I’m Glad He Lifted Me Out

I’ll never forget that day, when I heard the dear Savior say,
I’ll take all your fears away, your troubles and doubts.
My feet were in sinking sand, and I knew that I could not stand,
then I felt His precious hand, as He lifted me out.

Chorus
He lifted me out, of the deep miry clay;
He planted my feet, on the heavenly way.
I’ll tell it where e’er I go, for I want the whole world to know,
I’m glad that He loved me so, that He lifted me out.

I traveled on sin’s broad road, far away from that blest abode,
and bent ‘neath my heavy load, but now I can shout.
For Jesus the Savior came, when I called on His precious name,
He took all my sin and shame, and He lifted me out.

If you are away from God, in the pathway of sin you trod,
let Him be your staff and rod, and turn you about.
From sin He will set you free, and the pathway of life you’ll see,
then just as he did for me, He will lift you right out.

This particular hymn, like many older hymns, is based on a certain passage of Scripture – King James Version of course.  The Scripture reference for this song is found in Psalm 40 verses 1-3 which reads:

I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.

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.

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.

Miry clay is one of those phrases that we may hear in church, but not anywhere else in our lives.  I thought it would be good to compare the translation of “miry clay” from several Bible translations/versions because I think they add some good insight:

NIV – He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire;
NASB – He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay,
The Message – He lifted me out of the ditch, pulled me from deep mud.

There are two things I get from this passage of Scripture and from this great hymn.  The first is that we were in a pit of mud and mire.  We were in the ditch.  It was a horrible pit.  The pit of sin and despair.  The second thing I get from this is that only Jesus could get us out of that pit.  We couldn’t climb out.  We couldn’t work our way out.  We were in despair because we had no hope in ourselves to fix this problem of sin.  But I’m glad today that He lifted me out of that miry clay.  I don’t have to live in despair any longer.  I don’t have to fear the judgment of God.  I have been lifted out, and that is definitely something worth shouting about.

• I felt His precious hand – Have you seen a father walking with a small toddler before?  The Father’s hand is big and strong.  The child’s hand is soft and small.  The Father’s hand gives direction and comfort.  The child’s hand is inquisitive and sometimes rebellious.  In times of distress, however, the child put his hands in the trust of their father’s hand.  The child recognizes that the Father’s hand is truly precious, and I am glad that I felt His precious hand, and I know you are too.

• Sin’s broad road – In Matthew 7:13-14, Jesus said “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.  For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”  The sinful way is full.  It seems our culture finds more and more ways to sin against God and to blaspheme His name.  It is, unfortunately, a broad road that will lead to destruction,  but God has called His people to go through the narrow gate.  That gate that calls for righteous living.  That path that requires a life of self-denial and allegiance to God.  It is a pathway contrary to the world.

• Let Him be your staff and rod – Although I am far from an expert about shepherding, I do know a couple of things about a shepherd’s staff or rod.  The staff was used to protect the sheep from predators.  The staff was used to rescue from trouble – i.e. a sheep that had fallen on a cliff and needed rescue.  But the staff and rod were also used as a corrective instrument.  To prod the sheep when they were heading down the wrong path.  David wrote “Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.”  The rod and staff provides comfort and protection, but also let us know that in times of discipline, He is disciplining us out of love, not out of hate or indifference.  The Bible tells us that the Lord disciplines or chastens those He loves.  I pray that we can recognize the benefits of His staff and rod in our daily lives.

In looking up the different translations of Psalm 40 where “miry clay” is found, I read the first line in the Message version and wanted to highlight it, and comment on it in closing this week.  Verse 1 of Psalm 40 reads “I waited and waited and waited for God. At last he looked; finally he listened.”  Can you sense a little impatience or despair in that translation – waited and waited and waited – at last – finally? 

Have you ever been in that place?  Maybe you are there today.  You have waited….and waited….and waited for God to move in a situation.  You are stuck in a pit and it seems like you will never get out.  Do you know that it is okay to feel that way?  The Psalms are full of honest cries to God from hearts that had been pained with suffering.  How many times do we read in Scripture someone crying out “How long Lord?”  What is great about Psalms like this is that we can relate to the Psalmist when we hurt and are in distress.  But we must also testify with the Psalmist that the Lord hears our cry.  Down deep, we know He does.  He has not left us, but He has heard us and has lifted us.  Out of the miry clay.  Praise His Name!!!