Psalm 40:1-17

Introduction - We are met in this Psalm with David's language, but it is obvious that a greater than David is here. The first Person who uttered these words was the Messiah, and that is quite clear if you read the entire psalm. Thus, we have what is called a Messianic Psalm -- a prophetic foreview of some aspect of the coming Messiah's person and work.

What are the criteria for classifying a psalm as Messianic? First, Jesus said the Psalms spoke of him (Luke 24:44). Second, specific psalms are designated as Messianic by inspired New Testament writers. In regard to Psalm 40, we need not speculate as to whom it refers because we are told by the writer of the book of Hebrews, in chapter 10:5-7 that this passage refers to the Lord Jesus.

The primary interpretation of Psalm 40 concerns Jesus, the Messiah, and His substitutionary sorrows, suffering, and successful life and labors. By way of secondary application we have a picture of the salvation experience of every sinner.

So we will divide the Psalm into two parts:

I. A Prophetic Picture that Explains the Basis for the Gospel
II. A Personal Portrayal of Experiencing the Benefits of the Gospel

I. A Prophetic Picture that Explains the Basis for the Gospel

We will work our way from the bottom to the top in this Psalm. Beginning with 40:10 and working our way back to verse one, we will see that the first ten verses of the psalm are a hymn. This is a strong, powerful confession of faith sung publicly in the great congregation, giving testimony to God's salvation and his greatness. Verses 1-3 talk about a new song-a song of rescue; in fact, resurrection.

A. The Voluntary Mission of Christ for the Work of God -- 40:7, "lo I come..."

His own voluntary consent to this undertaking: “Then said I, Lo, I come; Then -- the word “then” in this verse means, “since this is the case;” or, “things being thus.” It does not refer to time, but to the condition of things. “Since it was certain that the work needful to be done could not be accomplished by bloody offerings - the sacrifice of animals - under these circumstances I said;” that is, I resolved or purposed to come.

1. That he freely offered himself to this mission

For this redemptive mission, the Messiah offered Himself freely, and without compulsion; immediately, at once, without any delay; and he himself, and not another; and this not by change of place, but by assumption of nature. He took the body, or human nature, prepared for him, and uniting it to himself; to which the word "lo" is prefixed as a note of attention and admiration; the incarnation of Christ was a wonderful affair; cosmic in magnitude and importance. He was under no obligation at all prior to his own voluntary engagement. It was no sooner proposed to him than, with the greatest cheerfulness, he consented to it, and was wonderfully well pleased with the undertaking. Had he not been perfectly voluntary in it, he could not have been a surety, he could not have been a sacrifice; for it is by this will that we are sanctified, Heb_10:10.

2. That he firmly obligated himself to this mission

“I come; I promise to come in the fullness of time.” In the counsel halls of eternity, Messiah had entered into covenant with the Father, not only to show the greatness of his love, but because he was to have the honor of his undertaking before he had fully performed it. Though the price was not paid, it was guaranteed to be paid, so that he was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

3. That he faithfully orchestrated this mission

He said, Lo, I come, and had said it all along to the Old Testament believers, who therefore knew him by the title of ho erchomenos - He that should come. Mat_11:3  And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? Luke_7:19  And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?

This word was the foundation on which they built their faith and hope, and which they looked and longed for the accomplishment of.

B. The Glad Submission of Christ to the Will of God -- Psa 40:8  I delight to do thy will, O my God:

His own will was absorbed in the divine will. It was His pleasure to say, "Not as I will, but as thou wilt." It was his meat and his drink to do the will of him that sent him, and to finish his work. Though he was Lord and God, he became a lowly servant for our sakes. Though high as the highest, he stooped low as the lowest. The King of kings was the servant of servants, that he might save his people. He took upon him the form of a servant, and girded himself, and stood obediently at his Father's call.

Spurgeon comments on this verse by saying, "Our blessed Lord alone could completely do the will of God. The law is too broad for such poor creatures as we are to hope to fulfill it to the uttermost: but Jesus not only did the Father's will, but found a delight therein; from old eternity he had desired the work set before him; in his human life he was straitened till he reached the baptism of agony in which he magnified the law, and even in Gethsemane itself he chose the Father's will, and set aside his own. Herein is the essence of obedience, namely, in the soul's cheerful devotion to God: and our Lord's obedience, which is our righteousness, is in no measure lacking in this eminent quality. Notwithstanding his measureless griefs, our Lord found delight in his work, and for “the joy that was set before him he endured the cross, despising the shame.” “Yea, thy law is within my heart.” No outward, formal devotion was rendered by Christ; his heart was in his work, holiness was his element, the Father's will his meat and drink."

C. The Painful Admissions of Christ under the Wrath of God -- 40:2  He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay; Psa 40:12  For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me. Psa 40:14  Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil.

Hebrew lexicons amplify this idea of a pit of destruction as a pit of tumult, of terrible experience of desolation, despair, or even death. In that phrase, Jesus is describing his own death, burial, and separation from his Father God. But these verses go on to describe resurrection.

