Day 1 - Lord's Day - (Sunday) | The KJV Standard Lesson Commentary, 2023-2024

 July 28

Lesson 9 (KJV)

Expectant Watchfulness

Devotional Reading: Matthew 25:1–13

Background Scripture: Psalm 130

Psalm 130

1 Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord.

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

3 If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?

4 But there is forgiveness with thee, That thou mayest be feared.

5 I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, And in his word do I hope.

6 My soul waiteth for the Lord More than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.

7 Let Israel hope in the Lord: For with the Lord there is mercy, And with him is plenteous redemption.

8 And he shall redeem Israel From all his iniquities.

Key Text

Let Israel hope in the Lord: For with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.—Psalm 130:7

Hope in the Lord

Unit II: Expressing Hope

Lessons 6–9

Lesson Aims

After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:

1. Identify elements of cause and effect in the text.

2. Define the genre of lament using Psalm 130 as an example.

3. Personalize, in writing, one of the verses without changing the psalmist’s original intent.

Lesson Outline

Introduction

A. Out of the Depths

B. Lesson Context

I. Address to the Lord (Psalm 130:1–6)

A. God Listens (vv. 1–2)

B. God Forgives (vv. 3–4)

Records of Wrongdoing

C. Waiting for God (vv. 5–6)

II. Address to Israel (Psalm 130:7–8)

A. Hope in God (v. 7)

B. Receive Redemption (v. 8)

The Bridge to Nowhere

Conclusion

A. The Power of Waiting

B. Prayer

C. Thought to Remember

How to Say It

Babylonian	Bab-ih-low-nee-un.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer	Dee-trik Bawn-haw-fer.
Ketchikan	Keh-chuh-kan.
Kidron	Kid-ron.
Psalter	Sawl-ter.
Sheol (Hebrew)	She-ol.

What Do You Think? What situation might you describe as “the depths” from which you call to God? Digging Deeper What gives you confidence that God is attentive to your cries?

What Do You Think? On a scale of 1 to 10, how aware are you of your own sinfulness? Digging Deeper What benefit is there in being more aware of your own sin? less aware?

What Do You Think? What metaphor would you use to describe what it feels like to wait on the Lord? Digging Deeper How is waiting on God different from other kinds of waiting?

What Do You Think? Imagine you were the psalmist anticipating God’s redemption. What would you think of Jesus? Digging Deeper How has studying the Psalms deepened your appreciation for Christ?

Conclusion

A. The Power of Waiting

Psalm 130 speaks to faith, which involves waiting for God’s grace to become known. During this time, a person may doubt God’s ability or willingness to save, question the integrity of other human beings, and even lose self-respect. Waiting for salvation challenges every fiber of a person’s being.

Yet, that challenge itself strengthens faith in the long run. As this psalm clarifies, trust in God does not come without some doubts. Will God listen? Biblical faith is not a Pollyanna attitude about life. It is realistic and honest about hardship. Yet, it does not remain there. The spiritual challenges we face—the depths—become opportunities for grace. Therefore, learning the discipline of waiting is part of learning to live with God and all others who are also awaiting God’s help. This psalm, in short, exposes an essential truth about human beings: our profound need and desire for God’s presence.

As part of a community of pilgrims seeking God’s presence, the faithful can speak to God even in the most desperate moments. The communal worship of the Israelite community acknowledges that fact. God does not skimp on acts that will benefit human beings but rather frequently engages in them. Worship in the community still reminds us of God’s mighty acts. May we, in our darkest moments and in the grasp of the sins that don’t want to let us go, cry out to our God and heed the call to hope in His saving works.

What Do You Think? What key idea will you take away from these three lessons in the Psalms? Digging Deeper How will you continue to seek knowledge and wisdom from the Lord?

B. Prayer

O, God who hears the cries of broken people and sees our tear-stained faces, who sutures broken hearts and shattered relationships, hear every cry from the depths of us as well. Do not forget us in our day of distress, and help us remember to be thankful when You have rescued us with one of the many methods at Your disposal. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

C. Thought to Remember

Faith celebrates our hope in God’s forgiveness and calls others to do the same.

Involvement Learning

Enhance your lesson with KJV Bible Student (from your curriculum supplier) and the reproducible activity page (at www.standardlesson.com or in the back of the KJV Standard Lesson Commentary Deluxe Edition).

 Mark Hamilton, Jon Miller, and Andrew Wood, “Expectant Watchfulness,” in The KJV Standard Lesson Commentary, 2023–2024, ed. Jane Ann Kenney, Ronald L. Nickelson, and Taylor Z. Stamps, vol. 71, The KJV Standard Lesson Commentary (Colorado Springs, CO: Standard Publishing, 2024), 415–416.