1 I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
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.
6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst 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 lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.
11 Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.
12 For 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 faileth 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 wish me evil.
15 Let them be desolate 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.
1 [[To the chief Musician, H5329 A Psalm H4210 of David.]] H1732 I waited H6960 patiently H6960 for the LORD; H3068 and he inclined H5186 unto me, and heard H8085 my cry. H7775
2 He brought me up H5927 also out of an horrible H7588 pit, H953 out of the miry H3121 clay, H2916 and set H6965 my feet H7272 upon a rock, H5553 and established H3559 my goings. H838
3 And he hath put H5414 a new H2319 song H7892 in my mouth, H6310 even praise H8416 unto our God: H430 many H7227 shall see H7200 it, and fear, H3372 and shall trust H982 in the LORD. H3068
4 Blessed H835 is that man H1397 that maketh H7760 the LORD H3068 his trust, H4009 and respecteth H6437 not the proud, H7295 nor such as turn aside H7750 to lies. H3577
5 Many, H7227 O LORD H3068 my God, H430 are thy wonderful H6381 works which thou hast done, H6213 and thy thoughts H4284 which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order H6186 unto thee: if I would declare H5046 and speak H1696 of them, they are more H6105 than can be numbered. H5608
6 Sacrifice H2077 and offering H4503 thou didst not desire; H2654 mine ears H241 hast thou opened: H3738 burnt offering H5930 and sin offering H2401 hast thou not required. H7592
7 Then said H559 I, Lo, I come: H935 in the volume H4039 of the book H5612 it is written H3789 of me,
8 I delight H2654 to do H6213 thy will, H7522 O my God: H430 yea, thy law H8451 is within H8432 my heart. H4578
9 I have preached H1319 righteousness H6664 in the great H7227 congregation: H6951 lo, I have not refrained H3607 my lips, H8193 O LORD, H3068 thou knowest. H3045
10 I have not hid H3680 thy righteousness H6666 within H8432 my heart; H3820 I have declared H559 thy faithfulness H530 and thy salvation: H8668 I have not concealed H3582 thy lovingkindness H2617 and thy truth H571 from the great H7227 congregation. H6951
11 Withhold H3607 not thou thy tender mercies H7356 from me, O LORD: H3068 let thy lovingkindness H2617 and thy truth H571 continually H8548 preserve H5341 me.
12 For innumerable H4557 evils H7451 have compassed H661 me about: mine iniquities H5771 have taken hold H5381 upon me, so that I am not able H3201 to look up; H7200 they are more H6105 than the hairs H8185 of mine head: H7218 therefore my heart H3820 faileth H5800 me.
13 Be pleased, H7521 O LORD, H3068 to deliver H5337 me: O LORD, H3068 make haste H2363 to help H5833 me.
14 Let them be ashamed H954 and confounded H2659 together H3162 that seek H1245 after my soul H5315 to destroy H5595 it; let them be driven H5472 backward H268 and put to shame H3637 that wish H2655 me evil. H7451
15 Let them be desolate H8074 for a reward H6118 of their shame H1322 that say H559 unto me, Aha, H1889 aha. H1889
16 Let all those that seek H1245 thee rejoice H7797 and be glad H8055 in thee: let such as love H157 thy salvation H8668 say H559 continually, H8548 The LORD H3068 be magnified. H1431
17 But I am poor H6041 and needy; H34 yet the Lord H136 thinketh H2803 upon me: thou art my help H5833 and my deliverer; H6403 make no tarrying, H309 O my God. H430
1 I waited patiently for Jehovah; And he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
2 He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay; And he set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
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 Jehovah.
4 Blessed is the man that maketh Jehovah his trust, And respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
5 Many, O Jehovah my God, are the wonderful works which thou hast done, And thy thoughts which are to us-ward; They cannot be set in order unto thee; If I would declare and speak of them, They are more than can be numbered.
6 Sacrifice and offering thou hast no delight in; Mine ears hast thou opened: Burnt-offering and sin-offering hast thou not required.
