{"id":7721,"date":"2015-07-03T10:39:41","date_gmt":"2015-07-03T14:39:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?p=7721"},"modified":"2015-07-17T21:53:00","modified_gmt":"2015-07-18T01:53:00","slug":"our-weight-lifting-god-62815","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?p=7721","title":{"rendered":"Our Weight Lifting God (6\/28\/15)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Pastor Jim’s sermon on June 28 was based on Psalm 40; God lifts us out of the slimy pit and places us on solid ground.\u00a0 Click the following “Play” button to start the recording, then scroll down and follow along…<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The scripture was Psalm 40…<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t

Psalm 40<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t

1 I waited patiently for the Lord; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry.<\/p>\n

2 He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps.<\/p>\n

3 He has put a new song in my mouth \u2014 Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, And will trust in the Lord.<\/p>\n

4 Blessed is that man who makes the Lord his trust, And does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.<\/p>\n

5 Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works Which You have done; And Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; If I would declare and speak of them, They are more than can be numbered.<\/p>\n

6 Sacrifice and offering You did not desire; My ears You have opened. Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require.<\/p>\n

7 Then I said, “Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is written of me.<\/p>\n

8 I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart.”<\/p>\n

9 I have proclaimed the good news of righteousness In the great assembly; Indeed, I do not restrain my lips, O Lord, You Yourself know.<\/p>\n

10 I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart; I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation; I have not concealed Your loving kindness and Your truth From the great assembly.<\/p>\n

11 Do not withhold Your tender mercies from me, O Lord; Let Your lovingkindness and Your truth continually preserve me.<\/p>\n

12 For innumerable evils have surrounded me; My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up; They are more than the hairs of my head; Therefore my heart fails me.<\/p>\n

13 Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me; O Lord, make haste to help me!<\/p>\n

14 Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion Who seek to destroy my life; Let them be driven backward and brought to dishonor Who wish me evil.<\/p>\n

15 Let them be confounded because of their shame, Who say to me, “Aha, aha!”<\/p>\n

16 Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; Let such as love Your salvation say continually,” The Lord be magnified!”<\/p>\n

17 But I am poor and needy; Yet the Lord thinks upon me. You are my help and my deliverer; Do not delay, O my God.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Forty…<\/span><\/h3>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t
In late 1983, the Irish rock band U2 were in the Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin putting the finishing touches on their third album,\u00a0 “War.”\u00a0 It was an album filled with the outrage, heartache, and lament over the violence then tearing apart Northern Ireland.<\/span><\/p>\n

It had been a rough session.\u00a0 Their producer had pushed the young band to the limit, forcing the lead singer, Bono, to sing until his throat bled.\u00a0 They had nine tracks recorded.\u00a0 Then needed one more for an album.\u00a0 At 6:00 in the morning, they only had one hour left in the session.<\/span><\/p>\n

The band members began to improvise around some favorite chords and a melody took shape.\u00a0 For lyrics, Bono turned to a familiar source of inspiration… He opened up his Bible to the Psalms.\u00a0 His eyes fell on Psalm 40.\u00a0 With the words of the psalmist in his head, that last track,\u00a0 known as “40” was created in 40 minutes (Click\u00a0Here<\/span><\/a> for video)….<\/span><\/p>\n

I waited patiently for the Lord, He inclined and\u00a0 heard my cry.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

He brought me up out of the pit, Out of the miry clay.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

I will sing,\u00a0 sing a new song… How long to sing this song?<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

You set my feet upon a rock, You made my foot steps firm.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Many will see, Many will see and hear.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

I will sing, sing a new song… How long to sing this song?<\/span><\/em><\/p><\/div><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

The sermon focused on verses one and two of Psalm 40…<\/p>\n

One:\u00a0 I Wait Patiently…<\/span><\/h3>\n

The U2 song, and Psalm 40,\u00a0 balances the idea of patience with urgency.\u00a0 It begins with patience:<\/p>\n

\n

“I waited patiently for the Lord.”<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

This phrase is hotly debated in academic circles, and many different translations have been offered to more accurately reflect what the Hebrew actually says here.\u00a0 After all, the writer is mired in a bog, stuck in a desolate pit- the serene English translation- “I waited patiently” – doesn’t seem to quite fit.\u00a0 Here are some other translations…<\/p>\n