"I waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. 2 He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, , out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps. 3 He has put a new song in my mouth - Praise to our God; many will see it and fear, and will trust in the LORD." Psalm 40:1-3 NKJV
Once again, we see David waiting. But, note, he is waiting patiently. This is something that will only come with practice. I am quite impatient and find it very difficult to wait for things to happen. I can often be seen pacing around the room as I wait. I am sure that I am not the only one. Being patient while we wait for something to happen, is a sign of great integrity and one that takes a long while to perfect. Everyone becomes a little itchy after waiting for a long time for something to develop. It would appear though that David had acquired the gift of patience.
Notice in verse 1 where God 'inclined to me.' This show us that God bent down and leaned into David to hear his requests and fears. If He did this for David, then be reassured, He does it for you as well. He has no favourites and demonstrates His love and care for us in such ways. This also confirms to us that He hears our pleas.
In verse 2, David mentions that God brought him up, or rescued him, from a horrible pit and out of the miry clay. The 'horrible pit' that David mentions, could be described as a dungeon or a cistern. This reminds me of a place where Joseph was in Genesis. However, sooner than it being an actual place, it was more likely to have been an area of distress in his life, one where he felt completely alone and trapped. To add to this, he felt like he was in a miry clay. Now, this is similar to a swampy place with mushing, sticky mud that sucks at the feet and threatens to suck a person under or keep them there, again trapped. I am sure that you have been in a similar position where life is holding you to ransom and you can't seem to find a way out of the mess. But note this, God heard his cry and set his feet on a rock.
A rock is a firm piece of land which normally has a solid foundation. This was where God placed David when He rescued him. But this was a metaphor, the rock was Jesus Himself and is not unlike Moses experience when God told him to use his staff to draw water from the rock by hitting it with his staff. Unfortunately for Moses, the second time he had to do something like this, he didn't listen properly to God when He told him to 'speak' to the rock, not hit it with his staff. His disobedience cost him entering the promised land Exodus 17:5 - 7, Numbers 20:7. The Apostle Paul described this in 1 Corinthians 10:1 - 4 and describes Jesus as being the rock.
God rescued David, as He will you when you are in peril and cry out to Him. He 'established his steps' v2. This means that He led David to a place of safety and set him on the right road. This put a new song in David's heart and, for us He will do similar by putting a new skip in our walk.
You will become trapped in similar ways as you go through your Christian life, but, realise the rock, Jesus Christ, is with you wherever you go and if you begin to sink, like a heavenly lifeguard, He will rush to save you.
Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard
No comments:
Post a Comment
Leave a message