The phrase “set my feet upon a rock” comes from Psalm 40:2, which says “He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.” This powerful verse speaks to the Lord’s deliverance and stabilization of those who trust in Him.
To fully understand the meaning of this verse, it’s important to look at the context. Psalm 40 begins with David praising God for lifting him out of a pit and setting his feet securely on a rock. He had been waiting patiently for the Lord through difficult circumstances. David had cried out to God for help, and God heard his cry and intervened (Psalm 40:1).
By setting David’s feet on a rock, the Lord provided him with stability and security after a time of feeling like he was sinking down into the mud and mire of challenging situations. Rocks or large stones represent something solid, steady, and unshifting. A rock provides a firm foundation to stand on. You can have confidence that you’ll be secure and not sliding around if your feet are firmly planted on a rock.
The rock the psalmist is referring to is the Lord Himself. God is often described as a rock in Scripture (Deuteronomy 32:4, Psalm 18:2). He is reliable, strong, unchanging, and faithful. The Lord provides a firm foundation for life, especially in the midst of turmoil and difficulty. Trusting in Him brings stability when all else feels uncertain.
Some key truths we can take from this verse:
- God can lift us up even from the deepest pit of despair or difficult circumstances.
- He provides redemption and hope, even when we feel stuck and unable to help ourselves.
- The Lord alone can steady our steps when we feel like we are on shaky ground.
- Trusting Him fully brings security and stability in this wobbly world.
- God Himself is the solid rock on which we can stand firm.
For the believer, this verse is an incredible promise. No matter what swampy bog or muddy pit we may find ourselves in, God is able to reach down, take hold of us, and lift us up to the firm foundation of Himself. We can plead with Him to intervene, and He will come to our aid. He will establish our way as we keep our focus on Him.
1. The meaning of “the pit”
In Psalm 40:2 David refers to being lifted up out of “the pit of destruction.” Pits were often used in biblical times as traps to catch animals. They would be dug out and camouflaged so that an unsuspecting animal would fall in and not be able to get out. The animal would be trapped there, helpless and unable to deliver itself.
David uses this metaphor of being trapped in a pit to describe where he had found himself emotionally, mentally, spiritually, or circumstantially before God intervened. He felt stuck, overwhelmed, hopeless, and unable to help himself. It was like being immobilized in a deep, dark pit with no way out.
Have you ever felt like you were in a pit, unable to see light and unable to move? Consider some examples from Scripture of individuals who were in “pits” of various kinds:
- Joseph was thrown in a literal pit by his brothers before being sold into slavery (Genesis 37:24).
- Jeremiah was thrown into an empty cistern, sinking down into the mud (Jeremiah 38:6).
- Jonah was trapped in the belly of a fish, surrounded by ocean depths (Jonah 2).
- King David felt immobilized by his unconfessed sin with Bathsheba (Psalm 32:3-4).
In each case, the individual cried out to the Lord, and He answered their prayer for deliverance. God reached down into the pit and rescued them. He lifted them out of the miry clay and placed their feet on a solid rock.
The psalmist uses this vivid imagery to illustrate how God can provide stability in the life of a believer, even when they have found themselves paralyzed in a pit of hopelessness or defeat.
2. Themeaning of being “set upon a rock”
After describing being lifted up out of the pit, David says the Lord “set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.” Being placed on an unmoving rock represents new-found stability, safety, and security.
In David’s day, rocks provided a safe place of refuge. Ancient Israelite fortresses were built upon large rock foundations. Having your feet firmly planted on a rock meant you were now standing on firm ground and provided with protection and defense.
The solid rock also points to God Himself and His steadfast presence. Since rocks do not move or change, they denote a source of support that will not shift. Deuteronomy 32:4 calls God the “Rock, his work is perfect.” David proclaims in Psalm 18:2 that “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer.”
Samuel, in 1 Samuel 2:2 states “there is no rock like our God.” By setting David’s feet on a rock, the Lord provided an unshakeable foundation on which David could stand firm.
