Throughout the season of Lent, we’ll be posting various songs that will help us engage in this season. Music is a helpful way of engaging both our minds and our affections as we meditate on truths of Scripture. For week 1 of Lent, we’ll be looking at “Out Of The Depths” by City Hymns, which we played on the first Sunday of Lent in our time of confession. It’s based on Psalm 130. If you want to buy this song or album on iTunes, click here.

(Verse 1)
Out of the depths I cry to Thee, oh Lord please hear my call
O Lord be merciful to me, at Thy throne of grace I fall
At Thy throne of grace I fall

(Verse 2)
Out of the woeful depths I cry, from the depths of sin
Of evil done in days gone by, of evil now within
Of evil now within

(Chorus)
If Thou, oh Lord, should mark iniquities
Lord, who could then draw near?
But here I find forgiveness with Thee
That Thou may be feared, that Thou may be feared

(Verse 3)
Lord from the depths I wait for Thee, my hope is in Thy Word
All through the night ’till day is nigh, my soul waits upon the Lord
My soul waits upon the Lord

(Verse 4)
Lord here I find Thy mercy now, as ever was with Thee
Before Thy throne of grace I bow, Lord be merciful to me
Lord be merciful to me

(Chorus 2)
O Israel cast your hope upon the Lord
And in His Word do trust
He will redeem you from your sin
And raise you from the dust, and raise you from the dust

A few questions/observations as you engage with this song:

1) Note in verse 1 the basis on which mercy is requested: the throne of grace. We do not request mercy blindly hoping God may hear, but rather because God has called us to approach His throne of grace with confidence because of what Christ has done! Come with a humble boldness.

2) Verse 2 describes crying out from the depths of sin. Are you aware of sin in your life? Either in the past (“as in days gone by”) or currently (“evil now within”)? If you’re not aware of sin, ask God to graciously open your eyes to see it and in turn confess it.

3) Part of confession is in turn trusting God to forgive us and cleanse us through Christ’s work (1 John 1). As you confess, on what basis do you hope for forgiveness? Do you move into gratitude for God’s forgiveness in Christ (Romans 8:1) or do you get stuck in the confession, never moving on?