Psalm 40 – Jesus is our Example for Living
From the Mire to the Choir
“God promises a safe landing but not a calm passage.” Anonymous –
David begins this Psalm with praise and remembering. He gets the focus off of himself and onto God. He talks to God not at Him. David said, I waited and God did the rest. (Let’s stop and see the work of the Cross in this passage. Jesus took our sin upon Himself on the Cross. He was so cast down like a prisoner in a deep, dark, fearful pit. He waited and God reached down and lifted Him to victory, victory over sin and death.)
God will do for us what we can’t do ourselves.
The pit is too deep.
The mud is too slippery – nothing to hand onto – nothing to a foot hold.
So what does God do?
Vs. 2b
He reaches down to where David is, extends His hand, and lifts him up. God takes him out of the problem, but he still has the residue/consequences of the problem. His feet are slippery. God steadied him as he walked until he could be cleansed and then
Vs. 3
God put a new son in his heart, a son of praise!
And a testimony.
David will share what God has done in his life and others will trust in the Lord.
(When Jesus was lifted from the pit of death God us a new song, the song of the redeemed. And those who heard His testimony were astounded. They put their trust in God.)
Vs. 4
Blessed, oh the joys of those who trust in God. Their trust is in Him
· Not in the proud (in Pharisees, Religious leaders)
· Not in idols
David says, “I can never recount All the wonderful things You have done for me, nor can I!”
Vs. 6
Is David’s “I finally get it!” I finally see You clearly, You want a relationship with me.
· No sacrifice, to make me worthy
· No offerings, to prove how religious I am
You want me to accept You and You alone!
You saved me, I couldn’t do it.
You put a song in my mouth and I will sing of Your praises.
I will share what You have done for me so they will know and believe.
“Mine ears has Thou opened” (digged, bored)
God opened his (David’s) understanding.
God has to dig the stuff out of our ears. (lips, false teaching, stinking thinking, my opinion vs. God’s Word, so that we can hear what He is teaching us.)
David says, “it is not what I can do for You but what You have done for me!” duh, I finally have it.
Opened in God’s Word conveys another truth.
The boring of the ear represents a voluntary slave, one who has been set free but chooses to remain a slave on the day of Jubilee in Israel. All slaves were set free. When he is read his letter of emancipation, if he says, “I love my master…I will not go free” he is taken by a priest who leads him to a post. His ear is pierced with an awl (bored). He now is a marked man. He has become a voluntary slave for life. One who ear now listens to his master’s voice. His name is written in the Master’s book.
(Calvary – if I choose to accept Christ, makes me a marked person, a bondservant and my ear is open to the voice of my Master. My name is written in the book (scroll) of life.)
Vs. 8
The servant now says “I delight, I choose to do Your will.”
(Jesus in Gethsemane says, “Not My will but Thine be done.”
Not an easy passage but a safe landing. I take delight in doing Your will my God. Hebrews 10:5-7; John 4:34> .. just as it is written in the scriptures “My food”, Jesus said, “is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish the work.”
God willed it, Jesus did it, Jesus took on the form of man. Phil. 2:5-7
Vs. 9-10
I have told … I am not afraid to speak out.
I do not hide Your righteousness in my heart. I speak of Your faithfulness and salvation.
What topic is 1st in our conversation.
· My hardship
· My needs physically
· My pain
· God’s faithfulness and righteousness
David is eager to share his heart burning passion of thankfulness with all his people.
(Jesus was always found in the Temple, with people/multitudes teaching the whole counsel of God. He taught openly. He was not ashamed to be a faithful and true witness.)
Vs. 11-12
David knew and understood the Righteousness of God. He understood the promises of God and His faithfulness. Yet in times of trouble he seeks God’s Compassion. He is asking for deliverance.
· Do not withhold your mercy from me
· Cover me with your love and mercy
· My sins have overtaken me
· My troubles can’t be numbered (more than the hairs on my head)
Vs. 13-15
O Lord come quickly.
Expose those who
· Try to betray me
· Take delight in my trouble
Father, humiliate them, put them to shame, they feel like they have trapped me.
(Jesus understood the path laid out before Him. He asked for compassion from His Father. He knew God was with Him
· Don’t withhold Your mercy, cover me with Your love, sustain me whild I drink this cup!
· The sins of the world have overtaken me
· Oh, Father come quickly, He gave up His Spirit
· It was finished
They said, “Aha, we’ve got Him now”. But they were wrong!
Vs. 16
May All who search for You be filled with joy and gladness, proclaiming “the Lord is Great!”
Vs. 17
Right now, (the truth is) I am poor and needy. But the Lord, My God, My Savior, He is thinking of me, Right Now! He is All I need. Please God, don’t take too long.
(Jesus knew that His Father was thinking about Him. He had an unmoveable confidence in God alone.)
It is the Lord who is thinking about me!
A promise of blessing!
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