Once our feet are planted on the solid ground of God’s presence, we no longer need to fear slipping or stumbling. The rock gives us confidence that we will not be moved. As David said, he could now walk forward with “secure steps.”
This rock imagery offers great comfort and assurance to all believers. God is our rock of refuge and deliverer. Even when we feel trapped and helpless in a pit, He can reach down, pull us up, and establish us once again on secure ground.
3. The Lord as our sure foundation
The idea of God as a rock foundation is found throughout Scripture. Here are some examples:
- “Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.” (Isaiah 26:4)
- “For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God?” (Psalm 18:31)
- “The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer.” (Psalm 18:2)
- “He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.” (Psalm 62:6)
These verses showcase that those who trust in the Lord need not fear being moved or overthrown. God provides a completely secure and unfailing foundation for life and faith.
Jesus also used this rock imagery to describe the security of building one’s life on His words. In Matthew 7:24-25, He says, “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.”
No matter what storms may come, a life rooted in Christ and founded on Scripture will stand strong. God is a rock that cannot be moved or shaken by anything we face.
Some other verses to consider on God as a sure foundation:
- “Your promise revives me; it comforts me in all my troubles, because your word has restored the joy of your salvation in me.” (Psalms 119:50)
- “My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him.” (Psalms 62:1)
Standing firm on the rock-solid foundation of God’s character brings revival, comfort, and rest for our souls. His steadfast presence stabilizes us amidst life’s troubles. We can be assured the Lord will keep our feet firmly planted on secure ground as we trust in Him.
4. God’s deliverance and redemption
In the first half of Psalm 40, David reflects on how the Lord has delivered and redeemed him. He waited patiently for God’s help, and the Lord finally responded to his cry and lifted him out of the pit (Psalm 40:1-2).
This demonstrates that while God sometimes allows His people to walk through dark valleys, He will come through for them at just the right time. As David waited on the Lord, he gained new perspective and learned to rely completely on God rather than himself.
Psalm 40:3 describes how God put a “new song” in David’s mouth – one of praise and thanksgiving for the marvelous way He rescued and redeemed David. God had turned his wailing into joyful dancing (verse 3). The Lord puts our feet on higher ground and revives our soul when we wait on Him (Psalm 40:1-3).
In verses 4-5, David passes along some lessons he learned through this experience:
- Blessed are those who make the Lord their trust.
- The Lord’s wonders and thoughts toward us cannot be numbered.
- God’s mighty deeds on our behalf are innumerable.
Though David felt trapped and abandoned for a time, the Lord proved faithful. He delivered David and transformed his despair into rejoicing. The rocks under his feet represented redemption and new life from a God who alone could save him.
5. Patiently waiting for God’s deliverance
A key aspect of Psalm 40 is that David had to patiently wait for God’s deliverance. Though he cried out, God did not instantly rescue him from the pit. David persevered in hope that God would ultimately act. Psalm 40:1 notes that he “waited patiently” for the Lord.
Though we always want God’s help and answers to come quickly, divine deliverance operates on God’s timeline, not ours. Waiting allows our faith to be tested and refined. In the pits of life, we are driven closer to God in dependence on Him.
Consider biblical examples of those who had to wait patiently for God’s rescue:
- Abraham waited decades for the promised son (Genesis 18).
- Joseph waited years in slavery and prison before rising to power (Genesis 37-41).
- Moses waited 40 years in the wilderness before God called him to lead Israel (Exodus 2-3).
- Job waited and persevered through great loss before God restored him (Book of Job).
Learning to wait on the Lord with hope and trust is key. We can take comfort that God does hear our cries for help. Though deliverance may not come as quickly as we desire, He will act. He promises to lift us up and place our feet on higher ground in His perfect timing.
6. Trusting God through the unknown
Waiting for God requires trusting Him in the unknown. We don’t know how or when God will move to change our circumstances. But we see in Psalm 40 that David relied on what he did know to be true about God’s character.
