What does Psalm 130:7 mean?

Up until now, this psalm has been a prayer for forgiveness (Psalm 130:1–4). The psalmist knows that no one deserves mercy from God, yet the Lord is merciful. He expressed intense trust, relying on God to answer (Psalm 130:5–6). Here, the writer calls on the entire nation of Israel to express the same kind of hope. He uses the important word hesed to describe the ongoing, consistent, loyal love which the Lord expresses towards His people.

When Joseph and Mary presented the infant Jesus at the temple in Jerusalem, a devout man, Simeon, was there. Like the psalmist here, he was "waiting" for God to send redemption to Israel (Luke 2:25). When he saw Jesus, he praised God and said he could die in peace because he'd seen the answer to those prayers (Luke 2:29–32). Likewise, Anna, a prophetess, saw Jesus and spread the news "to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem" (Luke 2:38).

The first six verses of the psalm alternated between two words for God. One is Yahweh, the name God used when speaking to Moses (Exodus 3:15). The other is Adonai, which means "Lord." Here, however, the psalmist only uses the word Yahweh. This may deliberately emphasize that salvation comes from the God of Israel—the One True God—or it may be a simple poetic choice with no particular meaning.