A New Song

“I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry.  He brought me up out of the pit of destruction and out of the miry clay; and He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm.  And he put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.”  Psalm 40:1-3

You have been so kind to me, so patient.  Sometimes, You have to take me back to where You’ve brought me from, remind me of what You’ve done, to give me perspective on the now.

I have been awe-struck over the last few days, as You have taken me back to the very place I first knew You, cried out to You time and time again, and waited for You to move—in impossible ways, like only You can.  And You did.

You inclined Your ear to a young woman, who knew only that Your Word said, “Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will glorify me” (Ps 50:15).  Though I didn’t understand so many things about how You work, I feasted on Your Word and took You at Your Word.

I’ve been back in a place that is thick with oppression, but it’s been different this time. I have always understood that You came and brought me out of the pit of destruction, but I see and understand in a completely new way that You have not only set my feet upon a rock, but have been making my footsteps firm.

It hasn’t been easy.  It’s been mostly through suffering that You’ve been making my footsteps firm.  I know that even as I waited for You in the pit, You were fastening my feet to the Rock.  You were with me even then, preparing me to behold more of Your beauty, more of Your heart.

Not a moment was wasted as I waited on You. You are revealing the fruit of seeds planted and watered for years during my years of trudging through the miry clay.  Nothing was wasted!

You put a song of praise in my mouth then, but it was just the beginning.  You are revealing to me the rest of the song, and it’s beautiful.  It’s a song of declaration of who You are.

And it’s a song of freedom.

You are releasing chains that have haunted me for years.  I had to be brought back to this place to be reminded what it looks like when there is no Light.  My enemy wants me to believe that I will always remain shackled—and that it’s far worse than it really is.   Because when I believe his lies, I am not a threat to him—I don’t fight for my freedom–and I’m not really living.

Seeing and feeling the oppression, but not succumbing to it has awed my heart as I see that You have brought me so far—made my footsteps that much more firm on the Rock.

Oh Father, You have sent Your Son to break chains. You have shined Your light into my heart and it’s so bright!  These last few days have been so sweet as I’ve seen where You brought me from—out of the darkness and into Your marvelous light.  Out of the pit and onto a firm, solid Rock.  You have put Your arm around me and with Your other arm shown me the many works You’ve done in my heart and life.

I praise You, Father, for You have rescued me. You have inclined Your ear to me, heard me, rescued me, and have been making my steps firm.