Bible Verses

Psalms · Chapter 130 · Hope

Psalms 130:5 — Bible Verse Meaning & Context

Hope is the anchor that holds when feelings cannot.

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Both translations, side by side

WEB · World English Bible

"I wait for Yahweh. My soul waits. I hope in his word."

KJV · King James Version

"I wait6960 for the LORD3068, my soul5315 doth wait6960, and in his word1697 do I hope3176."

How the translations differ: The WEB is a modern public-domain revision of the 1901 ASV; the KJV dates to 1611. The KJV uses the, lord, doth, and, while the WEB renders these as yahweh, waits. Both translate the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text — the differences are stylistic, not theological.

In context

Psalms 130:5 in Psalms 130

A Bible verse rarely stands alone. Here is Psalms 130:5 read with the verses immediately before and after — the surrounding flow of Psalms 130. Read the full chapter →

  1. v.3 If you, Yah, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand?
  2. v.4 But there is forgiveness with you, therefore you are feared.
  3. v.5 I wait for Yahweh. My soul waits. I hope in his word.
  4. v.6 My soul longs for the Lord more than watchmen long for the morning; more than watchmen for the morning.
  5. v.7 Israel, hope in Yahweh, for with Yahweh there is loving kindness. With him is abundant redemption.

Book background

About the Book of Psalms

Testament
Old Testament
Genre
Hebrew poetry
Author
David (73 psalms), Asaph, Sons of Korah, Solomon, Moses, others
Date written
c. 1410–430 BC (compiled over a millennium)
Audience
All of Israel's worshipping community — and the church
Chapters
150

The Psalms are 150 inspired songs and prayers covering every emotion the human heart knows — praise, lament, confession, thanksgiving, anger, longing. About half are attributed to David. The book is divided into five "books," each ending with a doxology. The Psalms shape Christian prayer more than any other Old Testament book and are quoted in the New Testament more than any other.

Setting: 150 sacred songs used in temple worship; the Bible's songbook.

Key themes: worship · lament · trust · kingship · thanksgiving

Read Psalms from the beginning →

Memorisation aid

How to memorise Psalms 130:5

Psalms 130:5 contains 12 words in 3 clauses. Learn one clause at a time, then chain them. The first-letter mnemonic (FLM) under each clause is a memory hook — once you can speak the FLM from memory, the full clause follows.

  1. 1

    I wait for Yahweh

    IWFY

  2. 2

    My soul waits

    MSW

  3. 3

    I hope in his word.

    IHIHW

Frequently asked

FAQ about Psalms 130:5

What does Psalms 130:5 say?

Psalms 130:5 reads: "I wait for Yahweh. My soul waits. I hope in his word." — from the Old Testament, Psalms (Hebrew poetry). The full verse is shown above with both the World English Bible (WEB) and King James Version (KJV) translations side by side.

What book of the Bible is Psalms 130:5 in?

Psalms 130:5 is in the book of Psalms, traditionally attributed to David (73 psalms), Asaph, Sons of Korah, Solomon, Moses, others and written around c. 1410–430 BC (compiled over a millennium). Psalms is hebrew poetry in the Old Testament, originally addressed to All of Israel's worshipping community — and the church. Best known for Psalm 23 ("The LORD is my shepherd") and Psalm 51.

What is Psalms 130:5 about?

Psalms 130:5 is primarily a Bible verse about Hope. Within Psalms, The Psalms are 150 inspired songs and prayers covering every emotion the human heart knows — praise, lament, confession, thanksgiving, anger, longing. Read the full passage above with surrounding context.

What is the difference between Psalms 130:5 in WEB and KJV?

Psalms 130:5 in the World English Bible (WEB) reads: "I wait for Yahweh. My soul waits. I hope in his word.". The King James Version (KJV) reads: "I wait6960 for the LORD3068, my soul5315 doth wait6960, and in his word1697 do I hope3176.". The WEB is a modern public-domain translation that updates the KJV's 1611 English while keeping a similar formal-equivalence style. Both render the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text.

How long is Psalms 130:5?

Psalms 130:5 is 12 words in the WEB translation (53 characters), broken into 3 clauses. It is short and well-suited to memorisation. Estimated reading time is about 4 seconds.

How can I memorise Psalms 130:5?

To memorise Psalms 130:5, split it into its 3 natural clauses and learn one at a time. Repeat the full verse out loud five times, then write it from memory. Saving the verse as a photo wallpaper using our verse image studio helps daily review — the visual association with a memorable background dramatically improves recall.

Why does Psalms 130:5 matter in Psalms?

The Psalms are 150 inspired songs and prayers covering every emotion the human heart knows — praise, lament, confession, thanksgiving, anger, longing. About half are attributed to David. The book is divided into five "books," each ending with a doxology. The Psalms shape Christian prayer more than any other Old Testament book and are quoted in the New Testament more than any other. Psalms 130:5 sits within this larger story — Psalms as a whole emphasises worship, lament, trust.

How can I apply Psalms 130:5 today?

Many readers use Psalms 130:5 as a daily reminder verse — saving it as a phone wallpaper, sharing it on Pinterest, or memorising it for prayer. The verse studio on this page lets you download Psalms 130:5 on 52 different backgrounds for free. Pair the verse with the surrounding chapter context shown above to understand its full meaning before applying it.

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