Ears You have dug for me

“My ears You have opened.” – Psa. 40:6b

The original Hebrew text says, “Ears You have dug for me.” The image is of a person incapable of hearing until God carves a way. We are deaf to God until He opens our spiritual ears to listen.

More than can be numbered

“Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done and Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.” – Psa. 40:5

There are many false ideas about God.
Here is the truth: More wonderful works and thoughts than can numbered.

Out of a horrible pit

“I waited patiently for the Lord and He inclined to me and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay and set my feet upon a rock and established my steps.
He has put a new song in my mouth—Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear and will trust in the Lord.” – Psa. 40:1-3

Only God can bring you out of the horrible pit and plant your feet upon stable land. He will lean close and hear your cry.

Anyone who has felt the weight of the world on their shoulders

“Hear my prayer, O Lord, And give ear to my cry;Do not be silent at my tears; For I am a stranger with You, A sojourner, as all my fathers were. Remove Your gaze from me, that I may regain strength, Before I go away and am no more.” – Anyone who has felt the weight of the world on their shoulders (Psa. 39:12-13)

You who did it, Your plague, the blow of Your hand, You correct man, You make his beauty melt away

“Deliver me from all my transgressions;
Do not make me the reproach of the foolish.
I was mute, I did not open my mouth,
Because it was You who did it.
Remove Your plague from me;
I am consumed by the blow of Your hand.
When with rebukes You correct man for iniquity,
You make his beauty melt away like a moth;
Surely every man is vapor. Selah” – Psa. 39:8-11

Interesting verses to wrestle with.

Note that it is God who is behind David’s transgressions and reproach. It is God who sends the plague. It is God’s hand that delivers the blow. It is God who rebukes man for sin.

As RC always said, there is no maverick molecule; God is sovereign over all.

Wait and Hope

“And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You.” – Psa. 39:7

Waiting and hoping here is not “wishful thinking.” It is expectantly anticipating certainty.

They busy themselves in vain

“Surely every man walks about like a shadow; Surely they busy themselves in vain; He heaps up riches, And does not know who will gather them.” – Psa. 39:6

Stuff you own may end up owning you.

The measure of my days

“Lord, make me to know my end,
And what is the measure of my days,
That I may know how frail I am.” – Psa. 39:4

Time is short.
God knows the beginning and ending of all our days.

Thoughts on Psalm 39

To the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

39 I said, “I will guard my ways,
Lest I sin with my tongue;
I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle,
While the wicked are before me.”
2 I was mute with silence,
I held my peace even from good;
And my sorrow was stirred up.

3 My heart was hot within me; While I was musing, the fire burned.

Then I spoke with my tongue:

Oftentimes the best thing to say is nothing at all.

4 “Lord, make me to know my end,
And what is the measure of my days,
That I may know how frail I am.
5 Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths,
And my age is as nothing before You;
Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor. Selah

God knows the beginning and ending of all our days. Time is short.

6 Surely every man walks about like a shadow;
Surely they busy themselves in vain;
He heaps up riches,
And does not know who will gather them.

Stuff you own may end up owning you.

7 “And now, Lord, what do I wait for?
My hope is in You.

Waiting and hoping here is not “wishful thinking.” It is expectantly anticipating certainty.

8 Deliver me from all my transgressions;
Do not make me the reproach of the foolish.
9 I was mute, I did not open my mouth,
Because it was You who did it.
10 Remove Your plague from me;
I am consumed by the blow of Your hand.
11 When with rebukes You correct man for iniquity,
You make his beauty melt away like a moth;
Surely every man is vapor. Selah

Interesting verses to wrestle with.
Note that it is God who is behind his transgressions and reproach. It is God who sends the plague. It is God’s hand that delivers the blow. It is God who rebukes man for sin.
As RC always said, there is no maverick molecule; God is sovereign over all.

12 “Hear my prayer, O Lord,
And give ear to my cry;
Do not be silent at my tears;
For I am a stranger with You,
A sojourner, as all my fathers were.
13 Remove Your gaze from me, that I may regain strength,
Before I go away and am no more.”

Anyone who has felt the weight of the world on their shoulders