The Meaning of Psalms 130:4 Explained

Psalms 130:4

KJV: But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.

YLT: But with Thee is forgiveness, that Thou mayest be feared.

Darby: But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But [there is] forgiveness  with thee, that thou mayest be feared. 

What does Psalms 130:4 Mean?

Study Notes

feared
.
fear of the Lord
The "fear of the Lord," a phrase of the O.T. piety, meaning reverential trust, with hatred of evil.

Context Summary

Psalm 130:1-8 - "out Of The Depths"
The cry, Psalms 130:1-2. The word Lord occurs as often as there are verses. The soul in trouble repeats again and again that precious Name, in which comfort and help are summed up. The chief cause of anguish, Psalms 130:3-4, is the memory of our sins. But our iniquities are not marked save by the jewels of forgiveness, like the pearls of an oyster that are set in the place where it was wounded. The soul's attitude, Psalms 130:5-6. It waits! He will surely come though He seems to tarry. Plenteous redemption, Psalms 130:7. It is not enough for God to forgive. He will abundantly pardon.
Psalms 131:1-3
The cry of the child-heart. The psalmist said this in all simplicity. He did not exercise himself (literally "walk to and fro") in things beyond his powers, but left God to reveal them to him, as he was able to receive them. We are reminded of Matthew 11:25. Clearly he had not reached this position without effort. He had found it necessary to still and quiet himself, as a nurse quiets a fretful babe. There had been a time when he was fed at the breast of the world's consolations. The weaning had been hard, but he had learned to get all from God and to draw on His sustaining grace. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalm 130

1  The psalmist professes his hope in prayer
5  And his patience in hope
7  He exhorts Israel to trust in God

What do the individual words in Psalms 130:4 mean?

but with You [there is] forgiveness that You may be feared
כִּֽי־ עִמְּךָ֥ הַסְּלִיחָ֑ה לְ֝מַ֗עַן תִּוָּרֵֽא

עִמְּךָ֥  with  You 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: עִם  
Sense: with.
הַסְּלִיחָ֑ה  [there  is]  forgiveness 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: סְלִיחָה  
Sense: forgiveness.
לְ֝מַ֗עַן  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: לְמַעַן 
Sense: purpose, intent prep.
תִּוָּרֵֽא  You  may  be  feared 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.