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Bible Commentaries
Psalms 40

Utley's You Can Understand the BibleUtley Commentary

Introduction

Psalms 40:0

STROPHE DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

NASB NKJV NRSV TEV NJB
God Sustains His Servant Faith Persevering in Trial Thanksgiving For Deliverance From Trouble, Together With a Prayer for Help A Song of Praise Song of Praise and Prayer For Help
MT Intro “For the choir director. A Psalm of David”
Psalms 40:1-3 Psalms 40:1-3 Psalms 40:1-3 Psalms 40:1-3 Psalms 40:1
Psalms 40:2
Psalms 40:3
Psalms 40:4-5 Psalms 40:4-5 Psalms 40:4-5 Psalms 40:4-5 Psalms 40:4
Psalms 40:5
Psalms 40:6-8 Psalms 40:6-8 Psalms 40:6-8 Psalms 40:6-8 Psalms 40:6-7a
Psalms 40:7-8
Psalms 40:9-10 Psalms 40:9-10 Psalms 40:9-10 Psalms 40:9-10 Psalms 40:9-10
Psalms 40:11-12 Psalms 40:11-12 Psalms 40:11-12 Psalms 40:11 Psalms 40:11
A Prayer For Help
Psalms 40:12-15 Psalms 40:12
Psalms 40:13-17 Psalms 40:13-15 Psalms 40:13-15 Psalms 40:13-14a
Psalms 40:14-15
Psalms 40:16-17 Psalms 40:16-17 Psalms 40:16-17 Psalms 40:16
Psalms 40:17

READING CYCLE THREE (see “Guide to Good Bible Reading”)

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3). Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

Verses 1-3

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Psalms 40:1-3 1I waited patiently for the Lord; And He inclined to me and heard my cry. 2He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. 3He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; Many will see and fear And will trust in the Lord.

Psalms 40:1-3 The psalmist praises YHWH for His past acts of deliverance. YHWH responded to his prayers (i.e., “inclined,” BDB 639, KB 692, Qal imperfect and “heard,” BDB 1033, KB 1570, Qal imperfect).

YHWH had

1. brought him up out of the pit of destruction (lit. “pit of tumult/noise,” BDB 92 construct BDB 981, cf. Psalms 69:2; this could be water imagery of death (cf. Psalms 18:4) or a flood (cf. Psalms 18:16)

2. brought him up out of the miry clay

a. used of mire in the streets 2 Samuel 22:43; Micah 7:10; Zechariah 9:3; Zechariah 10:5

b. used of mire in a cistern Jeremiah 38:6

c. used figuratively of distress Psalms 40:2; Psalms 69:14 (“pit” also mentioned in Psalms 69:15)

d. possibly refers to Sheol (i.e., death, UBS Handbook, p. 381)

3. set his feet upon a rock making his footsteps firm godly, faithful covenant followers were those who walked on straight, level, unobstructed paths (cf. Psalms 17:5; Psalms 18:36; Psalms 37:31; Psalms 44:18; Psalms 73:2; Psalms 94:18; Job 23:11; Job 31:7)

4. put a new song in his mouth, a song of praise new songs were a cultural way to acknowledge and glorify YHWH's acts of deliverance (cf. Exodus 15:0; Judges 5:0; Deuteronomy 32:0); see note at Psalms 33:2; also note Psalms 96:1; Psalms 98:1; Psalms 144:9; Psalms 149:1; Isaiah 42:10; Revelation 5:9; Revelation 14:3

The purpose of YHWH's deliverance of the psalmist was not just special treatment for one human but to bless and protect His covenant followers so that others (i.e., “many,” BDB 912 I) would become covenant followers.

1. see BDB 906, KB 1157, Qal imperfect

2. fear BDB 431, KB 432, Qal imperfect

3. trust BDB 105, KB 120, Qal imperfect

Psalms 40:1 “waited patiently” This is an infinitive absolute and a perfect verb of the same root (BDB 875, KB 1082) used to denote intensity.

“inclined” This verb (BDB 639, KB 692, cf. Psalms 17:6; Psalms 88:2) means “to bend.” The imagery is either YHWH bent His ear to hear clearly or YHWH bent down to hear (cf. Job 15:29).

Psalms 40:2 “rock” See note at Psalms 18:1-3.

