I waited patiently for the Lord;
he inclined to me and heard my cry.
He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
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.
Blessed is the man who makes
the Lord his trust,
who does not turn to the proud,
to those who go astray after a lie!
You have multiplied, O Lord my God,
your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;
none can compare with you!I will proclaim and tell of them,
yet they are more than can be told.
In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted,
but you have given me an open ear.Burnt offering and sin offering
you have not required.Then I said, “Behold, I have come;
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;behold, I have not restrained my lips,
as you know, O Lord.I have not hidden your deliverance 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.
As for you, O Lord, you will not restrain
your mercy from me;
your steadfast love and your faithfulness will
ever preserve me!
What is your miry pit?
Here David calls out to the Lord for he is in a time of trouble. However, he trusts the Lord for he begins by acknowledging the Lord’s past deliverance from a miry or slippery pit, a difficult and perilous situation. Now we all have experienced such a pit. It could be the pit of circumstances, those times of illness, fear, family troubles, loneliness, despair, or legal or financial difficulties that come upon us all. As we struggle to maintain our hold on reality in this pit, we find that we lose balance and sink deeper. None of our efforts bring us relief, just more stress and trouble.
That pit could be the pit of sin. Sin forms a pit that is impossible to escape. One sin leads to another. The liar has to keep telling more lies to cover up previous ones. The person involved in drugs, alcohol, pornography, or immoral sexual relationships and activities finds that he or she is addicted, enslaved. They cannot break free even if they desire to do so.
People stuck in such slimy pits find that all their own efforts, their attempts at reform, their promises, their vows, their religious rituals and righteous deeds only cause them to sink deeper. Sooner or later they have to realize that they need someone from above to lift them out. They need a deliverer. Many people would prefer the status quo rather than admit that, and so, many continue to be enslaved by sinful lifestyles. Or worse: they kill themselves in an attempt to free themselves. These will die in their pit of iniquity and enter eternity separated from God.
On the other hand, those who realize they need help who call out to the Lord Jesus find that He is there to deliver them. They cease struggling and then find that they are lifted, supported and freed by the everlasting arms of Jesus the Lord. Since every believer has been so lifted, we ought always to show kindness, understanding, mercy, and grace to those still stuck in that mire. Our efforts should help lift that one, not cause him or her to remain stuck and sink further. Is there someone you know stuck in a slimy pit? Pray for that one. If that one is you, you need help. Reach out to us and we will help.