The Trustworthy Deliverer

Psalm 40:9-17

What is the proper behavior during your trials? God has promised to deliver, and we can remember and think on those things.

1. The Grateful Proclamation of the Delivered
2. Prayerful Trust in the Deliverer

Grateful Proclamation: David has praised the Lord. Now he's saying, "I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation; behold, I have not restrained my lips, as you know, O Lord."  Positive statements: "I have told," "I have spoken," "I have not concealed."

Prayerful Trust:  David acknowledges that God’s mercy and faithfulness are unrestrained. He trusts that God's steadfast love will always preserve him, regardless of the trials he faces. David describes how he is encompassed by evils and overtaken by his own iniquities, which are more numerous than the hairs on his head. Despite these overwhelming circumstances, his heart remains steadfast in crying out to God for deliverance.

In his plea for help, David calls upon God to act against his adversaries. He prays for those who seek to harm him to be put to shame and dishonor, not out of vindictiveness, but in the hope that such experiences might lead them to repentance and turn them towards God.

David’s prayerful trust also extends to the faithful. He prays that all who seek God may rejoice and be glad in Him, and that those who love God’s salvation may continually proclaim, "Great is the Lord." This communal aspect of prayer highlights the importance of supporting one another in faith, encouraging collective worship and trust in God's deliverance.

Ultimately, David concludes by humbly acknowledging his own neediness and God's attentive care. He reaffirms that the Lord is his help and deliverer, urging God not to delay in providing aid.

This teaches us that in the midst of our trials, we should maintain a prayerful trust in God, confidently seeking His deliverance, and supporting one another in faith. God's unending mercy and steadfast love will see us through every challenge, turning our trials into opportunities for deeper reliance on Him and greater expressions of His glory.