» — and from there onwards, everything is a dialogue between the human being and God.
The text of Psalm 129
1. Out of the depths I cried to You, Lord! Lord, hear my voice!
2. Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my prayer.
3. If You look upon iniquities, Lord, Lord, who will endure?
4. For with You is mercy.
5. For Your name’s sake I waited for You, Lord; my soul awaited Your word,
6. My soul hoped in the Lord from the morning watch until night. From the morning watch let Israel hope in the Lord.
7. For with the Lord is mercy and abundant salvation with Him,
8. And He will deliver Israel from all its iniquities.
When Psalm 129 is read
- It belongs to the 18th Kathisma and is recited in personal prayer, especially for peace and understanding.
- At the end of each psalm, tradition adds: «Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.».
Adjacent psalms
The numbering follows the Orthodox Psalter (Septuagint). The same psalm may have a different number in other Bible editions.
