Psalm 40
" I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the desolate pit, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.
Happy are those who make the Lord their trust, who do not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after false gods. You have multiplied, O Lord, my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you. Were I to proclaim and tell of them, they would be more than can be counted.
Sacrifice and offering you do not desire, but you have given me an open ear. Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required. Then I said, "Here I am; 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 told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation; see, I have not restrained my lips, as you know, O Lord. I have not hidden your saving help within my heart, I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness from the great congregation.
Do not, O Lord, withhold your mercy from me; let your steadfast love and your faithfulness keep me safe forever. For evils have encompassed me without number; my iniquities have overtaken me, until I cannot see; they are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails me.
Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me; O Lord, make haste to help me. Let all those be put to shame and confusion who seek to snatch away my life; let those be turned back and brought to dishonor who desire my hurt. Let those be appalled because of their shame who say to me, "Aha, Aha!"
But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, "Great is the Lord!" As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God."
I would also encourage you to listen to the song "Forty" by U2. It is based on this Psalm.
Karen
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1 comment:
The thought of being drawn up from a miry bog reminded me of the time I made quicksand in my sandbox. I was maybe 7- or 8-years old. I kept pouring water into the sand and stirring it up with a long stick, pouring and mixing until the moment of truth when I stepped into the slop. I was delighted to discover that I couldn’t move my feet. Until I decided it was time to move onto something else.
Kicking, pulling, struggling as panic grew, I knew what I had to do. Even though I thought Mom would be mad at me, I stepped out of my rubber boots, leaving them behind, and headed for home.
Decades later, recalling this moment in my Sabbath reflection, I see this as an apt metaphor for the church and my own personal spiritual growth. What do I need to step out of and leave behind? What is weighing me down, keeping me stuck? What perceived consequences and costs keep me from doing what needs to be done? (And how often do I get myself stuck in situations of my own making?)
I imagine the psalmist’s “great congregation” is one of movement and dynamism. If we’re going to keep up, we have to make some hard choices and leave some things behind.
Sabbath blessings amid Advent frenzy,
Kenji
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