HE LIFTED ME

        Psalm 40:1-4a "I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. 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. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord. Blessed is the man that maketh the Lord his trust."  I can't say that I have ever had the actual experience of physically being stuck in deep mud or in quicksand, but it must be a terrible experience.  And the sense of relief after being rescued must be an amazing feeling.  But if you've experienced being lifted out of the depths of sin and being given new life and hope and purpose, then you have experienced something even greater.  And I love the part of these verses that says we have been given a new song, a song of praise, and we are blessed.  What a tremendous testimony.  It may have been the personal experience of these verses that led Charles Gabriel to publish this hymn, a song of praise, in 1905. "From sinking sand He lifted me,with tender hand He lifted me; From shades of night to plains of light, oh, praise His Name, He lifted me!"  At 15, inspired by Civil War songs he had heard, young Gabriel announced that when he grew up he wanted to be a songwriter and he was encouraged to do so by his mother. He thought of melodies during the day when he was plowing and planting, and then wrote them down at night after his chores were finished.  The family had a small reed organ, and also acquired a piano when Gabriel was 14. When Gabriel was 16, his father died, and the teenager followed in his footsteps as a singing-school teacher. He left home the next year, and taught singing for the next several 10 to 15 years.  Gabriel's first hymn was published in 1873. In 1877, his songbook, "Gabriel's Sabbath School Songs," was published. His first "hit" was "Send the Light" (1890).  He is said to have written and or composed between 7,000 and 8,000 songs.  While this particular song was written over a century ago, the truth still exists in today's world.  People are caught in the miry bog of sin, in despair, with no hope.  They need to be lifted out and placed on the solid rock.  Jesus, with His tender hands, is still the only one who can do that. He is still in the business of saving the lost. If you haven't ever experienced this, then put your trust in Him today and by His grace He will lift you out and place you on the solid rock.  And if you have done that, then live each day with that song of praise He has put within your heart.  "Oh praise His Name, He lifted me."

1. In loving-kindness Jesus came,

My soul in mercy to reclaim,

And from the depths of sin and shame

Through grace He lifted me.

From sinking sand He lifted me,

With tender hand He lifted me;

From shades of night to plains of light,

Oh, praise His Name, He lifted me!

2. He called me long before I heard,

Before my sinful heart was stirred,

But when I took Him at His word,

Forgiv'n, He lifted me.

From sinking sand He lifted me,

With tender hand He lifted me;

From shades of night to plains of light,

Oh, praise His Name, He lifted me!

3. His brow was pierced with many a thorn,

His hands by cruel nails were torn,

When from my guilt and grief, forlorn,

In love He lifted me.

From sinking sand He lifted me,

With tender hand He lifted me;

From shades of night to plains of light,

Oh, praise His Name, He lifted me!

4. Now on a higher plane I dwell,

And with my soul I know 'tis well;

Yet how or why, I cannot tell,

He should have lifted me.

From sinking sand He lifted me,

With tender hand He lifted me;

From shades of night to plains of light,

Oh, praise His Name, He lifted me!

Here are two different versions of this song for your enjoyment.  Sing along!      
LISTEN 1

LISTEN 2