I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry.
Psalm 40:1
Psalm 40 has been a favorite for many. It speaks of God’s deliverance in a time of great trial. In verse 2 we read, “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.” Who doesn’t want that in the midst of great stress and difficulty? Who doesn’t long for God to meet our needs and grant His provision?
The temptation is to skip verse 1 and go straight to verse 2. “Remind me about God answering my cry! Remind me how He delivers!” Verse 2 is there to comfort but we can’t miss verse 1, particularly the first phrase, “I waited patiently for the Lord”.
“Waited?” Who wants to wait? I want God to hear, to provide, and to deliver NOW. Not only does the Psalmist say that he waited but that he waited patiently. For most of us waiting patiently is an oxymoron.
I remember when I had to take a military physical as I was a candidate for an ROTC scholarship in high school. I went to an army hospital at Ft. McClellan near Anniston, AL. While waiting at various stations I had an army doctor tell me to get used to the phrase “hurry up and wait” if I was to join the military.
That’s not what the Psalmist did. He waited patiently. For who? The Lord. He made the Lord His trust. How do we wait and do it patiently? We must meditate on who God is- on His character, on His work for us in Christ who loved us and gave Himself for us, and on His promises.
I need some grace to wait patiently on the Lord. I imagine you do too. I find it too hard to “hurry up and wait” much less wait patiently. The Scriptures tell us He is worth the wait.