Daily Prayer for February 25, 2025: Psalm 40
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.[a]
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[b]
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!
(Psalm 40:1-17, ESV)
Prayer: Our Father, we thank you for your kindness and grace and for hearing us when we cry out to you, especially in times of great distress and struggle. We are thankful that you listen to us and give us access to you through the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Though we are creatures of dust, you are mindful of our every need and concern. There is nothing too small that you do not care about. Though we are often impatient, we are thankful that you give us the patience to wait for your will to be revealed. We know that you do all things well, and you work for your glory and our good. We praise you for delivering us from the misery of sin and slavery and placing us on the solid Rock, which is Christ. We thank you for building your church on Him and not the frail efforts of mere men. We thank you for putting a new song in our mouths and leading us to sing your praises because of your marvelous works in the affairs of men. We thank you for forgiving us as we seek it from you knowing that you are just and faithful to forgive us. We thank you for rescuing us from those who oppose us and working your righteous judgment and wrath against those who seek to harm your church. Therefore, we will tell others of your mercies and grace. We will tell them of your great salvation and the labors of your Son for our sakes. Yet, Lord, we know that we need your daily care and we ask that you will continue to protect us from those evil people who seek our ruin, We know that are mere pawns in the hands of the Evil One and we know that one little word will fell them. Please help us, our God, to trust you and wait patiently for you during times of hardship. We trust you, our Father because you do all things well. We pray these things through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Scripture Mediation: Psalm 40