Psalms 40

Psalms 40:1-5

This psalm is a prophecy of Christ, his mediatorial undertaking, the sufferings he underwent, his prayers for support, and the deliverance so obtained. Probably David penned it on some special deliverance of his own, and whilst he was opening his mouth in praise,

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the spirit of prophecy led him on to speak of that Son and Lord of his, to whom much of what he says is only applicable. 1. He begins with recording God’s favour, and describes the character of the truly blessed man, ver. 1—5. 2. He speaks of the Redeemer’s glorious undertaking, ver. 6—10. 3. He prays for himself and all the faithful, ver. 11—17.

¶ To the chief musician, A pfalm of David. ¶ Heb. In writing I wanted. ¶ Pfal. sect., 14. & execut. ¶ Heb. A pot of rock. ¶ Zech. in 11. ¶ PC. exc. 11. ¶ Ibid. in 2. ¶ Joc. and 11. ¶ Ioh. v. 9. ¶ Joc. 10. ¶ Pfal. sect. 2. ¶ P. execut. ¶ 1. Con. ii. ¶ Eph. iii. 18, 19.

1. WAITED patiently for the LORD, and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. 2. He brought me up also out of 2 an horrible pit, ‘out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my gongs. 3. And ‘he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: ‘many shall see it and fear, and shall trust in the LORD. 4. ‘Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust: and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. 5. ‘Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and ’thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, ’they are more than can be numbered.

None ever yet trusted in God, and were confounded. The Pfalmist acknowledges, by blessed experience, that in his deepest distress God had not failed him, I waited patiently on the Lord; though his burden was heavy, and help long delayed, he fainted not, but cried unto God, and God heard and answered him. He brought me up also out of the horrible pit of delipondence, and out of the miry clay, in which he was fast stuck that he could not get out, and let my feet upon a rock, where nothing could shake him, and established my gongs, that no power of evil might be able to turn him aside. Then was his mouth filled with joy; he hath put a new song of praise into my mouth, and from his own case he doubted not but others would be encouraged to exercise the same faith; many shall be it and fear, and shall trust in the Lord, and whoever doth do, renouncing every other confidence, will be found truly blessed and happy, v. 4. Thus Jesus waited on God, when agonizing in the garden, and bleeding on the tree: horrible indeed was the pit in which he lay, when loaded with the guilt of all our iniquities, the pains of hell get hold upon him, but he cried, and God heard him. From the grave he brought him up, raised him to the throne of glory, firm as a rock, and established as the days of eternity. With everlasting joy upon his head, there he reigns; and all his people, renouncing every other hope of righteousness, and every lying vanity which would draw off the fogginess of their eye from him, look to him, trust in him, fear him, and find themselves blessed in so doing. This relieves their delipondence, recieves them from the horrible pit of hell, raises their hearts from melancholy fears to confidence, and changes their voice from mourning to praise; rejoicing in Christ Jesus, in his sufferings, righteousness and glory, and deriving from thence joy unspokable and full of glory.

6. ‘Sacrifice and offering thou shalt not desire, mine ears hast thou opened: burnt-offering and sin-offering hast thou not required. 7. Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me: 8. ‘I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. 9. ‘I have preached ‘righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest. 10. I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart, I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy loving-kindness, and thy truth, from the great congregation.

Psalms 40:6-10

These are the words of the Divine Redeemer, the song of praise put into his mouth, which, as the representative of his redeemed people who are included in him, he offers for the glorious work of redemption. Many and wonderful are the works of God, wonders of creation and prevalence, admirably ordered and disposed with infinite wisdom, all designed for the good of men, and so innumerable, that we are lost in the vast abyss, and know not where to begin or where to end the song of praise: but once more eminent, more transcendently glorious than all the evil, stands forth, and claims peculiar admiration. Great is the work of worlds, spoke into being at a word; great the upholding powers, that still preserves and regulates with wondrous harmony the vast creation; but greater for the vast design and wondrous execution of man’s redemption, by the incarnations, suffocating, and death of God’s eternal Son; and this is here set forth and quoted at large by the Apostle, Heb. a. 5.

1. The insufficiency of all ceremonial sacrifices is here intimated, and their utterly ceasing to be offered when the oblation of the body of Jesus once for all should abolish these shadows, v. 1. They were indeed of Divine institution, but all their efficacy lay in directing the offerer’s faith to the vicarious sufferings of God’s Son; for their own taken, they were never acceptable to God, who could take no delight in the blood of bulls, nor could they ever pacify the sinner’s conscience, which required a better sacrifice than these to take away sin.

