I. Many Are the Wonders the LORD Has Done (40:1-5)
* The image titled, "Poor and Needy". The authors signature, H.A. Hanpen is in the lower right. It is now in public domain. The cited passage is 40:1.
>1. What did David remember? (1) Why? How did it pay off?
* Psalm 40:1 "I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry."
* The title is "For the director of music. Of David. A psalm." "For the director of music" probably is a liturgical notation, indicating either that the psalm was to be added to the collection of works to be used by the director of music in Israel's worship services, or that when the psalm was used in the temple worship it was to be spoken by the leader of the Levitical choir - or by the choir itself. (1 Chronicles 23:5, 30, and chapter 25. Also Nehemiah 11:17) In this liturgical activity the Levites functioned as representatives of the worshiping congregation. Following their lead the people probably responded with "Amen" and "Praise the Lord" (Hallelujah). (NIV Study Bible)
* This psalm is a prayer for help when troubles abound. The causes of distress are not specified, but David acknowledges that they are occasioned by his sine. (NIV Study Bible)
* "I waited" -past tense. David is recalling a past event where he waited for the Lord.
* "patiently" -Being patient means "bearing or enduring pain, difficulty, provocation, or annoyance with calmness" and "marked by or exhibiting calm endurance of pain, difficulty, provocation, or annoyance" and "persevering; constant". (American Heritage Dictionary)
* "for the LORD" -Indicated that David still had faith in God. Patience is the result of faith.
* "he turned to me and heard my cry." -The patient faith paid off.
* Perhaps this should be titled, "The way of the cross leads home," the title of an old hymn. Psalms 38, 39, 40, and 41 are similar in theme. David is reporting a past event; the Lord's forgiveness of sin committed and the persecution that followed, just as in the other three psalms. The events he is narrating in all four psalms are not the same. Though each time he does not specify the sin, the different circumstances are similar.
David begins this psalm by describing his patience with the Lord, whereas in the previous psalm, his patience had dried up quickly. Patience is an essential part of a relationship with God. Every believer must learn patience. Without pain, difficulty, provocation, or annoyance patience cannot exist. Whether self-inflicted as in David's case here, or from an external cause or person patience is taught because it is required; a fruit of the Spirit.
James, the brother of Jesus wrote, "Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near. Don't grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy." (James 5:7-11)
Listen to the above comments on Psalm 40:1.
>2. Is verses 2 and 3 David's immediate past, or is it remembrance of another time considering verses 5 and 9-10? Is "the slimy pit" a reality or an analogy? What happened to David when he was rescued from the slimy pit? Who put the new song in his heart? (3) Why?
* Psalm 40:2-3 "He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD."
* Verses 2 and 3 are not the immediate past. They are another time.
* "He lifted... He put" -He here is the Lord. The Lord rescued then the Lord put a new song in his heart.
* "slimy pit" -Probably not an analogy of the details later presented in this psalm. Rather, this is most likely something that happened to David in the far past. If so, then when this bout of trouble began (as later described in this psalm) David had to wait for the Lord, and as he waited he thought about a time far past when the Lord rescued him from a pit. Of course, if this is true that the pit rescue was an real event, then how did the Lord lift him out and set him on a rock? I doubt that a hand appeared out of nowhere and grabbed a hold of him. Perhaps, if a real event then either someone showed up to help him out, or something natural happened that enabled David to pull himself out of the pit. Whether a real distance past event or an analogy of a distant past event, for David it was a real threat of death.
* "Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD." -The Lord's purpose in giving this new psalm to David was to encourage future generations to wait patiently. This tells us that events in our life, whether good or bad, have purposes that we may not even know nor will witness in our own experiences.
* David is announcing a recent deliverance executed by the Lord his God. The deliverance story begins with him mentally recanting the past, other times when he waited for the Lord to hear his prayer for deliverance. When trouble befell he waited for the Lord's answer. While doing so, just as in this time his memory resurged to times past when the Lord heard his request. David had formed a good habit when life became troublesome.
David remembered that once he either fell or was pushed into a slimy pit. He started walking or running in the mud. The mud turned to mire. The mire led to a slimy pit. He found himself trapped. He sank into the earth. The distance between the smelly muck and his distressed face shrank. He prayed as the likelihood of death increased with the decrease in distance between face and mud. Whether the pit was real or a poetic analogy of life events does not matter. For David, it was a slimmy pit that the Lord lifted him out of. The Lord placed him on the rock. He once again had a firm place to stand.
Remembering past deliverance encouraged David. His faith in the Lord was reassured because other times the Lord rescued him. As the Lord had done before, so he would do again.
