Inclined to Me

I felt a few days ago the Lord prompt me to spend some quality time with the 40th Psalm. So, I've been reading it, and quite frankly, hadn't found much that caught my attention... until today.

The first verse of the Psalm had been the one that, so far, had spoken to me most. I've been writing about some of the troubles I've had with patience lately, so this may not come as a surprise to any regular readers. Here is the verse from the NIV, the translation I've been reading:

"I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry." Psalms 40:1 (NIV)

Well, tonight, I decided to get serious and pulled out some more heavy-duty study materials. Then I read the verse for the first time in the KJV:

"I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry." Psalms 40:1 (KJV)

Well, for any who are familiar with some of my study habits, you may be able to predict what jumped out at me. The difference between the Lord "turning to" and "inclining unto" caught my attention, and I started to dig into the original language.

And what a treasure I found!

The word translated as both turned and inclined is a relatively common word in the Bible; it appears 215 in the Old Testament. The first rough translation of the word is to stretch out. It implies stretching out toward or extending in the direction of something or, in this case, someone. Here is part of what I found in Vine's Expository Dictionary: "This is a figure of God's active, sovereign, and mighty involvement in the affairs of men. So this phrase means "to stretch out" something until it reaches a goal." I don't know about you, but I love that word picture!

When God told Moses to stretch out his staff over Egypt, this was the same word. For me, that association brings a new sense of power. I think I sensed in the English, a gentle nurturing turn. And that is also implied in the language, a turning toward without a specific thing or person to reach...just a coming closer (metaphorically). But when you add in some of the additional context, it also shows that this word is meant to convey power and authority...His active presence.

With this context, it makes perfect sense that the following two verses talk about God lifting the Psalmist from the mire and giving him such a firm foundation that he is prompted into songs of praise! The second and third verse:

"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. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord." Psalms 40:2-3 (NIV)

Then, for me, the fourth verse really hits it home:

"Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods." Psalms 40:4 (NIV)

In recent years, I have had many false gods in my life exposed: relationship, priorities, activities, things, roles and personae that weren't inherently bad in and of themselves, but were sin as I let them edge into a space between my heart and the Lord. I have spent years and years weeding my garden of trust. I am still on a journey to keep the soil completely clear of anything but His amazing Spirit. The more He IS my trust, the more life is what, deep down, I'd always thought it was "supposed to" be, and what I'd tried to make it through so many false idols of my past.

I am SO grateful for a God who does not only turn to give me a slight bit of attention in my times of trial, but who also will extend Himself toward me to accomplish His purposes in my life and heart. Love is an action, and His powerful action is love exemplified and demonstrated in a way my mind can barely begin to contain! What a wonderful thing!