2. The voluntary oblation of Christ, in consequence of the everlasting covenant, and the Divine designation, is mentioned, v. 7. In the records of eternity it was enrolled, in the revealed word declared, and in the fulness of time manifested. Mine ears hast thou opened, perhaps alluding to Exud. xxi. 6. intimating his taking the form of a servant, or as the Apostle quotes it, a lady hast thou prepared me, and this his choice: it was not what he was obliged to, but by voluntary engagement, and the conftrinings of mighty love towards miserable man. But having once engaged, he ratified the agreement, professes his readiness to abide by it, yea, takes delight in executing it; and from his heart is ready to fulfil all the will of God, respecting his mediatorial work, whether by obedience or sufferings, in behalf of his ranfomed people. Now, If Christ so readily engaged for us, what gratitude and willing subjection do we owe him in return?

3. He became himself the great preacher of the righteousness he wrought out, and the salvation he accomplished; in both which also God’s faithfulness to his promises appeared, and his transcendent loving-kindness to the children of men. These Jesus declared, nor kept back from us any thing of the whole counsel of God. Blessed he his name, that his divine sermons have reached unto us: oh! that we may experience divine teaching also, and read so as to understand.

4. Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: ’let thy loving-kindness and thy truth continually preserve me. 12. For innumerable evils have compelled me about, ‘mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up: they are more than the hairs of mine head, therefore my heart, for the same, to believe me. 13. Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me: O LORD, make haste to help me. 14. Let them be ashamed and confounded together, that seek after my soul to destroy it: let them be driven backward, and put to shame that with me evil. 15. Let them be deliolate for a reward of their shame, ’that say unto me, Aha, aha. 16. Let all those that seek thee, rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation, say continually, The LORD be magnified. 17. But I am poor and needy, yet the LORD ’thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer, make no tarrying, O my God.

Psalms 40:11-17

Though this may refer to the Pfalmist’s case, as returning his prayer in the view of the glorious redemption accomplished for him, yet it may be also well applied to the Redeemer himself.

1. In executing his work, he must bear our sins, and carry our sorrows; and under these he complains and cries for help. Though in himself without sin, holy and harmless, yet when he appeared in our nature he became sin for us, not only an offering for sin, but having all the iniquity of his redeemed people actually imputed to him; so that in this view, never was a guilty soul so heavy laden: more than human through was needed to support the dreadful load; the humanity fainted, but by the eternal Spirit he was upheld. He prays, and pleads the truth and grace engaged to support him through his sufferings; and as his distress is urgent, he cries for pretext and immediate help, and was heard because he feared. Note, (1.) Since Jesus took not under the load of the sins of the world, shall our sins, but one of that many, lead us to despair! God forbid. (2.) They who plead the Divine faithfulness, may depend upon seeing the fulfilment of the promises. (3.) There is a throne of grace open, and through Jesus we may come boldly; no tender mercy will be withheld, no kindness refused, no help delayed when in his name we pray.

2. He prays for the destruction of all his enemies, which he foresees ready to be accomplished. The powers of hell that sought to destroy him, must fall as lightening before him; the Jews that in his crucifixion cried infidelity, Aha, so would we have it, are long since deliolate to their shame, dispersed into all the nations, and every where a proverb of reproach; and all his foes, whether fallen angels, or impenetent sinners, must at the last day feel the effects of his indignation, driven backward into hell, and covered with everlasting confusion. Note, All the afflictions of a faint of God, however Satan and his enemies may inflict over him, shall terminate to his comfort and their confusion.

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4. He prays for his own redeemed ones, those that love thy salvation, love him, the author of it, and delight in the gracious way in which it is accomplished for them, and beftowed upon them; and seek thee, make God’s will their rule, God’s glory their end, and the enjoyment of God their sovereign happiness. Let them rejoice, on earth beginning the song of praise, and to eternity crying continually, the Lord be magnified.

5. He concludes with a believing commotion of himself to God. Though he was rich for our fakes, he became par and sooty, yet the Lord regarded him in his love ethan; and therefore trusting on his faving help and deliverance, he cries to him to make no delay. Note, (1.) Our spiritual poverty is abject, but we have an inexhaustible treasury, which the key of prayer can unlock. (2.) In every trial let us not think the time long; the promise is fore, the moment halting by, time expiring, eternity approaching, and there at least our salvation shall be accomplished.