Bible Study on Psalm 40

Gateshead Bible Study, 20 July 2007

Preliminary notes

As we approach these last two psalms, you may want to recall a few of the things we spoke of in the first study in Ps 1, which was now two months ago. Psalms 40-41 are the conclusion of Book I of the Psalter. As such, they are not haphazardly placed, but in God’s wisdom conclude this portion of his Word in a way suitable for his purposes in this section of Scripture.

Now Ps 40 is a bit unusual, in that it has a section of thanksgiving (vv. 1-10) followed by a somewhat lengthy complaint (vv. 11-17). This feature had critics of the recent past arguing that Ps 40 is actually two separate Psalms pasted together. But thankfully, this has been rejected: the lexigraphical and thematic unity of this Psalm leaves no doubt that it is one composition. As to why the Holy Spirit chose to compose the Psalm with this feature, that is a matter to keep in mind as we study. 

v. 1 I waited patiently for the LORD (ESV, AV, NKJ)

Some language issues to mention on this. A better translation might be ‘I waited expectantly’. On tiptoes waiting, rather than finger twiddling waiting. Also, the Hebrew idiom here is an infinitive absolute. To really intensify a verb like ‘to wait’, they said the verb twice, so its ‘waitingly I waited.’ This is the height of expectant waiting, the kind of waiting that ought properly to be given only to the LORD. The word was first used by Jacob, in his last words to his sons, right after some harsh words regarding the posterity of his son Dan, in Gen 49:18, he said ‘I wait for your salvation, O LORD.’ The teaching here is that we ought to seek our salvation from everything that ails us from God, that we ought to do it expecting to receive of his infinite goodness, and we ought not to lose hope after a few days of doing so.

HE inclined to me, and heard my cry. And the expectation was not disappointed, because it was rightly placed in the LORD. Remember the covenant implications of the divine name; this is not just a natural man calling on his creator, but one who is in covenant with the LORD, and the LORD takes upon himself the responsibility to care for and protect his covenant children.

The ‘hearing’ which the Lord heard him is in the sense of ‘pay heed to’. God hears everyone and everything, but he does not necessarily hear everyone, only those in faith relationship with him.

v.2 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.

The pit here is not the usual word for the place of the dead, Sheol, but rather seems to paint a picture of a common but dangerous geographical feature of the ANE: the open cistern.

If you know anything about Jonathan Edwards, you may know he preached the hellfire sermon called ‘Sinners in the hands of an angry God’. Who knows what his text was? It was Deut 32:35, part of the song of Moses. ‘Not vengeance is mine, and recompense’, but the other part that says ‘Their foot shall slip in due time; For the day of their calamity is at hand, And the things to come hasten upon them.'’ We may not think too much about our feet slipping, but imagine a time where walking (whether on foot or beast) was the sole means of transportation, their sandals were a far cry from hiking boots, the terrain was often slippery or uneven, and the land was sparsely populated. If you slipped and broke your ankle out somewhere, it could be the end of you. This uncertainty, this lurking danger waiting to happen at any moment, was what Edwards picked up on to warn the wicked—they had nothing but very uncertain footing standing between them and the pit of eternal hell. But this immanent falling specifically does not apply to God’s people. It says here he will ‘set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.’ It is no coincidence that one of the names for Christ is ‘rock’, as a place of safety and security.

In a secondary sense, this verse seems to be prophetic of Jeremiah’s troubles, and subsequent rescue in Jer 38, recalled in Lam 3:55. 

v.3 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.

The old song David was singing was a song of lament or complaint as we have numerous examples of in the Psalms. But now God has changed his tune, he sings something more appropriate to rejoice in the LORD’s goodness to him, he sings a new song. Of course, in David’s case, the new song might very well have consisted of this new psalm he was composing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Also, we notice that this term ‘new song’ is seen again in Rev 14:3: no one could learn that new song except the redeemed. This could be because the words themselves are hidden to natural men, as is the Word of God generally, or because the deeply joyful heart that needed to sing the song is never to be found among the condemned.  Regardless, ‘singing a new song’ is the unique privilege of God’s people. And we should never be reticent to give God his due with our voices.

Now why will many who see this situation ‘fear’?  Well, some think it could be fearful fear in the usual sense of the word today. David’s enemies, who were hoping to see him defeated by his difficulties, are now going to fear his return to strength. But the verse goes on to say, ‘and put their trust in the LORD’. They see the great salvation that God is capable of, they see that he is faithful to his people, and they ‘fear’ the LORD in the biblical sense, which is a worshipful and submissive respect due to a sovereign (like say the sailors in Jonah), and they too put their trust in him. This is why we should not unduly hide our adversities from the people around us. It may be that the way God brings them to Himself is through watching us in our troubles, and seeing the wonderful way that God deals with us.

v. 4 Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie!

Now here we recall the beginning of Book I, in Ps 1 ‘blessed is the man,’ said again here. But there it was ‘ashrey ha ish’ ‘man’ being the common word for man. But here the word is geber, the word for man in his strength and power. David was most definitely a geber himself, and he knew the temptations such men have to trust what they see, to trust in themselves, and other prideful men. But he also knew that a man’s strength is fleeting and untrustworthy. As his recent experience has just confirmed to him, the blessed man makes the LORD his confidence.  

v. 5. You have multiplied, O LORD my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told.

