Presented January 13, 2008
MANY, O LORD MY GOD, ARE YOUR WONDERFUL WORKS
Psalm 40
Tonight we continue our study of the psalms. This psalm is typical of David’s psalms in that he praises God for deliverance, but the message goes much further and looks into the future to our Lord. This psalm is Messianic and contains, at least in my mind, a dual message. We will consider this as we study the psalm.
As the past few psalms have done, this one is consigned “to the chief musician” meaning it was put to music and used in worship to God.
I. I. I waited patiently (1)
a. There were many occasions when David needed to wait on the Lord.
b.
So did our Lord
Jesus – consider as He prayed in the garden, while on the cross, and at times
throughout His life as He faced trials and discouragement.
But the ultimate wait was when He died – His last words on the cross were, “Into
your hands I commit My spirit.” (Luke 23:46) His trust was that God would raise
Him from the dead.
c.
We too must
NEVER forget patience.
James 5:7-8 - Like a farmer waits patiently on crops, so we must wait on the
Lord. We need it dealing with life and we need it as we look forward to what is
after this life.
d. David notes that the Lord inclined unto him and heard him. The word inclined indicates that the Lord heard his prayer. The idea is that of one leaning forward to clearly hear something.
II. II. He brought me up (2)
a. Many times we are reminded of how David faced misery, death and seemingly impossible odds. But the Lord delivered him and set him back up. This reminds me of his early days as he fled from King Saul.
b. Concerning our Lord – this verse reminds me of the grave that His body was laid in. We are familiar with the fact that the third day he arose. Beginning with the first sermon after the kingdom, on Pentecost, this was preached – Acts 2:24, 25-33, 1 Cor. 15:3-4 – he died, was buried, and arose the third day.
c. Can He deliver us? We KNOW He can! 1 Cor. 10:13, 2 Peter 2:9 says, “The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment.”
III. III. He has put a new song in my mouth (3)
a. Because of deliverance, David praises God in song (he was the psalmist). How many psalms have examined where we see this fact? There are many more to come! (cf. Psalm 33:3, 149, 150)
b. Concerning our Lord – as many praised His resurrection, others saw it and feared. Consider the Jewish leaders who bribed the guards (Matt. 28:11-15)
c. Do we praise God as we sing? James 5:13 says, “Is anyone cheerful, let him sing psalms.”
IV. IV. Blessed is the man who makes his trust in the Lord (4)
a. Certainly David was blessed because of his trust. He also notes that others are blessed when they make the Lord the source of their trust.
b. We too must put our trust in the Lord – our risen Savior. 2 Corinthians 1:9-11, 3:4
c.
Note also how
this trust includes a changed life – one who does not respect the proud or
follow liars.
Cf. 1 Thess. 4:3
V. V. Many are the wonderful works of the Lord (5)
a. Truly, in the life of David God worked many wonderful things.
b. In Christ, He did things even MORE wonderful – consider Ephesians 2:4-8
c. Can we truly count the blessings He has bestowed upon us?
VI. VI. I delight to do your will (6-8)
a. When David speaks of God not desiring sacrifice and offerings – it is not that they were not important under the Law (they were) but in delivering David He did not demand these things. Furthermore, the context indicates an understanding that what God really desires is obedience. Consider 1 Samuel 15:22 where king Saul disobeyed God’s instructions to destroy the Amalekites. He ALMOST obeyed – but that was not good enough. In fact, Samuel called it rebellion!
b.
NOTE: These
verses are quoted in Hebrews 10:5-7 and discussed in 8-10. They demonstrate how
the sacrifice of our Lord was the ultimate propitiation (appeasement) from
sacrifice.
Note also how the Hebrew writer ties in this verse with the New Covenant which
he has extensively discussed in that epistle.
Also notice a key difference in Psalm 40:6 and Hebrews 10:5. David mentions,
“My ears you have opened” while Hebrews 10:5 says, “A body you have prepared for
me.”