There are two phrases in verse one that create a tension we need to understand about the life and ministry of Jesus. One is "waited patiently," the other "my cry [for deliverance]." Think about the waiting of Jesus. He did trust God's plan for him. Remember him in the temple at the age of twelve, saying, "I had to be in my Father's house [about my Father's business]" (Luke 2:49). There was a program to which God had called him, and he intended to wait on the Lord for it. Remember that over and over again to his disciples in his ministry he said, "My hour has not yet come." God was in charge of the timing.

Jesus also knew ahead of time that God's program would include humiliation and suffering and the agony of death. That is where the cry for deliverance comes in. We can identify with the horror of that Gethsemane experience when he cried out, "Father, if Thou art willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Thine be done" (Luke 22:42). And the cry on Calvary: "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" (Matthew 27:46). The writer of Hebrews examines that cry of despair from the Lord Jesus (5:7): "In the days of His flesh, when He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and [He] was heard because of his godly fear...."

Patient waiting upon God was a special characteristic of our Lord Jesus. Impatience never lingered in his heart, much less escaped his lips. All through his agony in the garden, his trial of cruel mockings before Herod and Pilate, and his passion on the tree, he waited in omnipotence of patience. No glance of wrath, no word of murmuring, no deed of vengeance came from God's patient Lamb; he waited and waited on; was patient, and patient to perfection, far excelling all others who have according to their measure glorified God in the fires.

(1) The depth of the sufferings endured -- "He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay,"

When our Lord bore in his own person the terrible curse which was due to sin, he was so cast down as to be like a prisoner in a deep, dark, tearful dungeon, amid whose horrible glooms the captive heard a noise as of rushing torrents, while overhead resounded the tramp of furious foes. Our Lord in his anguish was like a captive in dungeon of despair, degradation and death, forgotten of all mankind, imprisoned amid horror, darkness, and desolation. Yet the Lord Jehovah made him to ascend from all his abasement; he retraced his steps from that deep hell of anguish into which he had been cast as our substitute. He who thus delivered our surety in extremis, will not fail to liberate us from our far lighter griefs.

(2) The breadth of sorrows experienced -- “Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up.”

On every side he was beset with evils; countless woes environed the great Substitute for our sins. Our sins were innumerable, and so were his griefs. There was no escape for us from our iniquities, and there was no escape for him from the woes which we deserved. From every quarter evils accumulated about the blessed One, although in his heart evil found no place. “Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up.” He had no sin, but sins were laid on him, and he took them as if they were his. “He was made sin for us.” The transfer of sin to the Savior was real, and produced in him as man the horror which forbade him to look into the face of God, bowing him down with crushing anguish and woe intolerable. O my soul, what would thy sins have done for thee eternally if the Friend of sinners had not condescended to take them all upon himself? Oh, blessed Scripture! “The Lord hath made to meet upon him the iniquity of us all.” Oh, marvelous depth of love, which could lead the perfectly immaculate to stand in the sinner's place, and bear the horror of great trembling which sin must bring upon those conscious of it. “They are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me.” The pains of the divine penalty were beyond compute, and the Savior's soul was so burdened with them, that he was sore amazed, and very heavy even unto a sweat of blood. His strength was gone, his spirits sank, he was in an agony.

Came at length the dreadful night;

Vengeance with its iron rod

Stood, and with collected might

Bruised the harmless Lamb of God.

See, my soul, thy Savior see

Prostrate in Gethsemane!

There my God bore all my guilt,

This through grace can be believed;

But the horrors which he felt

Are too vast to be conceived.

None can penetrate through thee,

Doleful, dark Gethsemane!

(3) The height of success exclaimed -- “And set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings; many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD."

The Redeemer's work is done. He rests on the firm ground of his accomplished engagements; he can never suffer again. He now reigns forever in glory. What a comfort to know that Jesus our Lord and Savior stands on a sure foundation in all that he is and does for us, and his goings forth in love are not liable to be cut short by failure in years to come, for God has fixed him firmly. He is forever and eternally able to save unto the uttermost them that come unto God by him, seeing that in the highest heavens he ever liveth to make intercession for them. Jesus is the true Joseph taken from the pit to be Lord of all. It is something more than a “sip of sweetness” to remember that if we are cast like our Lord into the lowest pit of shame and sorrow, we shall by faith rise to stand on the same elevated, sure, and everlasting rock of divine favor and faithfulness.

"Many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.” A multitude that no man can number shall see the griefs and triumphs of Jesus, shall tremble because of their sinful rejection of him, and then through grace shall receive faith and trust in Jehovah. Here is our Lord's reward. Here is the assurance which makes preachers bold and workers persevering. Reader, are you one among the many? Note the way of salvation, a sight, a fear, a trust! Do you know what these mean by possessing and practicing them in your own soul? Trusting in the Lord is the evidence, or better still, the essence of salvation. He who is a true believer is evidently redeemed from the dominion of sin and Satan.