7 Then said I, Lo, I am come; In the roll 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 proclaimed glad tidings of righteousness in the great assembly; Lo, I will not refrain my lips, O Jehovah, 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 lovingkindness and thy truth from the great assembly.
11 Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O Jehovah; Let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.
12 For innumerable evils have compassed me about; Mine iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up; They are more than the hairs of my head; And my heart hath failed me.
13 Be pleased, O Jehovah, to deliver me: Make haste to help me, O Jehovah.
14 Let them be put to shame and confounded together That seek after my soul to destroy it: Let them be turned backward and brought to dishonor That delight in my hurt.
15 Let them be desolate by reason 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, Jehovah 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. Psalm 41 For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
1 To the Overseer. -- A Psalm of David. I have diligently expected Jehovah, And He inclineth to me, and heareth my cry,
2 And He doth cause me to come up From a pit of desolation -- from mire of mud, And He raiseth up on a rock my feet, He is establishing my steps.
3 And He putteth in my mouth a new song, `Praise to our God.' Many do see and fear, and trust in Jehovah.
4 O the happiness of the man Who hath made Jehovah his trust, And hath not turned unto the proud, And those turning aside to lies.
5 Much hast Thou done, Jehovah my God; Thy wonders and Thy thoughts toward us, There is none to arrange unto Thee, I declare and speak: They have been more than to be numbered.
6 Sacrifice and present Thou hast not desired, Ears Thou hast prepared for me, Burnt and sin-offering Thou hast not asked.
7 Then said I, `Lo, I have come,' In the roll of the book it is written of me,
8 To do Thy pleasure, my God, I have delighted, And Thy law `is' within my heart.
9 I have proclaimed tidings of righteousness In the great assembly, lo, my lips I restrain not, O Jehovah, Thou hast known.
10 Thy righteousness I have not concealed In the midst of my heart, Thy faithfulness and Thy salvation I have told, I have not hidden Thy kindness and Thy truth, To the great assembly.
11 Thou, O Jehovah, restrainest not Thy mercies from me, Thy kindness and Thy truth do continually keep me.
12 For compassed me have evils innumerable, Overtaken me have mine iniquities, And I have not been able to see; They have been more than the hairs of my head, And my heart hath forsaken me.
13 Be pleased, O Jehovah, to deliver me, O Jehovah, for my help make haste.
14 They are ashamed and confounded together, Who are seeking my soul to destroy it, They are turned backward, And are ashamed, who are desiring my evil.
15 They are desolate because of their shame, Who are saying to me, `Aha, aha.'
16 All seeking Thee rejoice and are glad in Thee, Those loving Thy salvation say continually, `Jehovah is magnified.'
17 And I `am' poor and needy, The Lord doth devise for me. My help and my deliverer `art' Thou, O my God, tarry Thou not.
1 {To the chief Musician. Of David. A Psalm.} I waited patiently for Jehovah; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
2 And he brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock; he hath established my goings:
3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, praise unto our God. Many shall see it, and fear, and shall confide in Jehovah.
4 Blessed is the man that hath made Jehovah his confidence, and turneth not to the proud, and to such as turn aside to lies.
5 Thou, O Jehovah my God, hast multiplied thy marvellous works, and thy thoughts toward us: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee; would I declare and speak [them], they are more than can be numbered.
6 Sacrifice and oblation thou didst not desire: ears hast thou prepared me. Burnt-offering and sin-offering hast thou not demanded;
7 Then said I, Behold, I come, in the volume of the book it is written of me --
8 To do thy good pleasure, my God, is my delight, and thy law is within my heart.
9 I have published righteousness in the great congregation: behold, I have not withheld my lips, Jehovah, *thou* knowest.
10 I have not hidden 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.
11 Withhold not thou, Jehovah, thy tender mercies from me; let thy loving-kindness and thy truth continually preserve me.
12 For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I cannot see; they are more than the hairs of my head: and my heart hath failed me.
