Thy Strong Word — Psalm 130 & 131. Keep praying saints: Out of the depths & from a low heart, have mercy on me.

Rev. Aaron Stinnett, pastor of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Smithfield, RI joins Rev. Brady Finnern to study and pray Psalm 130 & 131.

Martin Luther was once asked concerning his favorite psalms and he mentioned that Psalm 130 was a “Pauline psalm.” Psalm 130 proclaims a gracious and forgiving God who is quick to listen and quick with grace. The authors of both psalms are pleading for mercy from the depths and a “low heart” knowing that this LORD does not mark iniquities, He provides us with peace, and fills us with hope. Keep praying saints, your LORD listens, and quiets our souls by His grace. “Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD, O Lord hear my voice. I wait for You, O LORD, my soul waits and in his word, I hope. Lord have mercy. Amen”

Thy Strong Word reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God’s Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations.

Thy Strong Word is hosted by Rev. Brady Finnern, pastor of Messiah Lutheran Church in Sartell, MN, and graciously underwritten by the Lutheran Heritage Foundation.

Psalm 130 & 131

My Soul Waits for the Lord

A Song of Ascents.

130 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord!
² O Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my pleas for mercy!

³If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
⁴But with you there is forgiveness,
that you may be feared.

⁵I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
    and in his word I hope;
⁶my soul waits for the Lord
    more than watchmen for the morning,
    more than watchmen for the morning.

⁷O Israel, hope in the Lord!
    For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
    and with him is plentiful redemption.
⁸And he will redeem Israel
    from all his iniquities.

I Have Calmed and Quieted My Soul

A Song of Ascents. Of David.

131 O Lord, my heart is not lifted up;
    my eyes are not raised too high;
I do not occupy myself with things
    too great and too marvelous for me.
²But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
    like a weaned child with its mother;
    like a weaned child is my soul within me.

³O Israel, hope in the Lord
from this time forth and forevermore.

Rev. Brady Finnern

Rev. Brady Finnern, host of Thy Strong Word. is an expert in all things Minnesota, including hiking the great mountains of the 5th flattest state in the Union and making his own maple syrup. Although chow mein, fried ice cream, and Peanut Persian donuts with maple frosting are at the top of his foodie list, his prized possessions include his gas station refillable fountain soda cup (which, he says, the savings will pay for college for his 4 kids). Pastor Finnern's Divine Call is as President of the LCMS Minnesota North District, and in addition he also enjoys traveling, coaching track, and movie nights with his wife and kids that may or may not include Shawshank Redemption or any of the Thriller movies. When he's not singing his favorite hymns or listening to his favorite metal music, you might find him working out or taking naps. (Probably naps.)