“I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. 2 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. 3 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.” Psalm 40:1:3 ESV
The famous music group, U2 has a song called “40”. It is based on Psalm 40. It was on their 1983 album “War”. I was a junior in high school when this record came out. I was reading Psalm 40 the other day and was caught up in the passion of the author, King David as he poured out his heart to God. I wanted to mediate on this work in scripture and opened Spotify about songs on Psalm 40. It was here I rediscovered this treasure from 1983. I listened to it and Bono led me in a prayer walk declaring that I will sing a new song. I must admit that I have not had a lot of prayer times that have included Bono from U2, but God was using this one.
There are a few lyrics from “40” that capture the passion of David as he pours his heart out to God. They paraphrase the first three verses where David says he waited patiently for the Lord. This means David needed God to move in a big way. He waited and God heard his prayers and moved on his behalf. As a result, God put David secure on a rock that cannot be moved, put a new song in his mouth and as a result, many people saw God’s faithfulness and put their trust in the Lord too. This is a consistent sequence in the Bible. We have a trouble. We cry out to God and He hears us, answers us, delivers us. The result is to be a life change that people notice. They hear us singing a new tune and it catches their attention. So much, that they start singing a new song too.
What have you been singing lately? What is the current soundtrack coming from your heart? Disappointment, worry, concern for the future? When you get up in the morning is it a new song of faith, hope and love or are you caught in a sound cycle of yuck? My wife on Valentine’s Day sent out a group text to our family. There was terrible news many in the nation woke up to and she was wondering if we had heard about it. She was genuinely concerned about the event and wanted our family to pray. Then she said, oh by the way, Happy Valentine’s Day family, I love you. My oldest son texted back in the thread, “Hey mom, maybe save the terrible news until after you say Happy Valentine’s Day.” We laughed, but it is true. This is what many have started their days with. Train derailments, Chinese balloons, inflation, earthquakes and more. We worry about our 401 K’s, the education of our children and the future that seems lately to be so ambiguous. These things, this constant negative news cycle or fear mongering can put a nation let alone a home and heart in the state of constant concern. Add to this life. Life that is not fair at times and when we least expect it, kicks us in the teeth. Infirmity knocks on our door, and we feel the consistent headwinds that wear us thin. These things sound like the enemy David talks about in Psalm 40:15. “Aha, Aha!” as if to say, “We got you now!” It is time for the soundtrack of our lives to change.
As I was praying this Psalm on my prayer walk, I kept singing, “I will sing, sing a new song!” with Bono. Then I simply started to sing the song I want coming from my heart. I will sing of God’s faithfulness! I will sing of God’s goodness! I will sing the song of healing and restoration. I will sing the song of deliverance from my enemy. I will sing the song of sound mind and power. I will sing the song that I am loved, and my Father in Heaven is taking care of me. As I did this, I could feel my step quicken and my countenance changing. Little did I know that just in a few hours the “Aha” of the enemy would be there again to try to change my tune. My song did not transfer me into joyful bliss. My song simply reminded my soul God is for me and whatever I face, I will wait patiently for the Lord and He will hear my cry. He will draw me up out of the pit and set my feet upon the rock. He will fill my heart with another song to sing that reminds me of Him. And as my life changes through the steadfast love of the Lord, many will see me and say, I want that! I want a new song to sing and before long, there is four-part harmony rising up to God and we are singing a new song together.
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