Verses 4-5

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Psalms 40:4-5 4How blessed is the man who has made the Lord his trust, And has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood. 5Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders which You have done, And Your thoughts toward us; There is none to compare with You. If I would declare and speak of them, They would be too numerous to count.

Psalms 40:4-5 “How blessed is the man” This is the key thought of this strophe. This term (BDB 80) is used 26 times in the Psalms. See full note at Psalms 1:1 and Special Topic: Blessed (OT). Psalms 41:0 starts with this phrase. It is used mostly in Psalms and Proverbs (i.e., Wisdom Literature), which focuses on a successful and prosperous life.

The reasons given for the blessed state are

1. who has made YHWH his trust

2. who has not turned (BDB 815, KB 937, Qal perfect) to the proud (LXX, NRSV, TEV see #2,3 referring to idols)

3. who has not turned (BDB 962, KB 1312, Qal participle, word found only here in the OT)

In verse Psalms 40:5 the attributes of YHWH are listed.

1. many are the wonders (see TOPIC: WONDERFUL THINGS and note at Psalms 40:5)

2. many are His thoughts toward the covenant people

3. none compare with You (cf. Psalms 16:2; Isaiah 6:8-10; i.e., monotheism, see SPECIAL TOPIC: MONOTHEISM)

4. His wonders and thoughts are too numerous to count

a. declare BDB 616, KB 665, Hiphil cohortative

b. speak BDB 180, KB 210, Piel cohortative

Psalms 40:5 This verse seems to be reflecting on YHWH's great acts of deliverance for Israel, especially the Exodus. The “us” must refer to the faith community from the descendants of Abraham (cf. Genesis 12:1-3). Within the covenant community are the faithful and the unfaithful (cf. Psalms 40:4), yet YHWH sustains the whole community. He has a universal, redemptive purpose for Israel (cf. Psalms 33:10-12).

The term “wonder” (BDB 810, see TOPIC: WONDERFUL THINGS) is often used in connection to the Exodus.

1. verb Exodus 3:20; Exodus 34:10; Deuteronomy 28:59

2. noun Exodus 15:11

The Exodus was the major evidence of YHWH's fidelity to His promises (cf. Genesis 15:12-21) and the demonstration of His power and purpose for Israel (cf. Genesis 12:3).

“too numerous to count” This may be a verbal link to the promises to Abraham that his descendants would be too numerous to count (i.e., as dust, cf. Genesis 13:16; Genesis 28:14; Numbers 23:10; as sand, cf. Genesis 22:17; Genesis 32:12; as stars, cf. Genesis 15:5; Genesis 22:17; Genesis 26:4). Another wonder of YHWH from an infertile, older couple!

A good parallel text would be Psalms 139:17-18, which also notes the numerous acts of deliverance by YHWH. Notice it mentions “outnumber the sand,” which is another allusion to the promise of Abraham's descendants.

Verses 6-8

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Psalms 40:6-8 6Sacrifice and meal offering You have not desired; My ears You have opened; Burnt offering and sin offering You have not required. 7Then I said, “Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is written of me. 8I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your Law is within my heart.”

Psalms 40:6-8 This strophe uses the Mosaic Law as a literary foil to the psalmist's new personal relationship based on the concept similar to the new covenant of Jeremiah 31:31-34 (i.e., the Law is within my heart, cf. Isaiah 51:7). The motivation for worship, obedience, service, and perseverance is internal (cf. Deuteronomy 6:6).

The sacrificial system was YHWH's method of dealing with human sin among His covenant community. Innocent animals died in the place of sinful humans (cf. Ezekiel 18:4, Ezekiel 18:20; Romans 6:23). It was a typological model of the coming Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world (cf. John 1:29; Mark 10:45; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 10:1-18).

The problem with the Mosaic covenant is that for many Jews it became an external moral code instead of a means to intimate personal faith (cf. Deuteronomy 10:16; Deuteronomy 30:6; Jeremiah 4:4; Jeremiah 9:25; Romans 2:28-29).

The NT sees this strophe (Psalms 40:6-8) as ultimately fulfilled by Jesus' life and death (cf. Hebrews 10:5-7 from the LXX). He is the perfect fulfillment of these texts. He is the “ideal Israelite,” dying on behalf of all (cf. Isaiah 53:0).

Psalms 40:6 There are four different words used to describe the different sacrifices of Israel (cf. Leviticus 1-7).

