A Morning Psalm
Isaac Watts - Based on Psalm 3:1-5, 8
Tune - Just As I Am - William B. Bradbury

1. O Lord, how many are my foes,
In this weak state of flesh and blood!
My peace they daily discompose,
But my defense and hope is God.

2. Tired with the burdens of the day,
To thee I raised an evening cry:
Thou heard'st when I began to pray,
And thine almighty help was nigh.

3. Supported by thine heav'nly aid,
I laid me down, and slept secure:
Not death should make my heart afraid,
Though I should wake and rise no more.

4. But God sustained me all the night:
Salvation doth to God belong;
He raised my head to see the light,
And make his praise my morning song.

*****
Salvation is of the LORD!

Psalm 40:1 “To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. I waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry.”

Psalm 40:2 “He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.”

Psalm 40:3 “And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.”

Let's consider some precious truths contained in these verses:

1. Our state by nature: "An horrible pit," Beloved, we are in a horrible pit. We come into this world dead to the things of God, dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1-3) with no way to get out of the pit of our natural state on our own. The pit is "miry clay" in our text. This type of clay, as you try to climb out is wet clay and crumbles and sticks to you like muck in your hands so you keep sliding back down into the pit.

2. Salvation by Grace alone: "He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay," Only God can bring us out of this state which we are born into. Help must come from above and as the scripture proclaims: "Salvation is of the LORD."(Jonah 2:9). He brings us out of the natural state we were in which is a horrible pit and miry clay with no way to help ourselves!

3. Our standing in Christ: "and set my feet upon a rock.” In our natural state (unbelief), we stand in the sinking sand of our own self-righteousness! For the believer, Christ is the Rock of our salvation; He alone is the Foundation of our faith. He alone is the one Way to the Father; He alone is Savior, He alone is our Redeemer. To the unsaved, He is a rock of offense (Romans 9:33; 1st Peter 2:8) but to His people, He is the Rock of our salvation (1st Corinthians 10:4)!

4. A song of thanksgiving: "And He hath put a new song in my mouth even praise unto our God" Beloved of God, He has given us a new song which flows from a new heart when we are born again by the Holy Spirit of God! We sing a song of praise to our great God and King who is our Savior and our Redeemer, our Lord and our God! (Revelation 5:9)

5. Proclaiming the great things God has done for us: "many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD." Not that we can save anyone (we can't even save ourselves), God saves His sheep as He is pleased; and we who have been saved by His grace, in Christ Jesus our Lord, tell others about the great things God has done for us! (Mark 5:20) Those whom He is pleased to regenerate by the Holy Spirit, grant faith and repentance in Christ to believe, those He gives eyes to see Christ and hear His words... they will trust Him!

Praise His mighty name, “Salvation is of the Lord!”

--Pastor Wayne