The Lord heats the cry of His people for deliverance.

We all wish for our lives to be trouble-free. We begin each day hoping that things will go our way. Unfortunately, life is never quite that simple. We all face stretches of life when times are tough. Psalm 40 outlines steps we can take to find ourselves in troublesome times. David often experienced times when he was in need of deliverance from some real danger to his life or well-being. David found himself in need of being rescued by God. He found a willing deliver in the God of Israel. This lesson explores assurances we have found from God for deliverance, and also the right attitudes and postures we can take when we find ourselves in need of divine help.

GOLDEN TEXT: Psalm 40:1 I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.

1. WAIT ON THE LORD

A. A Personal Experience of Salvation

Psalm 40:1 I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.

…….That first part is probably the greatest Instruction a teacher can give. For those of us who are going through a trial, struggle or sickness, the hardest thing that seems for us to do is wait on God’s timing. Not only waiting on His timing, but waiting on His Decision.

For those of us waiting on direction in this world of so much fast pace-ness, and in all the hustle and bustle, we need to learn how to “trust” in the waiting. The Lord will never turn a deaf ear to His children but will always incline to our plea.

40:2  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.

…….Only David himself knew what kind of torment he had been through, and looking back, he can be more than grateful of his deliverance. David tells his experience as being in a horrible pit, maybe so deep he never thought he would escape, and the floor of it unstable as wet clay.

Have you ever been in a trial that you couldn’t see any way out but you just held on and now you can testify of God’s deliverance?! Now you can say that your foundation is greater than it ever was in the past?! That’s the Purpose!

40:3  And he hath put a new song in my mouth (have you ever experienced this, like the changing of seasons), even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.

…….David testifies how His sorrow was turned into blessing and through it all he can praise the Lord about it! Now all of those who seen him at the point of death can see him blessed and prospered by God, and now because of David’s victory they have feared and turned to the Lord! That’s the Purpose!

B. Trust in the Lord

40:4  Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.

…….David is placing the blessed focus on people who remain humble in all stages of life. When people gain attention from others out of Godly accomplishments, there is never room for pride to set in. God will shut it down before we can blink an eye. Not only to those who become prideful but also to those who lie about the source from where the power resides. Not only does God bless those who remain humble within themselves, but He blesses those who have discernment with others who tell anything but the truth. Those who’s ears are so inclined to God, they never become immersed in others busyness of the tongue!

2. DECLARE THE LORDS MIGHTY ACTS

A. The Look of Commitment

40:5  Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.

…….Some folks will never be able to get to this point of testimony because they weren’t able to fulfill verse 1, “I waited patiently on the Lord.” It is God’s will for His people to realize how blessed we are. But first, we must become the man or woman of God that has the ability to realize that it is God and God alone! We cannot sit around in pity and depression and think, “if I’m ever going to be delivered, the Lord is going to have to come to where I am and pick me up.” Not so! If you want to realize the blessings of the Lord, you have to lift up your head and worship Him in the bad!

40:6  Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.

40:7  Then said I, Lo (behold), I come (here I am): in the volume of the book it is written of me,

…….David knew the methods and standards of sacrifice that the Lord had always required. David wasn’t inclining that God’s methods had changed, only that he himself wanted to go much deeper than an outward sacrifice to get the Lords attention. The fact was, David could afford to offer so many animals for sacrifice and it never would have been from the heart. He no longer had to tend to those sheep and make sure they were spotless, he had others that were paid to do this job now. It would not have been a sacrifice to methodically give sacrifice. He wanted to do more, he desired to give himself. It had to be completely voluntary!Take all of me Lord, my whole heart and mind and my desires with it!

40:8  I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.

…….Because of the comfort of being in the will of God, there is no place we should rather be. If there is somewhere else, we haven’t truly experienced the will of the Lord!

B. Proclamation of God’s Works

40:9  I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.

40:10  I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.

…….If the King of the Nation can not keep silent about the righteousness of the Lord, neither should we! We can all come up with excuses of “not being built that way”, but let something come across your carnal mind that scratches you the wrong way! You will speak out about it almost every single time! It works both ways, you give the enemy a reason for you to complain, those reasons will keep coming. You give the Lord a reason for you to testify, those reasons will keep coming! If we are proclaiming righteousness righteously, our words will never push the Saint away, nor will it place rejection on the lost. Don’t be mute about the righteousness of God.

3. THE LORD DELIVERS

A. In Need of Help

40:11  Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.

…….At the beginning David shows us how to testify. Now, he shows us how to pray. Through all of David’s failures, he still plead for truth (the truth will set you free John 8:32). When we find ourselves in a struggle, whether self induced or not, we must not plead for God’s acceptance of our sin, but deliverance and freedom from it. That’s where a desire for the truth comes in.

40:12  For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me.

…….In this case, David’s struggle was an inward source, possibly with Bathsheba. He was honest with the Lord about his own weakness and honest with the reader. He said, because of my weakness my heart (strength and desire) fails me. That in itself is the absence of pride. That in itself is where deliverance will come for many, let it go!

40:13  Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me: O LORD, make haste to help me.

…….Even in our lack of patience in asking, we must still be patient in our waiting and know that God will deliver.

B. My Help and My Deliverer

40:14  Let them be ashamed and confounded (frustrate, defeat, stop) together that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil.

40:15  Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame that say unto me, Aha, aha.

…….David knew the danger of those who were set out to tear him down if they succeeded. When we see the enemy attack it is our duty to turn to the Lord and give him the battle completely.

40:16  Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified.

40:17  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.

……. David concluded his prayer with a confession of how great his need was for God’s help, and with an urgent plea that God would deliver him from his enemies quickly. Again, David was waiting for God’s help. Like David, over the course of our lifetime, we will find ourselves waiting for God’s help on many occasions.