David’s recent incident in which he witnessed God’s wonderful works, is simply one of an infinite series of such works. The creation itself is evidence of God’s wonderful works (Ps 19), they are written throughout the pages of Scripture, and our own lives are filled with them. They are ultimately more than can be told, as John said in his Gospel of the many things Jesus did, that ‘the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.’ (John 21:25) But John said that these things were written that we might believe. Just so, though we do not have a record of everything God has ever done for every believer that has ever lived, or even everything that he did for David, we do have this, and this is indeed written so that we might believe, that we might put our full trust and confidence in his ability to save.

And it is not just God’s actions, but also his thoughts toward us that David considers. Now actions are of course indications of thoughts. And it is amazing to think of the thoughts, the care, the wisdom, the complex planning, that God must have had towards us when we consider his works.

And of course, we once again have the duty to proclaim what God has done for us to others. It is the least we can do.

v. 6 Sacrifice and offering you have not desired, but you have given me an open ear. Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required.

An offhanded reading of this would imply that David has just rejected the whole OT sacrificial system. But that system was ordained by God, David was God’s anointed king charged with ensuring it continued, and he was writing under the Holy Spirit. So it doesn’t mean that. The ‘not’ here is in the sense of ‘not primarily’. The sacrificial system was for the purpose of establishing the reality of the need for atonement, and all the types Jesus would eventually fulfil. And in that sense, God was pleased that they were carried out obediently. But God was not really pleased by these things in themselves, that was not the true object of his desire. What he desires, then and now, is that we would come with open and receptive ears to his Word.

vv. 7-8 Then I said, "Behold, I have come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me: I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart."

The primary sense here probably refers to the instructions for kings given in God’s law, such as in Deut 17. The king is told to make a copy of the law for himself, that he might meditate in it and be obedient to it. David says he does this to the extent that he has internalised the law, which is of course one of the great marks of the new covenant, wherein the law will be written on the hearts of believers. This is the work of the Holy Spirit. By the way, if the law has the low status some evangelicals give it, why would it be a mark of gospel times to have it written on our hearts? God’s moral law is the expression of his own holy character, and it is something to be adored as well as embraced.

This verse quoted in Heb 10:5-7, along with the previous verse, and given a Messianic interpretation by the writer of Hebrews, so it is no doubt Messianic. The sense is the contrast between the temporary an unsatisfying nature of the sacrificial system which Christ came to abolish, and the completely satisfying and permanent nature of Christ’s atonement, which consisted of his entire life of obedience as well as his suffering. The heart of the matter was at all times submission to the Father’s will, a refusal to make his own program, even as the Son of God. Note also that of course, Christ came according to the Scriptures, according to prophecy. That fact that he was not recognized by the people who had the scrolls in their hands was a source of rebuke to them. They should have read and understood what was written of the Messiah.

v. 9-10 I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation; behold, I have not restrained my lips, as you know, O LORD. I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart; I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness from the great congregation.

Going back to what we have seen to be really a theme of this Psalm, David speaks of his fulfilling his obligation to tell people about what God has done for him. The implication is very strong here that he had done what he was supposed to, that anything less would have been sinful, and he is vindicating himself before God—you know I did what I needed to do. In this case, the great congregation was probably some kind of assembly of the people of Israel, whether of the temple of elsewise. For us, though we do not always have the opportunity to tell of our specific experiences personally in the worship service, we can sing Psalms like this one, which very much express the reality of what God has done for us, and our emotional response to it. Which of us cannot relate to what David has been expressing here? So we get to fulfil our obligations in worship. Reminder that the worship material we use, whether the Psalms themselves or paraphrases of Scripture, should seek to include that which will allow people to fulfil their solemn duty before God to express such things in worship. Perhaps there is also a legitimate place for occasional times of testimony during a midweek service, such as there are in the highlands.      

‘Lovingkindness and truth’, hesed wa emit, is one of the most important stock phrases of the OT. It’s specifically covenantal language. Any sovereign ruler in the ANE, especially an overlord or great king who held sway over other nations, was entitled to hesed from his subjects and was supposed to give it. When the people were in danger, they could call upon the king for help, and the king, out of his hesed, out of his covenant love, would deliver them. For their part, hesed entailed that they would render heartfelt and loyal service as their lord might dictate. Because of the peculiarity of this term, some now leave it untranslated. But if we do translate it, I like to translate it covenant love. The idea is an enduring, multi-generational love given under the stipulations of a lasting covenant. I mentioned that the stock phrase was hesed wa emit, the second word means faithfulness, a complimentary attribute pointing to the rock solid reliability of the Lord. Now hesed was of differing qualities as we read in Hosea 6; Israel’s hesed was like the dew or morning mist: superficial and ephemeral. But as David points out here the Lord’s hesed was very different. The situation that David just described was precisely a testimony of the Lord’s perfect hesed wa emit. And this is something that deserves to be declared among the people.

v. 11 As for you, O LORD, you will not restrain your mercy from me; your steadfast love and your faithfulness will ever preserve me!