When the Lord rescued him from the slimy pit and placed him on the rock David wrote a song to inspire others, perhaps Psalm 38 or 39. A new song was placed in his mouth. A hymn of praise was sung to the God of David and Israel. The song led people to see that the Lord saved and they feared. Others put their trust in the Lord. So David once again wrote a psalm, this psalm. Praise must follow deliverance as surely as prayer springs from need if God is to be truly honored.
Listen to the above comments on Psalm 40:2-3.
>3. What is being blessed to David (4) What did it mean to him to trust, and not trust in the Lord?
* Psalm 40:4 "Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods."
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>How many times does David indicate the Lord does wonders? Was he referring only to his life? Is the second sentence of verse 5 future or past tense? If past, then what does it way about verses 1 thru 4? About David's habit when troubled came to him?
* Psalm 40:5 "Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare."
* "Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders you have done"
* "The things you planned for us no one can recount to you"
* Blessed" ("esher" in the original Hebrew) is used often in the Psalter (1:1, 2:12, 32:1,2, 33:12, 34:8, 37:24. etc.). Esher is also translated into English as happy. The AHD defines blessed as "bringing happiness, pleasure, or contentment". In these verses, it is defined as "the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods."
On an early Monday morning knowing I will soon be going to an unpleasant job I am not happy nor content. Does that mean I am not blessed? An old hymn says, "Let me count the ways I am blessed" (or something like that). I do have much to be thankful for. I will not look up to the proud and those who trust in themselves. That foolishness makes me laugh inside and scoff.
If I pay attention I can see many wondrous things the Lord has and is doing. Why then am I not assured that wonders will not happen tomorrow and every day after? Is not his Spirit alive in me? Does not he promise me a place in his home?
Count my blessings not a few.
Know thy love for me is true.
My eyes see your wonders.
More than there are numbers.
Concern is not needed for tomorrow.
I will not need to borrow.
Listen to the above comments on Psalm 40:4-5.
II. Same Me O LORD (40:6-17)
* The image titled is "Ancient Writing Utensils". It was in the book, "Voor-bereidselen tot de bybelsche wysheid, en gebruik der heilige en kirklijke historien: uit de alder-oudste gedenkkenissen der Hebreen, Chaldeen, Babyloniers, Egiptenaars, Syriers, Grieken en Romeinen... Door een liefhebber der Joodische oudheden". Various examples of Hebrew, Greek, and Latin writing utensils. At the bottom, there is a depiction of the torture of Bishop Cassian of Imola, a Christian teacher who was hacked to death by his students for refusing to worship pagan gods. .
>4. What did not God desire though they are in the Law of Moses? What did he want? What does this mean according to Hebrews 10:5-7?
* Psalm 40:6-8 "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have pierced burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require. Then I said, 'Here I am, I have come-- it is written about me in the scroll.
8 I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.'"
* "Sacrifice and offering"
* "my ears you have pierced" -The Septuagint, a translation from Hebrew into Greek from 285 to 247 BC has, "but a body you have prepared for me". This is the version that author of Hebrews quoted.
* "I desire" -The response to God's plan.
* The letter to the Hebrews 10:5-7 quotes these verses since they are prophecies about Jesus the Messiah. "Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: 'Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, 'Here I am--it is written about me in the scroll-- I have come to do your will, O God.''"
Hebrews 10:8-14 reveals the hidden meaning. "First he said, 'Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them' (although the law required them to be made). Then he said, 'Here I am, I have come to do your will.' He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy."
Listen to the above comments on Psalm 40:6-8.
>What specifically was the response to God's gift? (9-10)
* Psalm 40:9-10 "I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, as you know, O LORD. I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and salvation. I do not conceal your love and your truth from the great assembly."
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* A sin exists that is often committed, even by some religious elite. The sin destroys society and causes stalemate in families. Were it studied by sociologists they would see that in societies this begins to increase, that society darkens, and in societies that do not commit this sin, that society becomes the light of the world.
What is this sin? It is when the faithful do not proclaim righteousness. There is hope and happiness when people do as David did, who did not seal his lips. He did not hide the Lord's righteousness in his heart. David spoke of Jesus' faithfulness and salvation. David did not conceal God's love and truth. Then, David's society shone brightly. We know it did because the righteousness he spoke is with the world today in these psalms.
Jesus tells his disciples, "What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matthew 10:27-28) And he said, "Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don't you put it on its stand? For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear." (Mark 4:21-23) Exalt the Lord's righteousness with words and songs, and the Lord will exalt the society. Suppress the Lord's righteousness by not speaking of it in words and songs, and the Lord will suppress the society.
