Psalms 40:2 - Exposition

He brought me up also out of an horrible pit ; literally, a pit of tumult or uproar , which is variously explained. Some imagine a pit with rushing water at the bottom of it, but such pits are scarcely known in Palestine. Others a pit which is filled with noise as a warrior, with crash of arms and amid the shouts of enemies, falls into it. But pits, though used in hunting, were not employed in warfare. The explanation that שׁאון here is to be taken in the secondary sense of "destruction" or "misery," seems to me preferable. Out of the miry clay (comp. Psalms 69:2 , Psalms 69:14 ). Such "clay "would be frequently found at the bottom of disused cisterns. And set my feet upon a rock ; i.e. upon solid ground, where I had a firm footing. And established my goings ; literally, and make my steps firm (comp. Psalms 17:5 ; Psalms 18:36 ; Psalms 94:18 ).