13 Be pleased, O Jehovah, to deliver me; Jehovah, make haste to my help.
14 Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be turned backward and confounded that take pleasure in mine adversity;
15 Let them be desolate, because of their shame, that say unto me, Aha! Aha!
16 Let all those that seek thee be glad and rejoice in thee; let such as love thy salvation say continually, Jehovah be magnified!
17 But I am afflicted and needy: the Lord thinketh upon me. Thou art my help and my deliverer: my God, make no delay.
1 > I waited patiently for Yahweh. He turned to me, and heard my cry.
2 He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay. He set my feet on a rock, And gave me a firm place to stand.
3 He has put a new song in my mouth, even praise to our God. Many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in Yahweh.
4 Blessed is the man who makes Yahweh his trust, And doesn't respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
5 Many, Yahweh, my God, are the wonderful works which you have done, And your thoughts which are toward us. They can't be set in order to you; If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.
6 Sacrifice and offering you didn't desire. You have opened my ears: Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required.
7 Then I said, "Behold, I have come. It is written about me in the book in the scroll.
8 I delight to do your will, my God. Yes, your law is within my heart."
9 I have proclaimed glad news of righteousness in the great assembly. Behold, I will not seal my lips, Yahweh, you know.
10 I have not hidden your righteousness within my heart. I have declared your faithfulness and your salvation. I have not concealed your loving kindness and your truth from the great assembly.
11 Don't withhold your tender mercies from me, Yahweh. Let your loving kindness and your truth continually preserve me.
12 For innumerable evils have surrounded me. My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up. They are more than the hairs of my head. My heart has failed me.
13 Be pleased, Yahweh, to deliver me. Hurry to help me, Yahweh.
14 Let them be disappointed and confounded together who seek after my soul to destroy it. Let them be turned backward and brought to dishonor who delight in my hurt.
15 Let them be desolate by reason of their shame that tell me, "Aha! Aha!"
16 Let all those who seek you rejoice and be glad in you. Let such as love your salvation say continually, "Let Yahweh be exalted!"
17 But I am poor and needy; May the Lord think about me. You are my help and my deliverer. Don't delay, my God.
1 <To the chief music-maker. Of David. A Psalm.> When I was waiting quietly for the Lord, his heart was turned to me, and he gave ear to my cry.
2 He took me up out of a deep waste place, out of the soft and sticky earth; he put my feet on a rock, and made my steps certain.
3 And he put a new song in my mouth, even praise to our God; numbers have seen it with fear, and put their faith in the Lord.
4 Happy is the man who has faith in the Lord, and does not give honour to the men of pride or to those who are turned away to deceit.
5 O Lord my God, great are the wonders which you have done in your thought for us; it is not possible to put them out in order before you; when I would give an account of them, their number is greater than I may say.
6 You had no desire for offerings of beasts or fruits of the earth; ears you made for me: for burned offerings and sin offerings you made no request.
7 Then I said, See, I come; it is recorded of me in the roll of the book,
8 My delight is to do your pleasure, O my God; truly, your law is in my heart.
9 I have given news of righteousness in the great meeting; O Lord, you have knowledge that I have not kept back my words.
10 Your righteousness has not been folded away in my heart; I have made clear your true word and your salvation; I have not kept secret your mercy or your faith from the great meeting.
11 Take not away your gentle mercies from me, O Lord; let your mercy and your faith keep me safe for ever.
12 For unnumbered evils are round about me; my sins have overtaken me, so that I am bent down with their weight; they are more than the hairs of my head, my strength is gone because of them.
13 Be pleased, O Lord, to take me out of danger; O Lord, come quickly and give me help.
14 Let those who go after my soul for its destruction have shame and trouble together; let them be turned back and made foolish who take pleasure in my trouble.
15 Let those who say to me, Aha, aha! be surprised because of their shame.
16 Let all those who are looking for you be glad and have joy in you; let the lovers of your salvation ever say, May the Lord be great.
17 Though I am poor and in need, the Lord has me in mind; you are my help and my saviour; let there be no waiting, O my God.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 40
Commentary on Psalms 40 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 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].