1. sacrifices BDB 257, general term for sacrifices where part of the animal was eaten in a fellowship with their Deity

2. meal offerings BDB 585, originally referred to both animal and grain offerings but came to be used of grain only

3. burnt offerings BDB 750 II, referred to an offering that was consumed completely on the altar

4. sin offerings BDB 308, one of two feminine nouns; this is the rarer one; it is translated “great sin” in Genesis 20:9; Exodus 32:21, Exodus 32:30, Exodus 32:31; 2 Kings 17:21; and “sin” in Psalms 32:1; Psalms 109:7. Here it seems to refer to a sin offering because of the parallelism but the usage is unique.

This verse is not a rejection of the sacrificial system but its abuse (cf. 1 Samuel 15:22; Psalms 50:8-14; Psalms 51:16-17; Psalms 69:30-31; Isaiah 1:11-15; Jeremiah 7:22-23; Hosea 6:6; Amos 5:21-22).

NASB, NKJV“opened” NASB margin“dug or pierced” NRSV margin“dug” LXX“a body you have prepared for me”

This verb (BDB 500, KB 496, Qal perfect) has this meaning only here. It is used of digging

1. a well Genesis 26:25; Numbers 21:18

2. a grave Genesis 50:5

3. a pit Exodus 21:33

4. figuratively a plot Psalms 7:14-16; Psalms 57:6; Psalms 119:85; Proverbs 16:27; Proverbs 26:27; Jeremiah 18:20 (i.e., compare Jeremiah 6:10)

The NASB marginal suggestion, “pierced,” possibly comes from Exodus 21:5-6 or Deuteronomy 15:12-18, where a slave is made a permanent member of the household (cf. Deuteronomy 15:17, different verb and “ear” is singular).

The LXX translation must be based on a different Hebrew manuscript or it paraphrased the thought sensing that “ears” stood for the whole body. The LXX was what the early church used and it is quoted in Hebrews 10:5 (cf. Hebrews 10:1-18).

In context the verb refers to the new relationship of faith and trust established by the new covenant model (i.e., “Your Law is within my heart,” cf. Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 36:26-27), which allows sinful humans to clearly know and do YHWH's will (i.e., Psalms 40:8).

Psalms 40:7

NASB, NKJV“Behold, I come” NRSV, TEV, NRSV, REB“Here I am” NJB“Here I am, I am coming” LXX“Look, I have come” NET“Look, I come”

The translation, “Here I am,” comes from the use of the same interjection (BDB 243) used by Isaiah in Isaiah 6:8, combined with the verb (BDB 97, KB 112, Qal perfect), “I come” (different verb from Isaiah 6:8).

It is an idiom of availability and surrender to YHWH's will and plan for one's life (cf. Psalms 40:7-8). In this context (i.e., sacrifice) it may refer to the fact that in the OT there was no sacrifice for known, intentional sin (cf. Leviticus 4:2, Leviticus 4:22, Leviticus 4:27; Leviticus 5:15-18; Leviticus 22:14; Psalms 51:16-17). Only the sins of passion or ignorance were covered (i.e., unintentional). The psalmist sees that the only appropriate sacrifice was himself (cf. Romans 12:1). This is surely a foreshadowing of the Lamb of God (cf. John 1:29) who came to give Himself (cf. Mark 10:45; Isaiah 53:0).

“In the scroll of the book” Some scholars see this as referring to YHWH's revelation to Moses. The king was given a copy (cf. Deuteronomy 17:18-20; 1 Kings 2:3; 2 Kings 11:12). The Bible uses “book(s)” to denote YHWH's plans for each person (cf. Psalms 139:1-6, Psalms 139:16) or memory of the lives of all humans who will one day stand before Him as judge. This imagery is expressed in two books, the book of life and the book of deeds. See SPECIAL TOPIC: THE TWO BOOKS OF GOD.

Psalms 40:8 “I delight to do Your will” What a radical change from Genesis 3:0. The damaged “image of God” has been restored! Fellowship at the deepest level is possible again. The independent spirit of the Fall is replaced by a dependent spirit.

Jesus modeled this servant attitude for us to see (cf. Matthew 26:39; John 4:34; John 5:30; John 6:38).

Verses 9-10

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Psalms 40:9-10 9I have proclaimed glad tidings of righteousness in the great congregation; Behold, I will not restrain my lips, O Lord, You know. 10I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart; I have spoken of Your faithfulness and Your salvation; I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the great congregation.

