He Keeps Me Singing

"He has put a new song in my mouth--Praise to our God." Psalm 40:3

It was a sunny day in Port-au-Prince, Haiti on January 12, 2010. Sixteen-year-old Darlene Etienne was taking a shower when a magnitude-7.0 earthquake struck and brought down rubble on top of her. For 15 days she was entombed in crumbled concrete and twisted steel. All around her, the city was in ruins, devastated. Desperate family members and trained search teams dug through the debris for survivors but had largely given up hope of finding anyone else alive. Then on January 27, someone heard her faint voice, weakly calling for help through the debris. Soon, a French rescue team was digging her out before hundreds of stunned spectators. One man fed Darlene sweets as rescuers neared her; a throng of neighbors cheered as she was pulled free. She was dehydrated and had a broken left leg but was conscious when she was dragged out of the rubble. She was covered in chalky white dust, her eyes sunken, unfocused. A rescue worker, JP Malaganne, told reporters at the scene that she would not likely have survived even for a few more hours if undiscovered. He described her as happy, shocked and overwhelmed.

"I don't know how she happened to resist that long. It's a miracle," he said.

Darlene is the embodiment of human resilience; someone whose very existence seems utterly impossible. I was captivated by the celebrations in the streets of Port-au-Prince after her rescue.

In Psalms 38-39 David describes in vivid detail a tough period in his life. He talks about his internal struggle, his mistakes, and his sorrows. He talks about being abandoned even by his own family. He fears the attack of his enemies. However, in chapter 40 he says, "I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me and heard my cry."

We can feel his relief in verse 2 as he declares, "He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet upon a rock." Like a man who has been rescued from rubble, David finally felt free.

I love what he says next: "He has put a new song in my mouth--Praise to our God."

David doesn't say, "I created a new song! A song of praise because of my efforts, my wisdom, or my strength!" The song has been "put" there by God. It has not been produced by the frail intentions of man. This new song is a celebration, but he is not arrogantly praising himself. He joyfully acknowledges God's grace and says that this new song is "a song of praise to our God!"

If you are going through a rough time wait patiently for the Lord. May He incline to you and hear your cry. May He put a new song in your mouth so that you can also praise our God.

1
There's within my heart a melody;
Jesus whispers sweet and low,
"Fear not, I am with you, peace, be still,"
in all of life's ebb and flow.

Refrain:
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,
sweetest name I know,
fills my every longing,
keeps me singing as I go.

2
All my life was wrecked by sin and strife,
discord filled my heart with pain,
Jesus swept across the broken strings,
stirred the slumbering chords again.

3
Though sometimes
He leads through waters deep,
trials fall across the way;
though sometimes
the path seems rough and steep,
see His footprints all the way.

4
Feasting on the riches of His grace,
resting 'neath His sheltering wing,
always looking on His smiling face,
that is why I shout and sing.

5
Soon He's coming back to welcome me
far beyond the starry sky;
I shall wing my flight to worlds unknown,
I shall reign with Him on high.

Words and Music by Luther B. Bridgers