Listen to the above comments on Psalm 40:9-10.
>5. What is the author's plea though "troubles without number surround" him? (11-12)
* Psalm 40:11-12 "Do not withhold your mercy from me, O LORD; may your love and your truth always protect me.
12 For troubles without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails within me."
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* The perception of David I had before studying this psalms and the previous two was a stately greater-than-life man; a warrior, king, musician, poet, romantic, and religious hero. However, his own words especially in Psalms 38, 39, and now this psalm reveal that he made many mistakes and committed sins often (12). David is now to me, perceived as an imperfect human like the rest of us. David created more trouble for himself than King Saul ever did when he forced David to live in the wilderness. "Who can say, 'I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin'"? (Proverbs 20:9) David certainly did not say that.
David exposes his many sins that have overtaken him (12). The consequences of sins are eventually troubles without numbers that blind and burden the soul. The heart fails under the weight of the consequences of sin. Sin is trouble I invite into my life. My sin is a burden that I was not designed to live with. I am the sinful fool that folded my mind. "The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him; the cords of his sin hold him fast. He will die for lack of discipline, led astray by his own great folly." (Proverbs 5:22-23)
The greatest tragedy of transgression is that sin removes the love and truth of the Lord God that can protect me. Though God's love reaches the heavens (Psalm 36:5) sin shields me from it (Psalm 61:7).
I do have hope. My hope is in the mercy of the Lord Jesus. He says, "Come now, let us reason together. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword." For the mouth of the LORD has spoken." (Isaiah 1:18-20) Apostle Paul wrote, "And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." (1 Corinthians 6:11)
Listen to the above comments on Psalm 40:11-12.
>6. What did he ask God to do to those who seek to take his life? How does this equate to Jesus' enemies? (Matthew 26:64)
* Psalm 40:13-15 "Be pleased, O LORD, to save me; O LORD, come quickly to help me.
14 May all who seek to take my life be put to shame and confusion; may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace.
15 May those who say to me, "Aha! Aha!" be appalled at their own shame."
* Matthew 26:64 "Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied. "But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven."
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* Life dregs accumulate from sin, infirmities, and pestilence that float in the human soul. Their multiplication due to repetition use clogs the heart's arteries and bursts the aneurysms in the mind. Religious doctors reach into pockets while promising undelivered salvation. Sins overtake the blind patient.
Laying on death's sharp bed of nails only one prayer can save from the accumulated dregs in a lifeless soul's pit. "Be pleased, O LORD, to save me; O LORD, come quickly to help me. (13) I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. (13:5)
Jesus, the only truly skilled physician says, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." (Luke 19:9-10) "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12) Jesus has saved me from the dregs of life. "Therefore I want you to know that God's salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!" (Acts 28:28)
Listen to the above comments on Psalm 40:13-15.
>How does the author switch the psalm's focus in verse 16? Why might he be doing that? What might this indicate? How does the author switch back to in verse 17? What is happening?
* Psalm 40:16-17 "But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation always say, "The LORD be exalted!"
17 Yet I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer; O my God, do not delay."
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The Lord be exalted! This be my praise.
The Lord is great! This be my anthem.
The Lord be magnified! This be my song.
The Lord is gladness.
The Lord be my joy.
The Lord is salvation.
The Lord thinks of me though I be poor and needy.
The Lord is my helper.
The Lord be my deliverer.
O my God, do not delay.
Listen to the above comments on Psalm 40:16-17.
III. O LORD Have Mercy on Me (41:1-13)
>7. What does blessed mean? What does it mean to the psalmist?
* Psalm 41:1 "Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the LORD delivers him in times of trouble."
* The title is "For the director of music. A psalm of David."
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* Psalm 41 is the last in the Psalter's first book (scroll), the scroll of David's psalms. It is also the last of four where David prays for mercy when seriously ill caused by his sin. As in the previous three, his enemies greet the prospect of his death with joy and his close friends lift up their heels against him.
Blessed, meaning happiness starts the psalm and praise ends it. David no doubt is considering his own actions toward others. He has shown regard for the weak. When people came to him in the desert while being chased by Saul, David welcomed them into his camp. (1 Samuel 22:23) They were weak and in need as he had been when he first fleed Saul's hate and anger. God helps me when I am poor, he desires me to be like him.
To those who defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked the Lord says, "Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked." (Psalm 82:3-4) "He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses." (Proverbs 28:27) "The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern." (Proverbs 29:7) Jesus rebuked the wealthy religious Pharisees, "But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." (Matthew 9:13) This sinner called to follow Jesus, can show mercy to the poor.
