The Book of Psalms
Psalm 40
Psalm XL · Vol. II, p. 1011
1 The benefit of confidence in God. 6 Obedience is the best sacrifice. 11 He prayeth for salvation to himself, and confusion to his enemies.
To the chief musician, A psalm of David.
2 He brought me up also out of can horrible pit,2 out of the miry clay, and dset my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
3 And he hath eput a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: gmany shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.
4 Blessedh is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and irespecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
5 Many,j O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward;3 they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee:4 if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.
6 Sacrificek and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened:5 burnt-offering and sin-offering hast thou not required.
k 1 Sa.15.22. Ps.51.16. Is.1.11;66.3;50.4,6. Ho.6.6. Mat.12.7. He.10.4-10.
5 Heb. digged or prepared, Ex.21.6.
8 I ndelight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my 6heart.7
n Ps.119.16,24,47,92. Ro.7.22. Lu.12.50. Jn.10.18;4.34;14.31.
6 Heb. in the midst of my bowels, Je.31.33. Ps.37.31. 2 Co.3.3.
7 This passage is quoted by Paul in He.10.5-7; but in that quotation there is a remarkable variation from the original text. Instead of the words, 'mine ears hast thou opened,' the apostle has 'a body didst thou prepare for me.' The original language is metaphorical, and its plain meaning is:— 'Thou hast formed in me a willing and obedient spirit, so that I preserve an open ear to all thy commands.' In substance the apostle's quotation is the same:—'A body hast thou prepared for me;' i.e. a body formed and fitted for the service of God, ready to render the fullest obedience. The contrast is drawn between the sacrifices of slain victims and the free-will offerings of a living body.—P.
9 Io have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.
10 I have not hid pthy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy qfaithfulness and thy rsalvation: I have not concealed thy sloving-kindness and thy truth from the great congregation.
11 Withholdt not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: ulet thy loving-kindness and thy truth continually preserve me.
12 Forv innumerable evils have compassed 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 faileth8 me.
14 Lety them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it; zlet them be driven backward, and put to shame that wish me evil.
16 Letb all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy csalvation say continually, The LORD be magnified.
17 Butd I am poor and needy; eyet the LORD thinketh upon me: thou gart my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.
Notes
Ver. 1. I waited patiently for the Lord. It is here to be remarked, as in several other psalms, that the speaker is one; and that the Holy Spirit, speaking by Paul, He. 10. 5-9, declares this one to be Christ. But when Christ is found to be the speaker in one part, he must, if there be any confidence in the grammar of any language, be the speaker in the whole psalm. C.
Ver. 6. Mine ears hast thou opened. From Ex. 21. 6 it will appear that this expression signifies 'thou hast made me a servant for ever,' an expression perfectly equivalent to that wondrous mystery revealed 1 Co. 15. 28. Paul, He. 10. 5, quotes from the Septuagint translation, which gives an expository not a literal translation. C.
Ver. 12. Mine iniquities, &c. Instead of labouring to evade the inevitable conclusion that these words were, in the Spirit, spoken by Christ—an attempt made by supposing the psalm should end at ver. 10, or by inserting afflictions instead of iniquities—the peace of the believer rests in the very fact that Christ, by sacrifice, and in virtue of his union of headship, made the believers' sins his own, and felt them, and confessed them, and died for them. See notes on Ps. 32. 5; 25. 2. C.
Ver. 15. See notes on Ps. 5. 10; 35. 8. Several high authorities endeavour to elude the apparent objection that lies against such prayers by translating them prophetically and not as imprecatory. The Greek translation, however, employed by the Spirit of truth, Ac. 1. 20, sets the point at rest in favour of the authorized version. C.
Reflections.—Alas! what fearful and lasting troubles of body and mind Jesus and his people have allotted them on earth! What patience is necessary under them! But God is their deliverer. And greatly exalting, establishing, joyous, and encouraging is their deliverance at last. Happy are those who, renouncing all other confidences, trust in God alone. Great is the number, the marvellous grace of his thoughts and acts towards Jesus Christ and his children in the work of redemption. But how insignificant were Jewish sacrifices in respect of holy obedience: and infinitely more so in comparison of Jesus the Son of God, and his complete holiness of nature, obedience of life, and remedial sufferings! With great cheerfulness he sought for us the blessed rewards of peace. And with a steady purpose of love he fulfilled his work, in executing every saving office for our good. Dreadful was the load of our iniquities laid upon him. But he finished transgression, and made an end of sin, and publishes to men the declarations and offers of gospel-grace. Let us then embrace every promise as ratified by his blood: and in the faith of his suffering death for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him, let us cheerfully and gratefully devote ourselves, by the most solemn ties, to his service. In his name let us fight the good fight of faith and finish our course. Behold how the prayers of saints, but chiefly the intercession of Jesus Christ, issued in the downfall of evil and the prosperity and deliverance of believers. It is infinitely dangerous to mock gracious mercy. But no griefs, no poverty, can render them miserable who fear him. There is a throne of grace to which they have the boldest access. Their God, and all that he hath or doth, is the ground of their joy. His inexhaustible fulness, adapted to their wants, the prayers of faith can unlock. The promises are sure; and the moment of fulfilment hastens forward.