“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.” Psalm 40:3
Dear Ones:
One of the great values of the Psalms is that they are a testimony of experiences lived, especially as they relate to knowing God. In Psalm 40, David begins the Psalm by revealing his experience in seeking the Lord, and waiting in faith for Him to intervene, to work. He writes first of his attitude of faith, “I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry.” (v.1) Here is the picture of a man who has set his whole hope, and expectation, in the Lord. He has set himself to wait expectantly for God’s working in a circumstance, whether that be concerning a need of the heart, or facing an overwhelming menace of some kind. Note the confidence with which he writes: “He inclined unto me, and heard my cry.” We see God, in one sense, bending low to see, to hear, and to respond to the cry of the heart. Remember that Jesus, so very many years later during His ministry, said: “Come unto me…take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me: FOR I AM MEEK AND LOWLY IN HEART.” (Matt. 11:28,29) What is the point here? It is simply that when the heart is truly intent, and determined, to seek the Lord, the Lord is waiting to be gracious, to “incline” His heart toward the individual, hear, and respond. What did the Lord do for David?
Here is his testimony: “He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.” (v.2) The term “horrible pit” speaks to us not only of that which is unwanted, but also, of that which is confining and deplorable. David makes no mention of how he got into that circumstance, or attitude of mind. What is so remarkable is that he indirectly appeals to the mercy of God, believing IN that mercy, as the basis of His intervention. He goes on to speak of being in “miry” clay. There are few things which can be so demoralizing as to be bogged down in thick mud, especially when the consistency of it is clay. Being caught in such a bog is very difficult to escape from, as the clay clings to every limb. We then see that God not only delivers the believer from the pit and the clay, but we see His intervention in that He “sets” the feet of the believer upon a rock. God has intervened to give the believer sound and solid footing for his feet, where there was no hope before. David goes on to say: God “established my goings.” God so worked in his circumstances, and in his heart, that the life was established, and blessed with stability.
The great testimony to the intervention of God is declared by the Psalmist: “…And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God…” (v.3) This “new” song is sung because of the “new” intervention of God. Most certainly it expresses God’s “wonderful works” (v.5), but particularly as it applies to the present circumstances of David. What is the response to such deliverance and such praise? It is simply devotion to Christ. “I delight to do Thy will, O my God.” (v.8)
Dear Father, be Thou our vision, in particularly when we find ourselves in the “horrible pit” of circumstances, or the heart’s needs. Enable us to stay free from the miry clay of this world. Hear the cry of our hearts, and intervene quickly. Strengthen our hearts to rely upon Thee and Thee alone. We believe Thy word: “Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust.” (v.4) We thank Thee in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad