I was just thinking about the numerous people in my life who are dealing with despair. They battle heartache, discouragement and depression. They seemingly have nowhere to turn; they find no one they can trust to help them through their times of despair. King David, a man after God’s heart, often found himself in despair.
But he also found in the Lord Someone who would hear his cry, who truly cared and who would respond to the King’s needs. We can learn from Psalm 40:1-3 how we, too, can trust the Lord to hear our cries, knowing that He cares for us. That is a truth reiterated in the New Testament: “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (I Peter 5:7 NIV1984).
What happens when we cry out to the Lord? How does He respond to show us He truly cares about us? Here are some thoughts to be gleaned from the Psalmist.
Patience Can be Rewarded with Pity
“I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry” (Psalm 40:1). Despair is like a deep valley. It seems there is no way out. However, when we realize that the Lord brightens our way and gives light to our path, He can bring us to the mountaintop. When we look back at that dreadful valley, we can see that all around us was beauty in the midst of our despair. Our patience paid off!
The Lord Lifts Us Up
“He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire…” (Psalm 40:2). Here is a truth to ponder, as humans, we do not always appreciate where we are until we are reminded about where we were. The hymn writer penned this: “I was sinking deep in sin, from the peaceful shore. Very deeply stained within, sinking to rise no more. But the Master of the sea heard my despairing cry, from the waters lifted me; now safe am I.”
When we get stuck in the mire of our lives, it is because we deviate from the path or fail to notice the pitfalls along the way. Each of us has been there at one time or another. When I was four, my parents bought me my first pair of cowboy boots. I was proud of them. We were in a logging area near our home. I was running and jumping far ahead of Dad and Mom. And I found joy in splashing in mud puddles with my new boots. I jumped into one puddle, but I couldn’t get out. I was in quicksand. I cried out, “Daddy, help?” He came running and lifted me out. But to this day, we have never seen my boots again. Friend, that is what Jesus did when He saved us. And that is what He does when we are in despair.
The Lord Sets Us Up
“…He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand” (Psalm 40:2). The Lord doesn’t just get us out of despair and tell us we are on our own. No, He puts us in places of safety. Why? Because He cares for us and He meets our greatest needs.
He Tunes Us Up
“He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God…” (Psalm 40:3). When we are in the valley of our lives, we tend to sing, “Oh, woe is me.” But the Lord hears our cry, and He tunes us up. We can sing a song of praise, “Now safe am I!”
