Psalms 40

Ps 40:1-17.

In this Psalm a celebration of God's deliverance is followed by a

profession of devotion to His service. Then follows a prayer for relief

from imminent dangers, involving the overthrow of enemies and the

rejoicing of sympathizing friends. In

Heb 10:5,

&c., Paul quotes

Ps 40:6-8

as the words of Christ, offering Himself as a better sacrifice. Some

suppose Paul thus accommodated David's words to express Christ's

sentiments. But the value of his quotation would be thus destroyed, as

it would have no force in his argument, unless regarded by his readers

as the original sense of the passage in the Old Testament. Others

suppose the Psalm describes David's feelings in suffering and joy; but

the language quoted by Paul, in the sense given by him, could not apply

to David in any of his relations, for as a type the language is not

adapted to describe any event or condition of David's career, and as an

individual representing the pious generally, neither he nor they could

properly use it (see on

Ps 40:7,

below). The Psalm must be taken then, as the sixteenth, to express the

feelings of Christ's human nature. The difficulties pertinent to this

view will be considered as they occur.

1-3. The figures for deep distress are illustrated in Jeremiah's

history

(Jer 38:6-12).

Patience and trust manifested in distress, deliverance in answer to

prayer, and the blessed effect of it in eliciting praise from God's

true worshippers, teach us that Christ's suffering is our example, and

His deliverance our encouragement

(Heb 5:7, 8; 12:3;

1Pe 4:12-16).

inclined--(the ear,

Ps 17:6),

as if to catch the faintest sigh.

3. a new song--(See on

Ps 33:3).

fear, and . . . trust--revere with love and faith.

4. Blessed--

(Ps 1:1; 2:12).

respecteth--literally, "turns towards," as an object of confidence.

turn aside--from true God and His law to falsehood in worship and

conduct.

5. be reckoned up in order--(compare

Ps 5:3; 33:14;

Isa 44:7),

too many to be set forth regularly. This is but one instance of many.

The use of the plural accords with the union of Christ and His people.

In suffering and triumph, they are one with Him.

6-8. In Paul's view this passage has more meaning than the mere

expression of grateful devotion to God's service. He represents Christ

as declaring that the sacrifices, whether vegetable or animal, general

or special expiatory offerings, would not avail to meet the demands of

God's law, and that He had come to render the required satisfaction,

which he states was effected by "the offering of the body of Christ"

[Heb 10:10],

for that is the "will of God" which Christ came to fulfil or do, in

order to effect man's redemption. We thus see that the contrast to the

unsatisfactory character assigned the Old Testament offerings in

Ps 40:6

is found in the compliance with God's law (compare

Ps 40:7, 8).

Of course, as Paul and other New Testament writers explain Christ's

work, it consisted in more than being made under the law or obeying its

precepts. It required an "obedience unto death"

[Php 2:8],

and that is the compliance here chiefly intended, and which makes the

contrast with

Ps 40:6

clear.

mine ears hast thou opened--Whether allusion is made to the custom of

boring a servant's ear, in token of voluntary and perpetual enslavement

(Ex 21:6),

or that the opening of the ear, as in

Isa 48:8; 50:5

(though by a different word in Hebrew) denotes obedience by the

common figure of hearing for obeying, it is evident that the clause is

designed to express a devotion to God's will as avowed more fully in

Ps 40:8,

and already explained. Paul, however, uses the words, "a body hast thou

prepared me"

[Heb 10:5],

which are found in the Septuagint in the place of the words,

"mine ears hast thou opened." He does not lay any stress on this

clause, and his argument is complete without it. It is, perhaps, to be

regarded rather as an interpretation or free translation by the

Septuagint, than either an addition or attempt at verbal

translation. The Septuagint translators may have had reference

to Christ's vicarious sufferings as taught in other Scriptures, as in

Isa 53:4-11;

at all events, the sense is substantially the same, as a body was

essential to the required obedience (compare

Ro 7:4;

1Pe 2:24).

7. Then--in such case, without necessarily referring to order of time.

Lo, I come--I am prepared to do, &c.

in the volume of the book--roll of the book. Such rolls,

resembling maps, are still used in the synagogues.

written of me--or on me, prescribed to me

(2Ki 22:13).

The first is the sense adopted by Paul. In either case, the Pentateuch,

or law of Moses, is meant, and while it contains much respecting Christ

directly, as

Ge 3:15; 49:10;

De 18:15,

and, indirectly, in the Levitical ritual, there is nowhere any allusion

to David.

9, 10. I have preached--literally, "announced good tidings."

Christ's prophetical office is taught. He "preached" the great truths

of God's government of sinners.

11. may be rendered as an assertion, that God will not withhold

(Ps 16:1).

12. evils--inflicted by others.

iniquities--or penal afflictions, and sometimes calamities in the

wide sense. This meaning of the word is very common

(Ps 31:11; 38:4;

compare

Ge 4:13,

Cain's punishment;

Ge 19:15,

that of Sodom;

1Sa 28:10,

of the witch of En-dor; also

2Sa 16:12;

Job 19:29;

Isa 5:18; 53:11).

This meaning of the word is also favored by the clause, "taken hold of

me," which follows, which can be said appropriately of

sufferings, but not of sins (compare

Job 27:20;

Ps 69:24).

Thus, the difficulties in referring this Psalm to Christ, arising from

the usual reading of this verse, are removed. Of the terrible

afflictions, or sufferings, alluded to and endured for us,

compare

Lu 22:39-44,

and the narrative of the scenes of Calvary.

my heart faileth me--

(Mt 26:38),

"My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death."

cannot look up--literally, "I cannot see," not denoting the depression

of conscious guilt, as

Lu 18:13,

but exhaustion from suffering, as dimness of eyes (compare

Ps 6:7; 13:3; 38:10).

The whole context thus sustains the sense assigned to

iniquities.

13. (Compare

Ps 22:19).

14, 15. The language is not necessarily imprecatory, but rather a

confident expectation

(Ps 5:11),

though the former sense is not inconsistent with Christ's prayer for

the forgiveness of His murderers, inasmuch as their confusion and shame

might be the very means to prepare them for humbly seeking forgiveness

(compare

Ac 2:37).

15. for a reward--literally, "in consequence of."

Aha--(Compare

Ps 35:21, 25).

16. (Compare

Ps 35:27).

love thy salvation--delight in its bestowal on others as well as

themselves.

17. A summary of his condition and hopes.

thinketh upon--or provides for me. "He was heard," "when he had

offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears, unto

Him that was able to save him from death"

[Heb 5:7].