Psalm 40. This Psalm is a Psalm of David, and it is also a Messianic Psalm. Psalm 40 really presents Christ celebrating His own deliverance in connection with Israel. It also speaks of Christ coming to do the will of God, from the very moment of incarnation. Historically, this Psalm probably refers to the time of Absalom’s rebellion. Prophetically, it has a double application. First, to Christ Himself. Secondly, it can apply to the faithful remnant in association with Him. 

 

 

vv.1-4 Christ celebrating His deliverance. This being a Messianic Psalm, these verses have to do with Christ being delivered out of His sufferings in resurrection. The cry of the suffering Christ (Psa. 22:17; Heb. 5:7) was heard, and the results are here. Christ’s patient dependent on Jehovah throughout His suffering, and into resurrection, becomes the source of encouragement to others; especially Israel. The “horrible pit” refers to the sufferings of Christ up to and including death. The solid “rock” refers to a new standing, i.e. resurrection ground, and may include His ascension. The “new song” in the mouth of the risen Christ is that what He could sing on the ground of an accomplished redemption (Psa. 22:22). We too can sing that song, knowing that the work of redemption is accomplished, and Christ is risen from among the dead. The deliverance of Christ now becomes the source of encouragement to His saints;  “Blessed is the man that hath made Jehovah his confidence”. This is especially true of the faithful Jewish remnant, who have not followed the apostate nation, “the proud”, nor turned aside to lies; i.e. Israel’s covenant with the beast. God has proven Himself worthy of the faith of His saints. These verses are anticipatory, hence there is still affliction in v.11 on.

 

 

v.5 Thanksgiving. Here we have Christ, and the remnant in association with Him, praising Jehovah for His great deliverance, and for His thoughts toward them. They are beyond human ability to reckon or speak.

 

 

vv.6-8 Full Devotion to the Will of God. In these verses we have an exceedingly beautiful truth. The fact that these verses are quoted in Hebrews 10 shows that they are those spoken by Christ Himself as a man. The whole Jewish system of sacrifice (all the offerings covered), of approach to God under the law, has been completely replaced through the coming of Christ to fully accomplish the will of God. The words “in the volume of the book” refers to the end of a scroll, equivalent to the spine of a modern book. The title of a book would be written on the end of a scroll so that you could see the general contents of a book at-a-glance. In v.7, Christ gives us a summary title that could be written over His whole life! His entire purpose on earth as a man was this, “Behold, I come… to do thy will O God”. His entire life is book-ended by that one, singular goal: to accomplish His Father’s business (Luke 2:49; John 19:30; Luke 23:46). It wasn’t mere willingness to do the will of God, but His “delight”. The system of law was that of endless symbols and sacrifices which could never take away sin, offered for hearts that were reluctant to do God’s will. But when Christ came into the world, here was something that had never been seen before. Here was a Man who was totally here for the pleasure and interests of God! Every other man by nature walks according to his own will. But Christ was totally different (John 4:34). The expression in verse six “ears hast thou prepared me” is a curious phrase. It refers to the incarnation; as the Septuagint translation puts it, “a body hast thou prepared me”, and which is quoted by the writer of Hebrews, giving the Spirit of God’s approval. It could only be said of Christ that a body was prepared for Him, because He existed before incarnation. Why then in the Masoretic text is it translated “ears hast thou prepared me” or “mine ears hast thou digged”? It is because in this sense, in the context of what is being brought out here by the Spirit of God, the ear of Christ was that which embodied His whole humanity. As the body of Christ was formed in the womb, the leading feature was His hearing ear! An ear that was “digged” refers to a man whose whole being was trained toward one object, of doing the good pleasure of God. This Person completely replaces and sets aside the who order of Judaism; “He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second” (Heb. 10:9). What a powerful point for the Spirit of God to draw from this Psalm in addressing the Hebrews!¹ The faithful remnant in a future day will come to appreciate this as well.

 

 

 

vv.9-10 Faithful Witness. Appreciation for the deliverance of Jehovah leads to the publication of God’s truth. Full devotion must be accompanies by a faithful witness. Truth cannot be withheld from the lips, hidden in the heart, or concealed from the great congregation. It rather must be published and declared. The great congregation would refer to Israel, to whom Christ and the remnant teach regardless of the consequences.⁴

 

 

vv.11-17 A cry for deliverance. The devotion of Christ to do the will of God lead Him into great sufferings. He can speak of “innumerable evils”. It would seem that the “iniquities” referred to in v.12 are those of others that Christ bore on the cross, confessing them as His own. He cries to Jehovah to deliver Him, and also for vengeance on His enemies, and on those that would laugh at Him in the time of His suffering. He also prays for a blessing on those that are faithful, His saints on the earth, who continually praise Jehovah. The song ends with a cry of deliverance, because of the sufferings that the Messiah is passing through.