Psalm 40:11 "Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me."Oh that this would be the place we walk in where His loving kindness and mercies uphold us and the light of His truth preserves us; this is a place of strength and victory indeed. When mankind tries to walk on his/her own they are weak and stumble but when they are upheld by God then they are strong and embrace the right things (doctrines, attitudes, actions, etc...). Those not upheld by Him are easily led off the path and easily embrace things He does not approve of, they fall into pits and snares and find themselves in peril (although, sadly, I have observed they may not even realize they are in peril because they have so very little regard for His ways). We want to do whatever it takes to have his good favor upon our lives and walk in a fashion that pleases Him so we may enjoy His preservation. I have found experientially and through the study of the scriptures that finding His favor resides in basically two things: 1) Our attitude towards His commandments (which are a reflection of His very own core values) and, 2) Our attitude (and speech) as it relates to others and our own circumstances.
12 "For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me."
This is the thought of calamity and great grief. David was experiencing distress, troubles were besetting him and he was not feeling the hand of God's favor on his life. In fact it was quite the opposite, life itself was becoming a burden to him. This is instructive; while it is true that those who please the Lord enjoy His favor (as David did in most areas of his life), it is possible to enjoy His favor in one area while He is not pleased in another area. We want to meet with God to such an extent that we do only those things which please Him (as Jesus said of His own walk). It is true that ones iniquities can get the better of them and as a result there is an area that is not blessed of God.
"...mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up;"
This is more than just the plague of the sinful flesh, this is an evil spirit that was making David bow to its wishes (the creature was made subject to vanities, not willingly...Rom 8:20). What is my authority for saying this? First of all V:13-14 almost personify his tormentors but also, David is grieved, he is not a willing participant, he is in prayer, he wants things to be different and he is grieved over this moral weakness (the literal definition of iniquity in this sense -Strong's: From H5753; perversity that is (moral) evil: -fault iniquity mischief punishment (of iniquity) sin.). But it is more powerful than he is, it is forcing him to sin against his will.
"...they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me."
This is not, of course, a true statement but rather one that conveys the utter frustration of one who wants to be holy but cannot break the power of sin in their lives.
13 "Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me: O LORD, make haste to help me."
Be pleased O Lord to deliver me! This is a prayer that goes beyond the ceremony of a typical Old Testament relationship with God. It is not liturgical or religious in any way and gives God full credit for the emotions He possesses; let my deliverance be something you desire, something that you are pleased to do. Look down upon me favorably; let my God say yes to this request. This statement realizes that deliverance comes from God and He can be motivated to deliver by asking Him to do something that He is already anxious to do (maybe anxious is not the right word as God does not get anxious as we understand anxiousness, simply meant to illustrate an eagerness on His part). It is one thing to plead with the Lord to change His mind on an issue as Moses who had to plead with the Lord to spare His people because God wanted to destroy them and make of Moses a new nation but here is a prayer that asks simply "Let my prayer be according to something you already want to do!"
I have many times taught on walking in Gods favor because, really, in the end, everything good happens to us according to His favor, what He delights to do because of either our attitude or actions (either we keep His statutes or we manifest portions of His nature through the fruits of the Spirit to others). But we see from this portion of scripture it is possible for a servant of the Lord to have a bondage, an iniquity, which you would assume brings displeasure to the Lord and therefore, would incur His chastisement; but this verse contradicts that theory and says, one (namely, David here) has an iniquity that dominates him, an iniquity that God could not be pleased with and yet he can ask with confidence for God to be pleased to deliver him. As I seek the Lord over this verse I am impressed with the verse in Heb 5:7 KJV "Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;" The secret to this equation is in the attitude of the one seeking deliverance, if one regards iniquity in their heart then the Lord will not be pleased and will not hear them; however, if they cry out against that sin (no matter how long it persists) then they might, as David did, pray with full assurance that God will be pleased to deliver them.
In conclusions, some reading this post today are struggling under the weight of sin. There is a powerful enemy that you have not been able to defeat, it has been a weakness to you. Why not come against it with a renewed fervor and begin to seek the Lord as David did saying "Let my deliverance be something you are pleased to do; let it bring you joy to break this iniquity!" I have observed over the years that some of these sins are sins that have been handed down from generation after generation and they are come upon some believer in this generation. The works of the flesh are one thing, they can be starved and put to death but this is something all together different, it is a spirit that has produced a weakness in a believers life, it is a very real enemy whose power must be broke! Why not come to the Lord if this is where you are at and say, "Dear Lord, be pleased to deliver me that I may serve you with all my heart, all my strength and all my mind".
