Psalm 40:1-3

Psalm 40:1-3

I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord.

            Have you ever watched a pan of water while you were waiting for it to boil? It doesn’t happen all at once. The water begins to heat up then slowly one bubble rises to the surface. Then another and another until you have a full boil. Do you ever have days that feel like that? Where it is just one thing after another until you feel like you are reaching the boiling point? A point where you feel stuck in the mud and the mire of despair. Sometimes it can be a major tragedy that occurs and you feel like you have instantly sunk into despair, but other times it is all the little things add up until you feel overwhelmed by it all.

            I had a day (or three) like that recently. I told my husband it just seemed like every time I turned around at home or work I was faced with a problem, either something I had done wrong or something someone needed me to fix. By the second day of this I was thoroughly discouraged. I was tired, stressed, and wanted a big hole to crawl into.

            On the second day I was able to go get by myself on my lunch hour and began to read the Psalms. I ran across the key verses for this week. I was immediately struck when it said He turned to me and heard my cry and lifted me out of the pit of despair. I knew I wasn’t necessarily waiting as patiently as I should be, but I knew I needed lifted out of the pit of despair I was letting myself fall into. It goes on to say that He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. How wonderful it was to be reminded that God can and will steady us as we walk along.

            Not only does it say God steadies you, it says He gives you a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Back in David’s day when something happened they would put it to a song and teach it to the next generation. They especially did this when God did something to bring them victory (note Miriam, Deborah, and Mary). When God gives us a new song I believe it implies that He is giving us victory. He not only steadies us, but He is giving us the victory in all of these circumstances. He will work it all to good.

            God does this not only for our sakes either, but for His sake as well. Look at what the last verse says. It says many will see what God has done and be amazed. Then they will also put their trust in God. God wants to help us and steady us, but He in His infinite wisdom knows that when He helps us through our difficult times and others see the peace and joy that we have in the midst of these trials will want what we have.

            Sometimes it seems so hard to be patient and wait on the Lord to help us. It seems so much easier to allow ourselves to sink into despair and feel overwhelmed. But what a joyful reminder that God will hear our cry, lift us out of the pit we are falling into, steady our steps, and give us a victory song. Then if we let Him he can use our victory to point others to Him. If you are feeling overwhelmed either by a tragedy or just by the little bubbles that pop up in your life, get by yourself with God and His word. Allow God’s word to give you peace and help to steady you on your way.

Psalm 25:7

Psalm 25:7

Do not remember the rebellious sins, of my youth. Remember me in the light of your unfailing love, for you are merciful O Lord.

It seems there are often Christians who know they are saved, yet they don’t seem to have any real joy in their salvation. I think one of the reasons for this is because they can’t let go of their past. It isn’t even that they miss their past or want to go back to their past, but because they have so much guilt from their past that they have a hard time putting that behind them and moving on. As Christians we know we are forgiven, but sometimes knowing and believing are two totally different things. Some people don’t truly comprehend that God has completely and totally forgiven them and wiped their slates clean. That He has made us new creatures.

            As I have been reading through the Psalms, I have been struck with how many times David says things about being blameless and innocent. We all know David made his share of mistakes- not disciplining his children, having an affair, having a man killed. I mean even though sin is sin and all sin is bad- in our eyes some of these are like colossal sins. Yet still in Psalm 17 David says that God declares him innocent after scrutinizing his heart. In Psalm 18 he said that he followed all of God’s regulations and had not turned from God to follow evil. God even says in Acts 13:22 that David was a man after his own heart. I found myself asking how David could feel so confident that he was alright with God, and I found it in our verse for today. In Psalm 25:7 David asked God not to remember the rebellious sins of his youth, but rather to remember him in the light of Gods unfailing love and mercy.

            God knew that David wouldn’t be perfect, but he also knew that David had a repentant heart; therefore God could call him a man after God’s own heart. David also knew that God did not expect that he was perfect. He knew that God knew him inside and out and knew the motives of his heart. David also knew that if he repented and turned his heart back to God that God would forgive him.

            God knows our hearts. He knows everything about us. He knows the sins we committed in the past, commit now, and will commit in the future. In 1 John 1:9 it says that if we confess our sins God is faithful and just to forgive us of those sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Psalm 103:12 says that as far as the east is from the west so far has God removed our transgressions from us. Isaiah 1:18 says though our sins be as scarlet they shall be made white as snow. Romans 8:1 says, that there is therefore no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit.

            Are you allowing yourself to be under a cloud of condemnation? Thinking that because of your past (or even your present) you aren’t worthy of God’s forgiveness and love? God doesn’t look at it the same way you do. He looks at you in the light of His unfailing love and His mercies. God knows your heart. He knows when you mess up and he knows when you are sorry you messed up. He knows when you want to do better. He even knows there are times we are like Paul where it seems that the things we want to do we do not do and the things we don’t want to do these are the things we do (Romans 7), but He loves us anyway and as soon as we repent and ask for forgiveness He forgives. There is nothing in your past that God will not forgive, and then when he forgives he puts it away from you as far as the east is from the west. There may be earthly consequences for our sin after we are forgiven, but in God’s eyes you are made right. Don’t let the devil lie to you and keep you in condemnation. God forgives you because of His love and His mercy and it is up to you to accept it. From this day forward I challenge you to work at leaving your past behind you and pressing on towards the future that God has for you.