Psalm 40 - A New Song
I keep coming back to Psalm 40. In many ways it is the story of my life. I can identify with being pulled out of the mud and most of my life has been dedicated to worshipping the Lord through my music. See verse 4:
“He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God;
Many will see and fear
And will trust in the Lord.” NASB
and again in verse 16:
“Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;
Let those who love Your salvation say continually,
'The Lord be magnified!' ” NASB
Many songs have been written for those verses. I think they are such popular verses because most people can identify with the psalmist, being rescued out of desperate circumstances and turning to praise the Lord. When I was first saved, way back in the “70s, we were coming out of the turbulent “60s and the Vietnam war was wrapping up. We had the population bomb to worry about and the USSR was still threatening us with nuclear annihilation. There was a great deal of fear and uncertainty in those times, and when we found the Lord and were filled with the Holy Spirit. We had much for which to rejoice!
But come to think about it, the times are not that much different today. The issues are different, but the anxiety and fear of the age are just as palpable. Many fear that the earth is being destroyed by global climate change and others are afraid of Islamic terrorism. Some are so afraid of what the future holds that they abort their own children so that they won’t have to face an unwanted and uncertain future. All good reasons that we should follow the example of the writer of Psalm 40 and cry to the Lord to save us out of the pit into which we have fallen, and lift us out of the clay that is threatening to suck us in to destruction.
Rejoice and be glad! Good advice in all times and at all seasons. Jesus said that each day had enough worries of it’s own, so we should just turn them all over to the Lord and trust in Him to save and deliver us, and to make our footsteps firm. There is really no other way to live a confident life. Many try to rely on other philosophies and religions, but only Jesus give us all that we need to live free, confident and happy. You can try to find those things other places, but it is those who love His salvation that can say “The Lord be magnified”!
The Sons of Korah are one of my favorite groups so I’ve included there edition of psalm 40 here, but I’ve also included another version from Toby Mac that is a bit more modern feeling.
Toby Mac Psalm 40 Kinetic Typography
Ps 40 Sons of Korah.mpg
Psalm 40
For the music director; By David, a psalm.
1 I relied completely on the Lord,
and he turned toward me
and heard my cry for help.
2 He lifted me out of the watery pit,
out of the slimy mud.
He placed my feet on a rock
and gave me secure footing.
3 He gave me reason to sing a new song,
praising our God.
May many see what God has done,
so that they might swear allegiance to him and trust in the Lord!
4 How blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord
and does not seek help from the proud or from liars!
5 O Lord, my God, you have accomplished many things;
you have done amazing things and carried out your purposes for us.
No one can thwart you!
I want to declare them and talk about them,
but they are too numerous to recount!
6 Receiving sacrifices and offerings are not your primary concern.
You make that quite clear to me!
You do not ask for burnt sacrifices and sin offerings.
7 Then I say,
“Look! I come!
What is written in the scroll pertains to me.
8 I want to do what pleases you, my God.
Your law dominates my thoughts.”
9 I have told the great assembly about your justice.
Look! I spare no words!
O Lord, you know this is true.
10 I have not failed to tell about your justice;
I spoke about your reliability and deliverance;
I have not neglected to tell the great assembly about your loyal love and faithfulness.
11 O Lord, you do not withhold your compassion from me.
May your loyal love and faithfulness continually protect me!
12 For innumerable dangers surround me.
My sins overtake me
so I am unable to see;
they outnumber the hairs of my head
so my strength fails me.
13 Please be willing, O Lord, to rescue me!
O Lord, hurry and help me!
14 May those who are trying to snatch away my life
be totally embarrassed and ashamed!
May those who want to harm me
be turned back and ashamed!
15 May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”
be humiliated and disgraced!
16 May all those who seek you be happy and rejoice in you!
May those who love to experience your deliverance say continually,
“May the Lord be praised!”
17 I am oppressed and needy!
May the Lord pay attention to me!
You are my helper and my deliverer!
O my God, do not delay
The NET Bible
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