"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN A PIT OF DESPAIR"

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN A PIT OF DESPAIR"

Psalm 40:1 I waited patiently for the LORD; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry.
Psalm 40:2 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.
Psalm 40:3 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.

Some explanatory thoughts, application, questions and a prayer:

David's life and ministry are used by God in the Psalms to help us. The reason they are so helpful is that David went through the same kinds of things that we go through in our lives. There are the high's and the low's.
It's the "Low's" that seem to stand out to us as we read the Psalm's.
There are the "High's" as well.
And we who walk with God also learn that every dark and difficult time is intended by God to bring blessing into our lives, to learn the ways of our wonderful God and to transform our lives.

1. God's children can wait on the Lord during difficult times.
Psalm 40:1 I waited patiently for the LORD; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry.

Interesting how David uses two words together that are very similar in meaning. Waiting and Patiently.
Patiently is actually describing how he waited. He waited, but he did it patiently.
The idea here is that he waited patiently for the Lord to help him.
That's what he was waiting for.

Waiting means to look for, expect. So David was expecting God to help him.

2. God hears the cries and pleadings of His children.
Psalm 40:1 I waited patiently for the LORD; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry.

David was rewarded for his patient waiting.
The Lord listened to him, the Lord heard his cry.

And this is what the Lord does for anyone who will wait for Him and cry out to Him.
His ears are open to our cries our prayers, and in His timing He will respond.

3. God brings His children up and out of the pit they were in.
Psalm 40:2 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.

David does not describe what this pit was. I doubt it was an actual pit.
David was using this to describe his sense of despair and his being unable to move out of the situation he was in.
He was not able on his own to make things change.
He cried out to God.
And, the Lord brought him out of this pit.
Notice that David calls it a "horrible" pit. And he speaks of miry clay, no doubt emphasizing his sense of being captive to his situation.

Horrible means,  tumult, roar, din, crash, uproar.
The NLT calls it a pit of despair.
The word horrible comes from a word meaning to lay waste, crash into ruins, be desolated. be ruined
The Lord brought him out of this situation.

4. God sets our feet on a rock, and establishes our steps.
Psalm 40:2 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.

After bringing David out of this pit, God set David's feet on a rock and He established his ways.
From despair and no way out, to stability and a firm clear path to walk on.
God strengthened David after this "pit" experience. He was a different man.
David was no long in miry and muddy clay, but was now on solid ground, and he was steadied by God as he walked along.

5. God puts a new song in our mouths, "praise to our God"
Psalm 40:3 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.

Here is something else God did for David. He was now no longer crying out in despair, but was singing praises to God.
God had taught David.
David had learned more about his wonderful savior.
True worship and praise is in response to what God has done.
David was filled with a new song, it was praise to our God.

6. God uses what we have gone through to help others trust in Him.
Psalm 40:3 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.

David expresses what he knew would happen.
Many would see what God had done for him.
In other words David now had a fresh testimony of God's goodness and faithfulness.
And God would use David's life and new song to help others fear God and trust God.

Some questions:

1. Do you ever feel like you are the only one going through what you are going through?

2. Isn't it comforting to find that others also have or are in a similar situation?

3. And, ins't it encouraging to hear what God has done for them?

4. Are you in despair today?

5. Do you know God hears you as you cry out to Him?

6. And do you know that Your God is faithful and He is going to lift you up just like He did for David.

7. And isn't it something to realize that your cries will turn to singing, and God will use your life as an encouragement to others?

A prayer:

Father we bless You and honor You today. Thank You for the Scriptures. Thank You for the Psalms. What a blessing they are to so many.
I wonder how many people have found comfort in them down through the ages.
When we get to heaven we ought to talk with David and thank him for being a vessel that God has used to help us.
Lord we pray for friends, family, fellow church members who may be in despairing times at this time.
Would You bless them Lord with faith to wait patiently and to see You deliver them.
We love You Father.
In Jesus name.

Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia