Have you ever had the misfortune to get stuck in the mud, perhaps with a car, or even worse, when out hiking? I have seen some videos of animals who have found themselves stuck in a mud pit. They struggle to get loose, but only make themselves stuck even worse. If they are fortunate, some kind-hearted person comes around to help them get free. In our psalm today, David speaks of being caught in a miry pit, and of the only One who could help him. Let’s look over our psalm for today.
As we read through the Old Testament, we quickly see that David faced a lot of problems throughout his life, both before he was king, and also after. Many of these problems were serious, and he felt like he was trapped in a miry pit, from which he couldn’t escape. A wet and muddy pit is not a place you want to find yourself in. You are exposed to danger. Also, very importantly, the more you struggle to get out, often the worse stuck you become. When serious problems come our way, we can feel like we are in a muddy pit that threatens to swallow us up. The more we try to free ourselves, the worse things become. We cry out, and if we are fortunate, someone might be able to help us out. Often though, there is no one there, or no one who cares. Perhaps someone tries to help us, but there is nothing they can do to get us out.
What did David do when life found him stuck in difficulties that seemed just like a miry pit? He didn’t seek or depend upon any human to help him. Instead, David called upon the Lord to help him. He didn’t struggle and try and get out himself, only to get further stuck. He waited for God to help him, and he waited patiently (vs. 1-2). Like many people, I am not a very patient person. And this is especially apparent when there is a crisis. David recounts, though, that he learned when stuck the best thing to do was to cry out to the Lord, and then wait patiently for Him to answer. Rather than getting angry or frustrated with God and any delays, he praised Him. David said God gave him a new song of praise (vs. 3). Through our times of waiting, we can develop the virtues of submission, humility, patience, joyful endurance, and persistence in well-doing.
David received some benefits from being willing to wait for the Lord to answer, rather than trying to work things out himself, and we can learn from this, too. One was that when David waited for God, He lifted him out of his despair. Problems can bring despair, especially if we can’t seem to get free, but if we wait for God, He will lift the despair. When God answered David, He pulled him from the pit and put him on solid ground, something sturdy, like a rock. Throughout the psalms we often read of being on a rock, higher than our enemies or problems, or of being hidden behind a rock, a place of safety. Scripture sometimes compares God with a rock, Someone solid and secure, who we can go to in order to hide in safety.
Another benefit we have when we wait for God to answer, is that when the answer comes, we have a new song of praise for God. We are called to rejoice and be glad in the Lord, and to have joy, especially when He has delivered us from the miry pits we find ourselves in (vs. 16). Some may question how it is possible to be happy when we’re stuck in a pit. How are those who are walking closely with the Lord able to rejoice and have joy during these times? There is a difference between happiness and joy. Happiness relies entirely upon one’s circumstances. When difficulties or pain arises, happiness leaves. Joy is a gift from God. It helps us find hope and peace, even when life is falling apart. Having hope and joy doesn’t mean we ignore reality. Having hope will acknowledge reality, but at the same time we acknowledge God’s sovereignty. Our hope and joy cannot be tied to whether a circumstance or person changes. It must be tied to the unchanging promises of God. We have joy and hope for the good we know God will bring from our situation.
When sin or circumstances, either our own or someone else’s, leads us to end up in a muddy, mucky pit in life, we need to remember to call upon God for His help, rather than struggling to get out ourselves, only to end up further mired. Call upon God for help, and then wait patiently for Him to respond. When we do, He will lovingly lift us out and set us on good, solid ground.
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