But some men—a few out of the many wanderers—find God out here in the wilds. Maybe you will.”
–Zane Grey (Wanderer of the Wasteland)
“My people are lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray, guiding them the wrong way in the mountains. They have wandered from mountain to hill; they have forgotten their resting place.”
–Jeremiah 50:6 (HCSB)
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I can remember one time while out hunting that I ventured across a small stream and stepped into quicksand. It was nothing serious and I easily withdrew my leg, but upon reading the first part of this Psalm it brought back to mind the quicksand. David was in the pit, down in the mud and mire when he cried out to the Lord who lifted him out. It was as if he had new life.
The first part of this section reminds us that there is no pit deep enough where the Lord cannot reach down and pull us out. Whether the pit is dug by someone else or is our own making, His arm will reach down to pull us out. Robert Bruce said, “There is no pit so deep, either within you, or around you, that it can stop the ear of God when he inclines to listen. Be thy pit then ever so horrible, and ever so deep, only you cry like David, and you will sooner or later share David’s deliverance. As long as you have the knowledge and the feeling of the horrible pit that is in your heart you are in no real danger.”
This portion of Psalm 40 is joyous and speaks of rescue and reflection.
1 – I waited patiently for the Lord, and He turned to me and heard my cry for help.
2 – He brought me up from a desolate pit, out of the muddy clay, and set my feet on a rock, making my steps secure.
3 – 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.
4 – How happy is the man who has put his trust in the Lord and has not turned to the proud or to those who run after lies!
5 – Lord my God, You have done many things—Your wonderful works and Your plans for us; none can compare with You.
If I were to report and speak of them, they are more than can be told. (HCSB)
Try to count all the things that the Lord has done for you. Be like the old song, “Count your blessings, name them one by one…see what God has done.”
Now the rest of this portion. Verse 6 is interesting. It speaks of the Lord opening his ears. Have you ever had your ears clogged up? I had a friend, sergeant in the Air Force, who was getting dizzy. He went to the doctor who proceeded to pull out a hunk of junk from his ear about the size of the first section of his little finger. He was having trouble hearing and it was causing him to stumble. The correct wording for this verse would indicate that God “dug” David’s ears so that he hears, understands, and obeys.
6 – You do not delight in sacrifice and offering; You open my ears to listen. You do not ask for a whole burnt offering or a sin offering.
7 – Then I said, “See, I have come; it is written about me in the volume of the scroll.
8 – I delight to do Your will, my God; Your instruction lives within me.”
9 – I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; see, I do not keep my mouth closed—as You know, Lord.
10 – I did not hide Your righteousness in my heart; I spoke about Your faithfulness and salvation; I did not conceal Your constant love and truth from the great assembly. (HCSB)
David speaks about being given a new song to sing; he speaks about delighting to do God’s will. That should be our practice and our prayer.
“Open, Lord, my inward ear, and bid my heart rejoice;
Bid my quiet spirit hear your comforting voice.
From the world of sin and noise and hurry I withdraw;
For the small and inward voice I wait with humble awe.”
-Charles Wesley