Prayer Guide: Psalm 40
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
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.
4 Blessed is the man who makes
the Lord his trust,
who does not turn to the proud,
to those who go astray after a lie!
5 You have multiplied, O Lord my God,
your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;
none can compare with you!
I will proclaim and tell of them,
yet they are more than can be told.
6 In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted,
but you have given me an open ear.
Burnt offering and sin offering
you have not required.
7 Then I said, “Behold, I have come;
in the scroll of the book it is written of me:
8 I delight to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart.”
9 I have told the glad news of deliverance
in the great congregation;
behold, I have not restrained my lips,
as you know, O Lord.
10 I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart;
I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;
I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness
from the great congregation.
11 As for you, O Lord, you will not restrain
your mercy from me;
your steadfast love and your faithfulness will
ever preserve me!
12 For evils have encompassed me
beyond number;
my iniquities have overtaken me,
and I cannot see;
they are more than the hairs of my head;
my heart fails me.
13 Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me!
O Lord, make haste to help me!
14 Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether
who seek to snatch away my life;
let those be turned back and brought to dishonor
who delight in my hurt!
15 Let those be appalled because of their shame
who say to me, “Aha, Aha!”
16 But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation
say continually, “Great is the Lord!”
17 As for me, I am poor and needy,
but the Lord takes thought for me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
do not delay, O my God!
Reverence
God’s Praiseworthy Attributes:
- He hears and responds to my cries v. 1
- He lifts me up and gives me a place to stand v.2
- He fills my heart with a new song v. 3
- He has planned and accomplished wondrous things for us v. 5
- There is no one who compares to Him v.5
- He is faithful and loving v. 10
- He is our help and our deliverer v. 17
Possible Prayer Prompts:
- I praise you Lord for hearing me and responding when…
- I praise you Lord for lifting me up out of my pit of…
- I praise you Lord for setting my feet on a firm place when …
- I praise you Lord for on one compares to you in …
- I praise you Lord for being faithful and loving to me when…
- I praise you Lord for being my help and deliverer by …
Response:
- I will wait patiently for you, Lord, in…
- I will declare your wonders, Lord, to…
- I desire to do your will, Lord, by…
- I will listen and make myself available to you, Lord, in…
Requests:
- Lord, lift me up out of my pit of ________ and give me a firm place to stand.
- Lord lift __________(name) up out of their pit of __________, and help them to declare your wondrous acts.
- Protect me in your love and mercy Father from ___________.
- I confess my neediness to you Lord; remember me as I …
- Lord, do not delay in helping me with …
- I confess my sins of ______ have blinded me. Forgive me.
Readiness:
- By your mercy, I will declare your deliverance among …
- I will sing hymns of praise because you have …
- I will wait patiently as you deal with those who are seeking my destruction and they feel their own shame.
- I will walk Lord, not in my abilities (sacrifices and burnt offerings) but in my availability (Here I am) to you.