Psalms 40:9-10 The psalmist witnesses of YHWH's attributes in a temple/tabernacle (cf. Psalms 22:25) worship setting (i.e., the great congregation).

1. Your righteousness BDB 842, see SPECIAL TOPIC: RIGHTEOUSNESS

2. Your faithfulness BDB 53, see SPECIAL TOPIC: Believe, Trust, Faith, and Faithfulness in the Old Testament

3. Your salvation BDB 448, see Special Topic: SALVATION (OLD TESTAMENT TERM)

4. Your lovingkindness BDB 338, see SPECIAL TOPIC: LOVINGKINDNESS (HESED)

5. Your truth BDB 54, see Special Topic: Amen

Psalms 40:11 adds to this list (the strophe division is uncertain).

6. Your compassion BDB 933

7. Your lovingkindness BDB 338

8. Your Truth BDB 54

These are the great theological words of the OT which describe how the covenant God deals with the sons/daughters of Adam because of His special call of Abraham (see SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH's ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN).

Psalms 40:9 “You know” YHWH knows the heart of His human creation (cf. Joshua 22:22; 1 Samuel 2:3; 1 Samuel 16:7; 1 Kings 8:39; 1 Chronicles 28:9; Psalms 139:2-4; Jeremiah 17:10; Jeremiah 20:12; Luke 16:15; Acts 1:24; Acts 15:8; Romans 8:27).

Psalms 40:10 Notice the series of verbs whereby the psalmist affirms his full and open testimony about YHWH.

1. I have proclaimed BDB 142, KB 163, Piel perfect, Psalms 40:9

2. I have not hidden BDB 491, KB 487, Qal perfect, Psalms 40:10

3. I have spoken BDB 55, KB 65, Qal perfect, Psalms 40:10

4. I have not concealed BDB 470, KB 469, Piel perfect

YHWH desires that His people lift up His character and actions in praise and witness, so that all humans made in His image (cf. Genesis 1:26-27) may come to know and worship Him!

Verses 11-12

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Psalms 40:11-12 11You, O Lord, will not withhold Your compassion from me; Your lovingkindness and Your truth will continually preserve me. 12For evils beyond number have surrounded me; My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see; They are more numerous than the hairs of my head, And my heart has failed me.

Psalms 40:11-12 This strophe describes the current situation of the psalmist. YHWH is surely with him but there are problems (a series of perfects).

1. evils beyond number have surrounded me BDB 67, KB 79, Qal perfect; this list (AB, p. 247) is imagery taken from a pack of wild dogs attacking their prey; this number of problems is contrasted with YHWH's “wonders” in Psalms 40:5

2. my iniquities have overtaken me BDB 673, KB 727, Hiphil perfect; in several Psalms in Book One the psalmist acknowledges his sin, cf. Psalms 25:11; Psalms 31:10; Psalms 32:5; Psalms 38:4, Psalms 38:18; this may be a literary way of affirming the sinfulness of all humans

3. I am not able to see BDB 407, KB 410, Qal perfect; possibly connected to constant weeping, cf. Psalms 69:3; sin always causes a disruption in our relationship with God and our ability to know His will

4. he acknowledges his iniquities are very many BDB 782, KB 868, Qal perfect; the imagery of “hairs of the head” is repeated in Psalms 69:4 and used by Jesus of YHWH's knowledge of us in Matthew 10:30; it is an OT idiom, cf. 1 Samuel 14:45; 2 Samuel 14:11; 1 Kings 1:52; Acts 27:34

5. his heart has failed (i.e., left) him BDB 736, KB 806, Qal perfect

The life of the faithful follower is a struggle between indwelling sin (cf. Romans 7:0) and God's grace and mercy (cf. Romans 8:0).

Verses 13-17

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Psalms 40:13-17 13Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me; Make haste, O Lord, to help me. 14Let those be ashamed and humiliated together Who seek my life to destroy it; Let those be turned back and dishonored Who delight in my hurt. 15Let those be appalled because of their shame Who say to me, “Aha, aha!” 16Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; Let those who love Your salvation say continually, “The Lord be magnified!” 17Since I am afflicted and needy, Let the Lord be mindful of me. You are my help and my deliverer; Do not delay, O my God.

Psalms 40:13-17 As usual the concluding strophe is a series of prayer requests (imperfects and jussives in synonymous parallelism). This is very similar to Psalms 70:0.

