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I. WHAT THE GRACE OF GOD DELIVERS FROM.

1. A position of degradation — "A pit."

2. A position of misery — "A horrible pit."

3. A position of danger — "The miry clay."

(1)  Insecurity.

(2)  Helplessness.

(3)  Death (Jeremiah 38:9).

II. WHAT THE GRACE OF GOD BRINGS MEN TO.

1. A condition of spiritual elevation — "up."

2. A condition of spiritual stability — "And set my feet upon a rock."

3. A condition of spiritual advancement — "And established my goings."

4. A condition of religious happiness — "And He hath put a new song," etc.

III. IN EFFECTING THIS CHANGE THE DIVINE BEING AND THE SINNER HAVE THEIR DISTINCT PROVINCES TO OCCUPY.

1. The sinner prays — evidencing —

(1)  Deep sense of need.

(2)  Deep consciousness of helplessness.

(3)  Trust in "the mercy and power of God.

2. The sinner waits —

(1)  In earnest expectation.

(2)  In the assurance of help being granted.

3. The Lord inclines His ear and hears the cry.

4. The Lord puts forth His saving power — "He brought me up."

IV. LESSONS.

1. To believers.

(1)  Spiritual elevation no cause for boasting.

(2)  Spiritual stability no cause for self-confidence.

(3)  Spiritual advancement to be carefully maintained.

(4)  Religious happiness to be continued and increased.

2. To unbelievers.

(1)  Yours a position of degradation, misery and danger.

(2)  This position gradually becoming worse.

(3)  Escape is possible by penitential application to God (Hosea 13:9). What a future sinners must have if they remain in the pit! What a future sinners may have if they turn to Christi

(Julius Brigg.)

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KJV: He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.

WEB: He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay. He set my feet on a rock, and gave me a firm place to stand.