Psalm 40 - A Song of Deliverance
1 I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.
4 Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
5 Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.
6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.
7 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,
8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.
9 I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.
10 I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.
11 Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.
12 For innumerable evils have compassed me about
: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me.
13 Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me: O LORD, make haste to help me.
14 Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil.
15 Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame that say unto me, Aha, aha.
16 Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified.
17 But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.
------------------------
I like this Psalm... You feel the torment and affliction of the Psalmist communicated with such vivid detail, and he pleads that the Lord would "help" because he has no one else to possibly turn too. He is in immeasurable trouble for all appearance's sake. From the miry pit of clay, it is the Lord he summons to rescue him. For anyone ever slandered, threatened with life and limb, or lead astray by those who seek to hurt us -- you can have some measure of empathy for Psalmist. It fits David's life perfectly.
When I've been broken over sin, perplexed by a burden of life and/or heartache from someone hurting me, I find solace in the Psalms. In the midst of my past
pity parties and
woe is me tirades, I've reflected on how petty my sufferings and hardships are -- compared to other saints before me, and above all the trauma of the passion that Christ endured. It's only than can I start to count my blessings as I can be stubborn and have to get reminded sometimes. Psalm 40 is reflective of the moral dillemmas we endure in a fallen world.. one could be wronged, and still be wrong in their reaction if we fail to respond as our faith would compel us to act, and the reaction can cause us more harm... yet we can plead the righteousness of Christ, and turn to him to plead our cause, and help us in the midst of our grave distress. More often not, us fleshly creatures, quickyl turn to the Lord when were overwhelmed by the world and grieved in such situations. It's through these hardships that God trains us and disciplines us in the way of his Word and his way... we come out stronger having endured trials and tests in life. In final appeal, peace comes from setting are sights on the promises of God, knowing who he is from his inspired Word, and lifting up our burdens and cares to him.
Quote:
You therefore must endure hardship, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
--2 Timothy 2:3
|
Quote:
"God gets his best soldiers from the highlands of affliction."
--C.H. Spurgeon
|
Life is a vapor...
Linear Mode
