Are you confident in God? Do you believe that He will work all things for your good and for His glory? Or is your faith shaky and battered? Are you unsure that God is for you?
The rest of Psalm 40 is written in a style called “lament.” He is telling the Lord his trouble. He has been delivered in the past but now he faces new troubles and he needs the Lord’s help.
This lament, in Psalm 40v11-17, is different from others in the Bible. Most of them start with the troubles. This one starts with confidence. Although the NIV translation has this as a prayer for help, it should be translated as a statement of faith – “You, O Lord will not restrain your mercy from me; your steadfast love and your faithfulness with ever preserve me!”
Why am I telling you all this? Because, firstly, it is important to see where this confidence in the Lord comes from (so that we can grow in faith); and, secondly, it is important to see what this confidence leads to.
First, where has this confidence come from? We’ve said this before, but it is good to say again: faith is built by remembering what God has done. “He inclined to me and heard my cry” (v1). “He drew me up from the pit…” (v2). “He put a new song in my mouth” (v3).
Faith is also built by remembering who He is: “None can compare with you.” (v5).
Faith is also built as we worship and testify: “…a song of praise to our God” (v3). “I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation” (v9).
Confidence in God grows as we remember and as we declare. If your faith is shaking today, remember. If your faith is shaking today, declare to your own soul and others what He has done.
Secondly, what does this confidence lead to? It leads to confession and prayer (v12-17). When our faith is shaking, we find it harder to pray. When we are filled with confidence in Him, then we will pray with boldness.
Remember, remember. Look what the Lord has done!
The best is yet to come 