(Psa 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.”

In the previous devotion on Psalms 40:1, I talked about “Patiently Waiting on God.” In this second devotion on Psalms 40:1, David informs us that while he was patiently waiting, the Lord “inclined” (Hebrew Wd. nâṭâh naw-taw’ to stretch or spread out; by implication to bend away used in a great variety of applications: – bow (down, -ing), extend, go down, let down, take (aside), turn aside) “unto me, and heard my cry.”

When I read and think about the latter part of this verse, I cannot help but to think first of the awesomeness of God. This world is filled with billions of people, but yet the Psalmist says that the Lord inclined unto him and heard his cry. Now, I am more than sure that David wasn’t the only one going through something when he wrote this Psalm. I also believe that there were others in David’s day, who were crying out to God at the same time that he was; yet David says, “and he heard my cry.”

Child of God, how amazing is it to know that God hears the prayer of His people? And even more so, He hears us all when we cry unto Him, whether all at once or one at a time. What a compassionate and loving heavenly Father we have: (Psa 103:13) “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.”

When the child of God is in times of distress, it is God that they should look to for relief and comfort. God is still on His throne; He is not in some far country; nor is He asleep – but He is active in the affairs of men, especially those that are His.

Our God is a Deliverer; and if you will patiently wait upon Him, then all that mourn will be rejoicing with praise:

(Isa 61:1-3) “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; (2) To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; (3) “To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

Are you in mourning?  God will give “comfort all that mourn”; “to give unto them (those that mourn) beauty for ashes”; and “the oil of joy for mourning.”

Are you in heaviness? God will give “the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness”.

How great is our God? He loves us; and He cares about what we are going through. The thought of knowing that a Sovereign God would bow down, and take me aside, and hear my petition when I cry unto Him is indescribable.