Pray Your Way Out of the Pit (A Journey Through Psalm 40)

Many things in life can lead us to the bottom of a pit—from challenging circumstances to problems of our own making—but in the end, it doesn’t really matter how we got there. What matters is we have a God who can always lift us out.

Read these verses of the Bible on how David teaches us how to pray our way out of any murky pit.

Step one: Admit to God that you need his help.

Psalm 40:1-2 NIrV
I was patient while I waited for the LORD. He turned to me and heard my cry for help. [2] I was sliding down into the pit of death, and he pulled me out. He brought me up out of the mud and dirt. He set my feet on a rock. He gave me a firm place to stand on. 

Step two: Remember how God has moved in the past.

Psalm 40:3-6 NIrV
[3] He gave me a new song to sing. It is a hymn of praise to our God. Many people will see and have respect for the LORD. They will put their trust in him. [4] Blessed is the person who trusts in the LORD. They don’t trust in proud people. Those proud people worship statues of gods. [5] LORD my God, no one can compare with you. You have done many wonderful things. You have planned to do these things for us. There are too many of them for me to talk about. 

Step three: Surrender your will to God because he is good.

Psalm 40:6-8 NIrV
[6] You didn’t want sacrifices and offerings. You didn’t require burnt offerings and sin offerings. You opened my ears so that I could hear you and obey you. [7] Then I said, “Here I am. It is written about me in the book. [8] My God, I have come to do what you want. Your law is in my heart.” 

Step four: Pray about how your experience could help others.

Psalm 40:9-10 NIrV
[9] I have told the whole community of those who worship you. I have told them what you have done to save me. LORD, you know that I haven’t kept quiet. [10] I haven’t kept to myself that what you did for me was right. I have spoken about how faithful you were when you saved me. I haven’t hidden your love and your faithfulness from the whole community. 

Step five: Take responsibility for your own sins and ask for forgiveness.

Psalm 40:11-13 NIrV
[11] LORD, don’t hold back your mercy from me. May your love and faithfulness always keep me safe. [12] There are more troubles all around me than I can count. My sins have caught up with me, and I can’t see any longer. My sins are more than the hairs of my head. I have lost all hope. [13] LORD, please save me. LORD, come quickly to help me. 

Step six: Trust God to have your back.

Psalm 40:14-16 NIrV
[14] Let all those who are trying to kill me be put to shame. Let them lose their way. Let all those who want to destroy me be turned back in shame. [15] Some people make fun of me. Let them be shocked when their plans fail. [16] But let all those who seek you be joyful and glad because of what you have done. Let those who count on you to save them always say, “The LORD is great!” 

Step seven: Leave it in God’s hands.

Psalm 40:17 NIrV
[17] But I am poor and needy. May the Lord be concerned about me. You are the God who helps me and saves me. You are my God, so don’t wait any longer.