From The Pit To The Rock
From the Pit to the Rock
“I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.” - Psalm 40:1-3
Have you ever felt truly stuck? Not just in traffic or a boring meeting but stuck in a way that feels deep and suffocating. The psalmist David gives this feeling a name: “the miry bog.” It’s a place of instability and helplessness, where every effort to pull yourself out only seems to sink you deeper into the mud of anxiety, grief, sin, or despair. The miry bog is the place where our own strength fails, and our footing gives way.
Psalm 40 opens with the triumphant testimony of someone who has been there. David begins not with the struggle, but with the solution: “I waited patiently for the LORD.” This isn’t a passive, empty waiting. It is an active, hope-filled posture of faith. It’s the deep breath you take before you call out for help, confident that someone is listening. And God was listening. David says God “inclined to me and heard my cry.” That’s a beautiful image of the God of the universe, creator of all, leaning in to catch the desperate whisper of a single human heart. He doesn't just hear; He leans in to listen intently.
What follows is one of Scripture’s most powerful descriptions of salvation. God “brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay,” This is a rescue mission. God reaches down into our messy, chaotic situations and lifts us out. But He doesn't just leave us dangling in mid-air. He “set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.” He replaces the sinking instability of the bog with the unshakeable firmness of His truth and presence. The rock is a place of safety, stability, and a new perspective, from which we can see the pit we left behind.
Deliverance like this changes a person. It doesn't just bring relief; it inspires worship. God “hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God:” This isn't a song we could have written ourselves while stuck in the mud. It’s a melody born of grace, and lyrics written by redemption. It’s the joyful overflow of chains broken and a heart set free. And this song is not meant for a private audience. David declares, “many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.” Our personal stories of God’s faithfulness are not just for us; they are meant to be a light that shines out like a beacon of hope for others who are still in their own miry bog.
What makes Psalm 40 so real, however, is that it doesn’t end there. Later in the psalm, the tone shifts. David, the man standing on the rock, finds himself in trouble again, crying out, “But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God!” (v. 17).
This is the reality of walking with God in this life. Being placed on the rock doesn't mean we will never face another battle. Life will bring new challenges and new moments of need. But the memory of the last rescue fuels our faith for the next. Because God has delivered us before, we can trust Him to be our help and our deliverer again. The rock isn't a one-time destination; it is the foundation upon which we stand as we face all of life, confident that the God who heard our cry before is still leaning in to listen.
Lord, thank you for being the God who hears. You see me in my "miry bog," whatever it may be today. I remember the times you drew me out and set my feet upon the rock. For that, I praise you. Give me a new song of praise today and make my life a testimony to your saving power. And in my present struggles, remind me that you are my help and my deliverer. Help me to wait patiently for you, trusting that you are already at work. Amen.
Credit: Ron Kelley
“I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.” - Psalm 40:1-3
Have you ever felt truly stuck? Not just in traffic or a boring meeting but stuck in a way that feels deep and suffocating. The psalmist David gives this feeling a name: “the miry bog.” It’s a place of instability and helplessness, where every effort to pull yourself out only seems to sink you deeper into the mud of anxiety, grief, sin, or despair. The miry bog is the place where our own strength fails, and our footing gives way.
Psalm 40 opens with the triumphant testimony of someone who has been there. David begins not with the struggle, but with the solution: “I waited patiently for the LORD.” This isn’t a passive, empty waiting. It is an active, hope-filled posture of faith. It’s the deep breath you take before you call out for help, confident that someone is listening. And God was listening. David says God “inclined to me and heard my cry.” That’s a beautiful image of the God of the universe, creator of all, leaning in to catch the desperate whisper of a single human heart. He doesn't just hear; He leans in to listen intently.
What follows is one of Scripture’s most powerful descriptions of salvation. God “brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay,” This is a rescue mission. God reaches down into our messy, chaotic situations and lifts us out. But He doesn't just leave us dangling in mid-air. He “set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.” He replaces the sinking instability of the bog with the unshakeable firmness of His truth and presence. The rock is a place of safety, stability, and a new perspective, from which we can see the pit we left behind.
Deliverance like this changes a person. It doesn't just bring relief; it inspires worship. God “hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God:” This isn't a song we could have written ourselves while stuck in the mud. It’s a melody born of grace, and lyrics written by redemption. It’s the joyful overflow of chains broken and a heart set free. And this song is not meant for a private audience. David declares, “many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.” Our personal stories of God’s faithfulness are not just for us; they are meant to be a light that shines out like a beacon of hope for others who are still in their own miry bog.
What makes Psalm 40 so real, however, is that it doesn’t end there. Later in the psalm, the tone shifts. David, the man standing on the rock, finds himself in trouble again, crying out, “But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God!” (v. 17).
This is the reality of walking with God in this life. Being placed on the rock doesn't mean we will never face another battle. Life will bring new challenges and new moments of need. But the memory of the last rescue fuels our faith for the next. Because God has delivered us before, we can trust Him to be our help and our deliverer again. The rock isn't a one-time destination; it is the foundation upon which we stand as we face all of life, confident that the God who heard our cry before is still leaning in to listen.
Lord, thank you for being the God who hears. You see me in my "miry bog," whatever it may be today. I remember the times you drew me out and set my feet upon the rock. For that, I praise you. Give me a new song of praise today and make my life a testimony to your saving power. And in my present struggles, remind me that you are my help and my deliverer. Help me to wait patiently for you, trusting that you are already at work. Amen.
Credit: Ron Kelley
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