Deep Water

I’m on Call to Worship duty this morning, a short introduction to or invocation for the worship service. We serve communion once each month, and this is the day. The text for the message is from the beginning of 1 John 2.

So Psalm 130 seemed appropriate, and the NET Bible’s translation really struck me:

130:1 From the deep water I cry out to you, O Lord.
130:2 O Lord, listen to me!
Pay attention to my plea for mercy!
130:3 If you, O Lord, were to keep track of sins,
O Lord, who could stand before you?
130:4 But you are willing to forgive,
so that you might be honored.
130:5 I rely on the Lord,
I rely on him with my whole being;
I wait for his assuring word.

Somehow “deep water” (rather than the usual translation of “depths” struck me. I’m having an easier time to relating to being in deep water than I am to being in the “depths,” which evokes a different picture in my mind. I feel like I’m often in deep water, but not often in depths.

So hooray translators, and thank you O Lord for listening, forgiving, and being reliable.