Begin with two minutes of stillness and silence before God.
In Psalm 40, we see David both giving thanks and lamenting – looking back in reflection of God’s faithfulness while he was in the pin (most likely during the time he was fleeing from then-King Saul, who was out to kill him) and lamenting over his pain and desperation. What a complex combination of feelings, and yet, a combination many of us know well. As we hear in David’s words, God’s faithfulness in the past serves as a guide for knowing and relying on His character and goodness in the current troubles.
Where have you seen this as true in your own life? Think back on times when you experienced the same goodness and faithfulness from God:
- He turned to you, He heard you
- He lifted you out of the pit and set your feed on a rock — giving you a firm place to stand
- He put a new worship song in your heart — He allowed your heart to actually sing a new song when you had felt as if all hope was gone and there would never be new words to sing.
Looking back on the faithfulness of God will always lead to:
- Wonder — See and acknowledge the many wonders of His creation, His faithfulness, and His kindness to you.
- Worship — When we look back, we remember His faithfulness, and remembering allows us to see God for who He is — greater than the circumstances we find ourselves in now. If He was faithful then, He will be faithful today. If He was greater than the problems then, He is greater today.
- Wisdom — Remembering His faithfulness before allows our hearts to patiently wait on the Lord to deliver us — again.
‘Pit’ in this passage comes from the word ’Sheol,’ which literally is translated into ‘the realm of the dead.’ In the pit, David learned to wait, and in his waiting, he was comforted – not with immediate rescue, but with the presence of Almighty God.
What was the result of David’s rescue? See two beautiful realities in verse 3:
- Praise: David’s cry became a song of praise.
- Evangelism: The pit became a rock of truth.
What stirs God to move on our behalf? We see a few qualities in David that are key to our posture before God:
- David was willing to receive God’s rescue. Are you willing?
- David was honest about his pain. Are you honest with yourself and God about the pit?
- David desired God’s will over his own. Are you fully surrendered to God’s will?
Take two minutes to reflect in silence.
Reflection:
- Use the S.O.A.P. Method to study God’s Word.
- SCRIPTURE: What stands out to you in today’s passage?
- OBSERVATION: What is this text saying? What is the context? How does it fit with the verses before and after it? Are there any commands, instructions, or promises?
- APPLICATION: How can you apply this verse to your life? What does this mean today? What is God saying to you?
- PRAYER: Respond to the passage in prayer. Ask God to help you apply this truth to your life and spend some time listening to what He may be telling you.