First, understand that the Hebrew text is actually the Septuagint (Old
Testament translated into Greek)
Second, the ear the Lord had opened could have reference to the fact that God
has done His part to prepare David to hear the truth. Many commentators note
that the word for open is word that means to be bored indicating the boring of
an ear of a servant (thus claiming him). In similar fashion, Our Lord came and
died for us in the flesh. And that can correspond with “A body you have
prepared for me.”
c. Incidentally, in these verses we find why this psalm is primarily Messianic. The words here fit perfectly our Lord and His purpose, whereas David, while he could say these things could not do so exactly (when were volumes written about him coming to do the Father’s will, etc.).
d. Do we delight in His will as our Lord, whom we are to imitate did? (1 Cor. 11:1, Romans 7:22)
VII. VII. I have proclaimed (9-10)
a. David, once again confessed His Lord publicly – twice David mentions the great assembly. Again this is a recurring theme of David, cf. Psalm 22:22; see also Hebrews 2:12.
b. How will we respond to OUR Lord? Cf. Matt. 10:32-33 – will we confess Him or deny Him?
VIII. VIII. Do not withhold from me (11)
a. After this praise David requests of the Lord that He bless Him with mercy and loving-kindness which preserves him.
b. Where our Lord was concerned, He did NOT withhold mercy from Him either. He raised Him from the dead (Acts 17:31, Philippians 2:8-11)
IX. IX. Innumerable evils surround me (12)
a. David again confesses sin. Not only is he surrounded by evil, iniquity has overtaken him.
b. Concerning our Lord – He was without sin, BUT He became sin for us – 2 Cor. 5:21
X. X. Be pleased to deliver me (13)
a. David seeks the pleasure of God in making him right. (God does not desire that any should perish).
b. Again, this describes how the Lord was raised by the pleasure of God for us. It also shows our Lord’s submission to the Father such as that found in Matthew 26:39 – Let this cup pass…
XI. XI. Let them be ashamed (14-15)
a. Again, David request that his enemies be brought to confusion and defeated. This is typical David.
b.
Concerning our
Lord, throughout His life He put to shame His enemies – After answering angry
leaders when He healed on the Sabbath we are told in Luke 13:17 says, “And when
He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame…” In John 8:9 when
they brought to Him an adulterous woman Jesus answered them and one by one they
left being convicted by their conscience. BUT, ultimately, when He was raised
from the dead – His enemies were confounded including Satan. It was in His
resurrection that the head of Satan was crushed. 1 Corinthians 15:54-57 speaks
of death being swallowed up in victory.
Vs. 15, they say “aha, aha” – I think of the mockers at the foot of the cross.
But then I think of the darkness in the middle of the day, the earthquakes, the
guard who said, “truly, this was the son of God” and I think of the veil of the
temple being torn in two from top to bottom.
XII. XII. Let those who seek You rejoice (16)
a. While David’s enemies were put to shame, His friends (and the friends of the Lord) were to be exalted.
b. Concerning our Lord – when we seek Him we find cause for rejoicing AND salvation.
XIII. XIII. David is poor and needy (17)
a. Depending on when David wrote this it could mean many things. At times he was physically poor (nothing while in the wilderness), but at other times he was “poor in Spirit” and needy of God’s mercy. Either way, He trusts in God to provide.
b.
Concerning our
Lord, in this I am reminded of the access of salvation to ALL mankind – not just
the right, but EVERYONE. Think about that! Matthew 5:3 says, “Blessed are the
poor in Spirit. For they shall see God.”
Also NEVER forget that God shows no partiality. Romans 2:11 says, “For there is
no partiality with God.”
Hebrews 13:6 – says that we may boldly say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not
fear. What can man do to me?”
Thus we see another psalm of David. David wrote this looking forward. We can respond to its message for us by looking forward to our home in heaven IF we will obey His gospel. What about you? Are you ready to obey?