Psalm 40 - 7 Day Devotional - Day 5

Psalm 40:11–13 By Raschelle Smith Clare 

“As for you, O Lord, you will not restrain your mercy from me;

your steadfast love and your faithfulness will ever preserve me!

For evils have encompassed me beyond number;

my iniquities have overtaken me, and I cannot see;

they are more than the hairs of my head;

my heart fails me.

Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me!

O Lord, make haste to help me!”

Last year, I was asked to share my testimony at Psalm 40. I felt a deep peace about saying yes, even though standing on a stage is one of the hardest things for me. I am naturally shy and timid, yet I was eager to follow the Lord’s leading—even into something I had never done before.

As I prepared to share, I prayed that someone in the audience who did not yet know the Lord would hear of His goodness and be encouraged. I prayed that my story would point others to the mercy and unfailing love of God.

Psalm 40:11 says, “You will not restrain your mercy from me; your steadfast love and your faithfulness will ever preserve me.” I have experienced that preservation personally. Even when I felt weak, fearful, or unsure, His mercy did not leave me.

Following Jesus requires faith. It requires stepping into the unknown. Jeremiah 2:2 says, “I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed me in the wilderness, in a land not sown.” There is something beautiful about following Him into places that feel unfamiliar or barren, trusting that He goes before you.

After sharing my testimony in church, the Lord began stirring something deeper in my heart. He led me—not out of my own ambition or idea—but clearly led me to start a new YouTube channel where people could share their testimonies of faith in Him. I once worked in the online world as a beauty content creator, but this time the assignment was different. This time, it was about making Jesus known.

For eight months, I ran.

I didn’t tell anyone I was running. I would say I was “busy” or “resting in the Lord,” but deep down I knew I was hesitating. I told the Lord, “I’m not ready—but I’m willing.” Even though He had clearly led me to begin this new channel, fear kept holding me back from fully stepping into obedience.

Every time I filmed someone else sharing their testimony, I would be deeply encouraged by how boldly they spoke of the Lord. Yet when it came time for me to share my own story publicly, I felt paralyzed. I forgot who goes before me.

Psalm 40:12 says, “My iniquities have overtaken me… my heart fails me.” I know what it feels like for fear to overtake me. I know what it feels like for my heart to fail.

But Psalm 40 does not end there.

God’s steadfast love and faithfulness preserve us.

The Lord placed Romans 10:14–15 on my heart repeatedly. I saw it over and over again. I knew He was telling me it was time to go and share the gospel. 

14. How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?

15. And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

My story includes painful and messy parts. It is not polished. But it ends with hope. It ends with joy. It ends with grace—and it is still being written. It is a story of redemption.

When I finally said yes, the Lord gave me a voice I didn’t know I had. He gave me courage when I felt weak. He gave me words when I thought I couldn’t speak. And through sharing what He has done in my life, I experienced a freedom I cannot explain.

Revelation 12:11 reminds us, “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.”

The Lord truly goes before us. I had nothing to fear. Though my sins once felt countless—more than the hairs of my head—He has forgiven me. He has shown me amazing grace. And His mercy continues to sustain me.