Psalm 40

March 25, 2022 (Friday)

 

                Psalm 40 is considered a "Messianic Psalm" (describing or referring to Jesus). It starts as praise for deliverance and ends in a plea for deliverance. Some might think that praise proceeds petition as proof of faith. Others might understand that there is danger in deliverance. We let our guard down against a relentless enemy and got blindsided.

                Let’s let these images seep into our souls. David begins, "I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry." [Psalm 40:1 ESV] What we can miss in the English language is the idea of a patient, which includes hope and expectation. The idea of "turned" also carries the idea of bending down. Because of circumstances, when we imagine God far away, we need to be able to see God bending down, like a father bending to give his child full attention.

                The next image is found in verse two, “He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.” [NLT] The pit gets translated “slimy” [NIV], “death” [CEB], “destruction” [ESV], “desolate” [CSB, NRSV], “horrible” [ASV, KJV], “misery” [ABPE], “lonely” [CEV], “confusion” [ESV], “tumultuous” [JPS Tanakh 1917], and “watery” [NET Bible]. You get the idea. This is the image of many deep negative emotions. David gives praise for being rescued from the sticky, squishy, swamp of this miserable situation and put on solid ground.

                Because of God’s deliverance, “He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise for our God. Many people will learn of this and be amazed; they will trust the Lord.” [Psalm 40:3 CEB] Singing is coupled with praise because singing is an emotional experience. It is one of the few genuine emotional responses humans have to God in the Bible. Through this praise, David hopes people will learn about God, be amazed, and trust God. In other words, David does not see deliverance as insolated just for him. Deliverance gives hope and endurance to others.

                Then David observes, "Those who put their trust in the Lord, who pay no attention to the proud or to those who follow lies, are truly happy!" [Psalm 40:4 CEB] The physical image in the Hebrew text is "turn towards" ("pay no attention to"). Have you noticed you can only face one direction? If you turn to the proud and those who follow lies, you are turning away from God. It will not be long after we start paying attention to them, that we will stop trusting the Lord.

                Trusting God is key to consistently waiting patiently in hope and expectation. Without God’s deliverance we will continually be “stuck in the mud,” bogged down in the emotional crush of life. Turn to God and sing His praises!