We had a great time at rehearsal tonight. It’s a great set – all really worshipful, but also artful. Some beautiful and almost haunting. Some simple and sweet. Some powerful. All fun to sing with delicious harmonies, which, as you know is my one of my favorite things in the world to create. Pure joy.
So then I came home and was reading Psalm 40. David wrote it. He was kinda into the creative, music thing too 🙂 And I love how he used his songs to just pour his heart out to God. Honest and real. I love this:
“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.”
I love this for so many reasons. First, I love how little David had to do and how active God was. All David had to do was wait. But God TURNED and LIFTED and SET and GAVE and PUT. All of those actions were directed to David in his waiting for God. Isn’t that awesome? How often do I forget to just wait and try to be the one doing all of those things, trying to get myself together? David was the receiver and God was the giver. And He still is. Incredible…
Another thing I like is that David says God took him out of the slimy pit he was in and put his feet on a rock, giving him a solid place to stand. God got his hands dirty on David. He met him in his mess and helped him out of it. Why do we think that God doesn’t want to touch our lives until we crawl up on the rock by ourselves? Gotta love a God who loves us enough to not be afraid of our messiness.
And another thought…He took David from quick sand, from a place where there was no solid foundation, and put his feet in a new firm place. A place where he could actually stand. The foundation firmly beneath him. But, though the ground under him was now solid, a rock is still something that a person can slip from. Our rock solid foundation is what stabilizes us, but we still have the capability to slip and slide from that place.
Lastly, I love that in verse three he says that God has replaced his cry (from verse 1) with a new song. How can you not praise the God who has rescued you and offered you life?
God, please help me to learn how to wait a little better each day. And to enjoy the beauty of your actions as you work miracles in our lives. Put that new song in my mouth and help me sing it loudly!!!!!
