Psalm 40 was my reading today in the Psalms.
I waited patiently and expectantly for the Lord; and He inclined to me and heard my cry. He brought me up out of a horrible pit [of tumult and of destruction], out of the miry clay, and He set my feet upon a rock, steadying my footsteps and establishing my path. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; many will see and fear [with great reverence] and will trust confidently in the Lord.
Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who makes the Lord his trust, and does not regard the proud nor those who lapse into lies. Many, O Lord my God, are the wonderful works which You have done, and Your thoughts toward us; there is none to compare with You. If I would declare and speak of your wonders, they would be too many to count. Sacrifice and meal offering You do not desire, nor do You delight in them; you have opened my ears and given me the capacity to hear [and obey Your word]; burnt offerings and sin offerings You do not require.
Then I said, “Behold, I come [to the throne]; in the scroll of the book it is written of me. I delight to do Your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.” I have proclaimed good news of righteousness [and the joy that comes from obedience to You] in the great assembly; behold, I will not restrain my lips [from proclaiming Your righteousness], as You know, O Lord. I have not concealed Your righteousness within my heart; I have proclaimed Your faithfulness and Your salvation. I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the great assembly.
Do not withhold Your compassion and tender mercy from me, O Lord; Your lovingkindness and Your truth will continually preserve me. For innumerable evils have encompassed me; my sins have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see. They are more numerous than the hairs of my head, and my heart has failed me. Be pleased, O Lord, to save me; O Lord, make haste to help me. Let those be ashamed and humiliated together who seek my life to destroy it; let those be turned back [in defeat] and dishonored who delight in my hurt. Let those be appalled and desolate because of their shame who say to me, “Aha, aha [rejoicing in my misfortune]!” Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; let those who love Your salvation say continually, “The Lord be magnified!” Even though I am afflicted and needy, still the Lord takes thought and is mindful of me. You are my help and my rescuer. O my God, do not delay. (Psalm 40 AMP)
How appropriate to pray it over Jesus’s Church on this Sabbath day.
Restoring God,
We your people, we your Church, wait patiently for you as we call out to you for renewal and revival. You are the one who can lift us out of the slimy pit of our circumstances. You are the one who sets our feet on a firm place to stand and puts a new song of praise in our mouths. We pray that your Church would have spiritual eyes focused on You alone so that we don’t look to the proud ways of the world or the false gods of government, media, education, arts & entertainment, or business. Purify your church from her lukewarm-ness, her inward focus, her pollution and corruption, and her desire to be “cool” when your word says we should be in the world but not of it. By your Spirit, radically strike pastors and other church leaders who have strayed from you with a firm conviction of their sin and a desire to turn fully back to you. By your Spirit, radically cause church members to rise up and pray for their leaders and for the world. You do not desire sacrifice and offerings from us except for willing hearts that know your will and proclaim your salvation. Without you, God, we are poor and needy; do not delay to be our help and our deliverer. May those who want to curtail the ministry of your Church and Kingdom be turned back in disgrace, but may those who want your Kingdom to prevail always say, “The Lord is Great!” In the mighty name of Jesus we pray, Amen!
Psalm 40
For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.
1
I waited patiently for the Lord;
he turned to me and heard my cry.
2
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.
3
He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
and put their trust in him.
4
Blessed is the one
who trusts in the Lord,
who does not look to the proud,
to those who turn aside to false gods.
5
Many, Lord my God,
are the wonders you have done,
the things you planned for us.
None can compare with you;
were I to speak and tell of your deeds,
they would be too many to declare.
6
Sacrifice and offering you did not desire—
but my ears you have opened—
burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require.
7
Then I said, “Here I am, I have come—
it is written about me in the scroll.
8
I desire to do your will, my God;
your law is within my heart.”
9
I proclaim your saving acts in the great assembly;
I do not seal my lips, Lord,
as you know.
10
I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help.
I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness
from the great assembly.
11
Do not withhold your mercy from me, Lord;
may your love and faithfulness always protect me.
12
For troubles without number surround me;
my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see.
They are more than the hairs of my head,
and my heart fails within me.
13
Be pleased to save me, Lord;
come quickly, Lord, to help me.
14
May all who want to take my life
be put to shame and confusion;
may all who desire my ruin
be turned back in disgrace.
15
May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”
be appalled at their own shame.
16
But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who long for your saving help always say,
“The Lord is great!”
17
But as for me, I am poor and needy;
may the Lord think of me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
you are my God, do not delay. (NIV)
[Prayer from post published August 20, 2022.]