I waited patiently for the Lord;
he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
and put their trust in him.
Psalm 40
We don’t know the source of the Psalmist’s pain here, but we know that his soul is suffering from defeat, discouragement, and hopelessness. Sometimes in the pit, we might be tempted to ‘rescue’ ourselves through trying to find a human (prideful) solution. Here we are given the example of waiting patiently and believing that God hears our cry. The ‘waiting’ is intentional – actively seeking His face. God’s timing does not always (often doesn’t) coincide with our timing. We want God to act for us instantly, but He has plans to change us, to build our faith. Waiting on Him means trusting Him and remembering the good things that he has already accomplished for us. The end result of trusting – a testimony of praise for our own edification and a testimony to those who see us. So, let us wait on the Lord believing that His arm is never too short to save.