1. Be pleased (BDB 953, KB 1280, Qal imperative) to deliver me (BDB 664, KB 717, Hiphil infinitive construct). AB, p. 247, suggests a vowel change to the root for “run,” which parallels #2 better.

2. Make haste to help me BDB 301, KB 300, Qal imperative, cf. Psalms 22:19; Psalms 38:22; Psalms 70:1, Psalms 70:5; Psalms 71:12; Psalms 141:1

3. Let those who seek my life be ashamed BDB 101, KB 116, Qal imperfect used in a jussive sense, cf. Psalms 35:4, Psalms 35:26; Psalms 70:2; Psalms 83:17

4. Let those who seek my life be humiliated together BDB 344, KB 346, Qal imperfect used in a jussive sense

5. Let those who delight in my hurt be turned back BDB 690, KB 744, Niphal imperfect used in a jussive sense, cf. Psalms 35:4, Psalms 35:26; Psalms 70:2 (this is military imagery)

6. Let those who delight in my hurt be dishonored BDB 483, KB 480, Niphal imperfect used in a jussive sense

7. Let those who say to me “Aha, aha” (cf. Psalms 35:21; Psalms 70:3) be appalled BDB 1030, KB 1563, Qal imperfect used in a jussive sense

At Psalms 40:16 the prayers change from negative to positive.

8. Let all those who seek You rejoice BDB 965, KB 1314, Qal imperfect used in a jussive sense (notice that the wicked “seek” his life [BDB 134, KB 152] but the psalmist seeks YHWH, cf. Psalms 40:16)

9. Let all those who seek You be glad BDB 970, KB 1333, Qal imperfect used in a jussive sense

10. Let those who love Your salvation say. . . BDB 55, KB 65, Qal imperfect used in a jussive sense (faithful followers love YHWH by being obedient to His revealed will and way, cf. Deuteronomy 6:5; Deuteronomy 10:12; Deuteronomy 11:1, Deuteronomy 11:13, Deuteronomy 11:22; Deuteronomy 19:9; Deuteronomy 30:15, Deuteronomy 30:16, Deuteronomy 30:19-20)

11. “. . .YHWH be magnified” BDB 152, KB 178, Qal imperfect used in a jussive sense (this is in contrast to what the wicked say in Psalms 40:15)

12. Let YHWH be mindful of me BDB 362, KB 359, Qal jussive

13. Do not delay BDB 29, KB 34, Piel imperfect used in a jussive sense, cf. Psalms 70:5; this forms an inclusio with “make haste” of Psalms 40:13

Psalms 40:17 Notice how the psalmist characterizes himself and YHWH.

1. himself

a. afflicted (BDB 776)

b. needy (BDB 2)

(these are often used of faithful followers, cf. Psalms 70:5; Psalms 86:1; Psalms 109:22; in this sense they are metaphorical of a sense of spiritual need, cf. Matthew 5:3-6)

2. YHWH (MT has Adon but some Hebrew MSS have YHWH)

a. his help (BDB 740 I)

b. his deliverer (BDB 812, KB 930, Piel participle)

“O my God” In this Psalm YHWH and Elohim are used often and combined in Psalms 40:5.

1. YHWH, Psalms 40:1, Psalms 40:3, Psalms 40:4, Psalms 40:9, Psalms 40:11, Psalms 40:13 (twice),16

2. Elohim, Psalms 40:3, Psalms 40:5, Psalms 40:8, Psalms 40:17

See SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY for a detailed discussion of how the OT writers used these designations/titles/names for Deity to assert different aspects of His character and actions.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.

1. Describe the mood of Psalms 40:1-10; and then Psalms 40:11-17. What has changed?

2. List and explain the attributes of YHWH in Psalms 40:10-11.

3. How is the imagery of walking used to describe the life of faith?

4. Does Psalms 40:5 allude to Genesis or Exodus, or both? Why?

5. How can the LXX translation of Psalms 40:6b (cf. Hebrews 10:5-7) be so different from the MT?

6. Is this a Messianic Psalm?

7. What “book” or “scroll” is Psalms 40:7b talking about?

8. Explain why Psalms 40:13-17 reappears in Psalms 70:0.

Bibliographical Information
Utley. Dr. Robert. "Commentary on Psalms 40". "Utley's You Can Understand the Bible". https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/ubc/psalms-40.html. 2021.
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