This is the beginning of the section that some critics blindly following the dictates of literary criticism thought was an entirely different composition. However, the continuity of thought is quite clear. David has been testifying of the Lord’s history of faithfulness to him and is now looking forward to future continuation of the same. I mentioned that hesed implies a covenant relationship, but the overlord is never in the situation of granting this out of pure necessity or constraint: the Lord’s good favour to David, and to us, is matter of pure grace. Therefore, even though there is nothing more certain than that the Lord’s covenant love or lovingkindness will in deed continue for all eternity, yet we are right to pray that it will in fact continue in our situation. 

v. 12  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.

This verse indicates the nature of the troubles that often come to believers. They include not only unfavourable circumstances, but also an awareness that they may well be consequences of our own inexcuseable sin. David’s words imply a frank confession of his guilt of sin and of the justice of the consequences that have come against him. Notice also that David’s state is such that he cannot ‘see’ or ‘look up’; things are so bad as to make it difficult for him to keep perspective, as it was for Job.

v. 13 Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me! O LORD, make haste to help me!

As we had said regarding v. 11, God is under no compulsion to help David or anyone else. He is calling on the LORD, using his covenant name, requesting (in the imperative) that he be pleased to help. He doesn’t soft-pedal his need, or light of the very serious situation he was in—in fact he says make haste to help me—but his prayer to God is phrased in terms of one asking for merciful grace, not for justice due him. This should be our manner of prayer as well.

vv. 14-15 Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether who seek to snatch away my life; let those be turned back and brought to dishonor who desire my hurt! Let those be appalled because of their shame who say to me, "Aha, Aha!"

Verse 14 is closely paralleled in wording and meaning to Psalm 35:4, where it is plain that is was not just David’s sins which troubled him, but that his life was being threatened by his enemies.

Now just because opposition and persecution comes under God’s sovereign permission does not mean that those who do us harm will get away without consequence. Matthew 26:24 says "The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born." It was part of God’s sovereign plan that Judas betray Christ, but both Judas and David’s enemies will indeed be put to shame for their actions. Again, there is no doubt that this justice will be done, for God is just, but yet we pray to God that he would bring justice to this wicked world.

A brief note on imprecation. This may have been said before, but David often speaks as the typological king, saying things of the enemies of God’s kingdom and his anointed that we do not necessarily say of our own personal enemies. And of course, it always belongs to God alone to recompense his enemies, never to us, at least in this life (we are told, of course that we will judge angels, but that is at the resurrection).

The main point of all of this is that not only can we rightly hope that God will rescue us, but also expect that justice will be done on those who do us harm. If such people happen to be of the elect, or if we ourselves were the troubler of God’s people such as with Paul, then that justice will in fact have been done vicariously on Christ. 

v. 16 But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, "Great is the LORD!"

David refers himself to the great end of God’s dealings with his people: is it not to rejoice, to glorify God and enjoy him forever, as the 1st question of the catechism says? The psalmist often speaks as if making arguments for why God should respond to his prayers. These are of course not essentially necessary, but they are part of the rich texture of the Psalms. God will answer because he is pleased to do so, but the precedent of Scripture is that the prayer is often accompanied with justification, such as to defend his name, etc.

But moreover, this is a call to the people to worship in anticipation of all the benefits which we expectantly wait for from him. Notice this phrase ‘those who love your salvation.’ This description is a synonym for the redeemed, we love the source of our salvation and that which results from it. And though our faith has already saved us in one sense, we are still looking for and trusting in the salvation which God will yet provide.

And once again, the invitation, or the command rather, to worship. We ought to be continually saying, Great is the LORD, because its true, and its right to be proclaimed.

v. 17 As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God!

Here’s another somewhat stock phrase of the OT, ‘poor and needy’. In this case, we find it in God’s law in Deuteronomy 24:14 "You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your brothers or one of the sojourners who are in your land within your towns.’ Well, if men are not to be oppressors of the poor and needy, you can be sure that God is not an oppressor of the poor and needy. Rather, in our humbling ourselves before him, and confessing our poor condition brings us into a position of being delivered. Our heartfelt understanding and confession of our spiritual poverty is of course the foundation of true repentance unto life.

And we are indeed in great poverty, but yet the LORD ‘takes thought for me.’ We are very much beneath the LORD, and it should be a source of ongoing amazement that he does stoop from an infinite height to take notice of us. But he does. Our God is not so transcendent that He is unwilling to notice us and intervene in our lives, and nor is he so immanent, so with us in our condition, that he is unable to help. He is both perfectly transcendant and immanent.

And last, we have the confession that the LORD is help and deliverer. This is in the light of who God declares himself to be, in light of what David has already seen, and in light of his confident expectation that he ever will prove to be his help and deliverer. And so it is with us.

PS 41

Just two aspects of Psalm 41 to mention briefly:

1. ‘Blessed is…’, echoing the first verse of Psalm 1.

2. The closing doxology closes off the entire Book I of the Psalter.