I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.
 
Psalm 40:1-3 NIV

 

Years ago, before I got married, I visited a beautiful beach in Acapulco, Mexico. Anxious to try out the water, a friend and I went for a swim. I hadn’t gone far from shore when a strong undertow pulled me under, and away from the sandy edge. I wouldn’t be here today, with a wonderful husband and three growing children, if a kind passerby hadn’t jumped in and pulled me to shore, saving my life in the process. 
 
The trials of this world can be scary. And they threaten to pull us down. In rough times, it can be easy to turn our focus to the mud in the pit surrounding us. The dirt of this world is so dreary, and it often results in us complaining and impatiently looking for circumstances to take a turn for the better.
 
David, when he penned his psalm, likely had one of the numerous near-death experiences he faced in mind.  
 
Yet his close calls with the enemies around him did not have an unhappy ending. David writes, “I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.”
 
And there’s more. David goes on, “He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire.” God saved David from those that wanted to kill him. In addition to pulling David out of the pit, He granted David steady ground to stand on.
 
God’s powerful story of love doesn’t end there. Of even greater importance, God sent Jesus to die on the cross and rise from the grave. This psalm is also a Messianic psalm, and relates Jesus’ victory over sin and eternal death for David, for you, and for me. Through Jesus, we are blessed with the “new song” of the gospel.
 
This precious news is a comfort to us at all times, and especially when we find ourselves in the pits of despair. We may not be facing a life-endangering event, but the world’s trials of illness and poor health can tug us down. When we or loved ones are sick, we can turn to God and know that he will hear our prayer.
 
Like David, we can patiently wait, confident that God has already saved us from eternal death, and is leading us on to life in heaven at His side.

Ask the Lord

Lord, thank you for always delivering me from trials. Thank you most of all for sending Jesus and using his blood to purify me from the greatest trial I faced of sin and death. Grant me patience to carry out daily activities and wait on you. Help me to always turn to you in times of need, and in times of plenty, as you are my new song. Let those around me see your light through me. Amen.