Listen to the above comments on Psalm 41:1.
>How is this continued in verses 2 and 3?
* Psalm 41:2-3 "The LORD will protect him and preserve his life; he will bless him in the land and not surrender him to the desire of his foes.
3 The LORD will sustain him on his sickbed and restore him from his bed of illness."
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* Living with an illness that just will not go away will affect the soul as much as the body. The words in these verses are reassuring. The Lord Jesus will protect. The Lord will preserve life. The Lord Jesus will sustain while on a sick bed. God will restore him from his bed of illness. Yet, the disclaimer in the psalm is the recipient of the Lord's affection will have regard for the weak.
Many will experience this in this life. However, death befalls us all. Will I see the recurring headache go away for good? Or is its reality in the forever of Psalm 37:28-29? "For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. They will be protected forever, but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off; the righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever."
And only found in Apostle Paul's immortality clothing? "For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." (1 Corinthians 15:53-54)
David's reaction to the uncertainty of an illness is revealed in the coming BDBDs.
Listen to the above comments on Psalm 41:2-3.
>8. What did David confess? (4) What did he tell the Lord about other people's response?
* Psalm 41:4-6 "I said, "O LORD, have mercy on me; heal me, for I have sinned against you."
5 My enemies say of me in malice, "When will he die and his name perish?"
6 Whenever one comes to see me, he speaks falsely, while his heart gathers slander; then he goes out and spreads it abroad."
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>What can be made of David's life from verse 4 thru 8?
* Psalm 41:7-8 "All my enemies whisper together against me; they imagine the worst for me, saying,
8 'A vile disease has beset him; he will never get up from the place where he lies.'"
* David confessed that he had sinned. The vile disease that befell him was the result of his sin. His enemies were happy because they believed he was about to die. Every one of these four verses is a different way his enemies used their voices to speak against him.
The first is verbally expressing their desire that he perish. They did not hold back their wickedness. The second is speaking lies to him and slander about him to others. They do not love the truth. The third is vicious gossip. They know no shame, do not fear God, and love is not in their hearts. All of these gather an audience at the expense of David who had been nothing but kind to them.
James. the brother of Jesus warned the believers of Jesus, "When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
"All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
"With the tongue, we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.1 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water."
Listen to the above comments on Psalm 41:5-8.
>9. What did David confess about his close friend? How did Jesus fulfill this? (John 13:18-21)
* Psalm 41:9 "Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me."
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* Jesus quoted this verse when he revealed to his disciples that one of them was going to betray him. (John 13:18-21) Jesus, the Son of David experienced the betrayal of a close friend as his forefather David had. If that is true of the Son of God, then I should not be surprised when someone who is or was more than a friend would do the same. Of course, I will be hurt and sad. But I should not be surprised.
Friends, the people I associate with come in many forms. One kind of friend is one I know and like to be around, though I do not know everything about them. Perhaps they and I are in a social group or the local congregation together. I know them and they know me, but not well. We occasionally exchange conversations and laughs. But if one of us has troubles and burdens we act concerned, but really do not get involved enough to be a help.
Another friend is someone I share my past, present, dreams, and desires. We trust each other enough to spend more time together. They and I share common interests, perhaps a sport or a craft. If either of us needs a helping hand we step up and show our friendship. We ask each other's advice and share opinions. We do not hurt each other unless it is for the good.
The closest friendships a person has are ones that trust each other completely. Each knows the other has their backs protected. This friendship shares meals, laughter, sadness, fear, and expectations. This kind of friendship knows what the other reaction will be to a life event. While doing an activity, whether pleasant or unpleasant, they wish the other was with them. They are the first person they think of when they want to share an idea or experience. Both of these friends would lay down their lives for the other. This is the kind of friendship Jesus had with Judas, who betrayed him. Jesus loved him enough to warn him while not exposing him.
Jesus says to me, "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you." (John 15:12-15) Let me not betray him by not keeping his command of love.
Listen to the above comments on Psalm 41:9.
>10.
* Psalm 41:10-12 "But you, O LORD, have mercy on me; raise me up, that I may repay them.
11 I know that you are pleased with me, for my enemy does not triumph over me.
12 In my integrity you uphold me and set me in your presence forever."
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* Psalm 41:13 "Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen."
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* David prays with confidence. He believes in the Lord Jesus' love, justice, and power. He knows that the Lord loves and is full of compassion and mercy. His trust and faith in the Lord God are completed with an answer as he desires.
Jesus gave a parable to his disciples to show that they should always pray and not give up, just as David did. He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.'
"For some time he refused. But finally, he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!'"
And the Lord Jesus said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:2-8)