Though David felt trapped in the pit, he knew God to be his rock and redeemer. He had a history with the Lord’s faithfulness to lean on. David understood God’s unmatched power and mercy toward those who seek Him. So he waited, expectant that God would intervene.
When our view is confined only to the pit we are in, it is easy to grow despondent and despair. But digging into biblical truths about God’s nature equips us to trust Him in the darkness. Reflecting on His past rescue and redemption stories builds hope.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 provides inspiration for trusting God through unknown wait times:
So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
Keeping an eternal perspective and looking to God’s unseen hand at work enables patient waiting. His timing and ways are perfect, even when we can’t trace them. We can have full confidence that at the right moment, He will lift us up onto unshakeable rock.
7. Crying out to God in desperate times
One lesson we learn in Psalm 40 is that God hears our cries to Him, and He responds. Though David felt forgotten in the pit, he continued calling out to the Lord. Psalm 40:1 notes that God “heard my cry.” Our desperate prayers in dark times are not unnoticed by heaven.
Consider biblical examples of crying out to God during desperate times of need:
- Hagar cried to God in the wilderness, and He heard her affliction (Genesis 16:11).
- Samson cried out to God when he was trapped in a Philistine temple, and God answered by toppling the pillars (Judges 16:28-30).
- Jonah prayed desperately inside the belly of a fish, and God delivered him (Jonah 2:2-10).
- Peter cried out to Jesus as he began drowning, and Jesus lifted him up (Matthew 14:30).
We should never hesitate to cry out sincerely and honestly to God, even from the darkest, most hopeless-seeming pit. Our heartfelt prayers activate heavenly forces on our behalf. God is never deaf to our despair.
Psalm 34:17 declares God’s closeness and attentiveness to the righteous when they cry out: “When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.” Our part is to wait patiently and hopefully, trusting God to lift us up in His perfect timing.
8. God performing wonders and mighty deeds
When God drags us out of impossible pits and stabilizes our steps on higher ground, He often does so through miraculous demonstrations of power and might. This is part of what Psalm 40 refers to as God’s “wonders” and “mighty deeds” on behalf of those who trust in Him (verses 4-5).
Though we do not always understand the full extent of God’s wonders, we can look back and give testimony to how He has miraculously intervened on our behalf. Here are some examples:
- God sent pestilence, hail, and darkness as mighty deeds against Pharaoh to deliver Israel from Egypt (Exodus 7-12).
- The Lord showed His might by toppling the walls of Jericho for Joshua and Israel to conquer (Joshua 6).
- God performed wonders such as opening the wombs of Hannah and Sarah and dividing the Red Sea (1 Samuel 1, Genesis 21, Exodus 14).
- Jesus miraculously healed multitudes and defeated death through resurrection.
The same God who performed such awe-inspiring acts on behalf of His people stands ready to work wonders in our lives. Though His methods are mysterious, we can trust that He will intervene with perfect might when the time is right.
Psalm 40:5 says God’s wonders and thoughts toward us cannot even be numbered or counted. We serve an awesome God who delights in showing unparalleled power to deliver those who wait on Him. He earns all praise and honor for this unmatched might and care.
9. Learning to wait on God
In summary, Psalm 40 is a tremendous source of encouragement for learning to wait on God’s deliverance. When we feel trapped in a pit of despair with nowhere to turn, we can remember:
- God hears our cries for help.
- He will lift us up and place us on higher, more stable ground at the right time.
- Waiting deepens trust and refines faith.
- God is always working behind the scenes performing wonders.
- His redemption will come with joyful singing and dancing!
Though pits and miry bogs of life threaten to swallow us, we have the assurance that our feet will again stand firm on the rock of God’s presence. Heredeems us and makes our steps secure. With the psalmist, we can proclaim: “He set my feet upon a rock and gave me a firm place to stand” (Psalm 40:2).
