Psalm 40:2 - Printer Friendly

ESV: 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.

NIV: 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.

NASB: He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the mud; And He set my feet on a rock, making my footsteps firm.

CSB: He brought me up from a desolate pit, out of the muddy clay, and set my feet on a rock, making my steps secure.

NLT: He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.

KJV: He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.

NKJV: He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps.

Scripture does not record any literal events in David's life such as being trapped in a pit. Rather, this is additional poetry describing how deeply desperate was David's plight. David's warlike life was full of near-death experiences, some of which seemed so hopeless that they were like being in a trash pit or slimy swamp. One can imagine being abandoned in a cavernous hole in the ground filling with water, mud, and slime. In such a predicament it is impossible to get a foothold, but the Lord reached down to David, answered his cry for help, and pulled him to safety. David says the Lord set his feet on a rock and made his steps secure. The imagery indicates that the Lord rescued David from his enemies and provided security for him.

The patriarch Joseph experienced the calamity of being thrown into a pit, in a very literal sense. His brothers despised him and tried to get rid of him by putting him into a pit. However, in God's providence, Judah, one of the brothers, persuaded the others to draw him out of the pit and sell him to a caravan of Ishmaelites bound for Egypt. The brothers received twenty shekels of silver from the traders (Genesis 37:12–28).

Psalm 40:1–10 delivers a steady stream of thanksgiving, as David recounts the Lord's deliverance of him from his enemies. He is grateful for giving him a new lease on life. He commits himself to doing the Lord's will and to telling others about how the Lord delivered him from his enemies. Psalm 37:1–7 emphasizes the fact that the Lord delivers those who wait on Him and commit themselves to His will. Hebrews 10:5–9 quotes the Greek version of Psalm 40:6–8 and applies the passage to Jesus the Messiah.

David waited on the Lord for quite some time to be delivered from his foes, and the Lord heard him. This remarkable deliverance would persuade many to trust in the Lord. David insists that no one can compare with the Lord. Verses 6–8 are messianic; Hebrews 10:5–9 applies them to Jesus. David shared this story with his fellow worshipers in the sanctuary. He was confident that the Lord would continue to show him His mercy, His steadfast love, and His faithfulness. David needed the Lord's help because he was conscious of his many sins, and he knew his enemies wanted to kill him. He concludes this psalm by humble acknowledging that the Lord thought about him and was his help and deliverer. He asks the Lord to come quickly to his defense.

In this psalm David offers praise to the Lord for meeting his needs. He may have composed this psalm during one of his exiles in the wilderness or during the infancy of his rule as Israel's king. Verses 1–5 may refer to his exile, and verses 6–10 may depict his dedication as king. Verses 11–17 tell of his prayer for forgiveness and his exaltation over his foes. Psalm 70 parallels Psalm 40:13–17. Hebrews 10:5–9 quotes Psalm 40:6–8, making the latter passage messianic.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.