So Many Wonders

1 I waited patiently for the Lord;
he turned to me and heard my cry.
2 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.
3 He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
and put their trust in him.

4 Blessed is the one
who trusts in the Lord,
who does not look to the proud,
to those who turn aside to false gods.
5 Many, Lord my God,
are the wonders you have done,
the things you planned for us.
None can compare with you;
were I to speak and tell of your deeds,
they would be too many to declare.

Sometimes we act as if we can fix the problem of sin in our lives. We imagine that if we improve ourselves, we can be free of sin and guilt. We think that if we just work hard enough, our lives will become better. And if our friends and family would just listen to us, our relationships would become better too.

But the problem is too big for us. We cannot save ourselves from the problem of our separation from God. We cannot even stop ourselves from sinning. Only God can do that.

Psalm 40 sings praise to the God who saves us. It sings praise to the God who is strong enough to conquer sin and is gracious enough to do that for us. It sings praise to the God who chose not to stay sepa­rated from us but came to save us and restore us to himself.

Psalm 40 sings of a salvation so great that only God could accomplish it. God has loved us in so many ways.

The psalmist says to God, “Were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare.” The many wonders God has done to save us are beautiful. Our abundant and beautiful salvation comes from God, the only one who can save us.

God of salvation, I am overwhelmed by the beauty and greatness of your love for us all. Thank you for saving me; I could not save myself. Help me to praise you for the wonders you have done. Amen.