"He brought me up." God raised His obedient Son from the depths into which He had descended on our behalf. He was brought up, like Jonah who went to die bottom of the mountains, and yet was landed safely on the shore. He was brought up like Joseph, who rose from a pit to a palace; like David, who was led up from the sheepfold to the kingdom. "The king shall joy in thy strength, O Lord; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice! His glory is great in thy salvation: honor and majesty hast thou laid upon him. For thou hast made him most blessed forever: Thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance."

"He was set on a rock," Oh, the glory of our blessed Lord in this matter, for now He stands on a firm foundation in all that He does for us. Judgment and truth confirm His ways, and the Judge of all the earth approves His doings. Christ has no sandy foundation for His work of mercy or His word of comfort. When He saves He has a right to save: when He puts away sin He does it on indisputable grounds: when He helps and delivers His people He does it according to law, according to the will of the Highest. As Justifier, Preserver, and Perfecter of His people, He stands upon a rock. This day I delight to think of my Lord as settling His church with Himself upon the immutable foundations of the covenant, on the decree of God, on the purpose of the Father, on His own work, and on the promise of God that He would reward Him in that work. Well may we say that His feet are upon a rock, for He is Himself, by another figure, the Rock of ages, the Rock of our salvation.

II. A Personal Portrayal of Experiencing the Benefits of the Gospel

 A. The Ruin of Man in the Corruption of Sin

In the middle of verse two, there are two vivid and powerful phrases which brand upon our minds what it means to be lost.

The first phrase is, "a horrible pit." This probably refers to one of the old underground bottleneck prisons which were constructed in ancient times in Israel. In ancient times, when soldiers of an enemy were taken as prisoners of war, it would have been very difficult to march them the great distance back to the homeland, so it became common to construct a subterranean bottleneck prison to temporarily retain the prisoners. He was dropped into the mouth of the prison and would remain there until he was withdrawn. To be in one of these prisons would place the victim in an impossible situation. Every wall sloped toward him, making escape impossible.

Another descriptive word is very important here. The KJV speaks of this hole as "a horrible pit."  However, there is no Hebrew word in the phrase that actually translates into this English word.  The Hebrew word is more accurately rendered, "noisy," or "din," or "roaring." Many translations have a marginal reference which says, "Literally, a pit of noises."  One great Bible commentator said, "The Hebrew word has in it the idea of a crash."  So, the picture is that of a person who has haplessly tumbled into (he might have simply fallen, or he might have been pushed) one of these pits. So, here is the first Biblical picture of what it means to be lost.  It means to be fallen.  Man is a fallen being.  G. K. Chesterton registered this truth when he said, "Whatever else man is, he is not what he was made and meant to be."  Man has been victimized by a mighty, deadly fall.  Like Humpty Dumpty, he has "had a great fall."  And, this fall did not merely bruise him, or injure him - it was fatal to him!  So, he is "dead" (Eph. 2:1, 5; Col. 2:13) in his spirit, the only truly important part of his being in determining destiny and destination forever. He is not merely mortal and capable of dying - it's much worse than that. He is not merely sentenced to die and awaiting execution - it's much worse than that. He is already actually dead! His body and soul may be alive, but his spirit, the organ of relationship with God, the original control center in every man, is totally dead. 

The second phrase shows us the second meaning of the word "lost."  It is the phrase, "the miry clay." The pits I have described formed a storage basin for water in the wet season of the year. Because the terrain is sandy, the water would be heavy with sediment. Thus, the pits would be full of mud and filth at certain times. To imagine this, picture a pit full of quicksand. The quicksand is a vivid, frightening picture of the power of sin in men's lives. Every man is a sinner, and sin always stains, and sticks to, and stifles, and suffocates, and slays its victims - unless a rescue occurs!

So, here is the second sad picture of what it means to be ruined by sin.  It means to be filthy. When you combine the two phrases, "an horrible pit," and "the miry clay," you receive a third impression of what it means to be lost.  It not only means to be fallen and filthy, but it also means to live a fettered existence.  The person described in these two phrases is virtually in a hopeless prison.  He is off the main road and stuck in a hole. What a picture of the person without Christ; to be lost means to be fallen, filthy, and fettered.

B. The Reliance of Man When He is Under Conviction of Sin

But, thank God, the text doesn't leave us with such a hopeless picture.  It then shows us the Reliance of Man who is under the Conviction of Sin.  How can a man "under conviction" be expected to act?  Verse 1 reveals the action of an awakened man and the response of our gracious God.  There are three great sentences in verse 1.  First, "I waited patiently for the Lord."  The English translation at this point cannot convey the desperation of the Hebrew concept.  In fact, the word "wait" does not mean in English what the Hebrew mind understands.  To the Western mind, to wait often means to merely hang around, putting in time.  It may be thoughtless, with no expectation.  It may be careless, with no concern.  But to the Eastern mind, to wait means ardent, directed longing.  It is intensified expectation directed toward God.  This removes all hope for help from any other object, and vests it solely in God Himself.  This is one of the greatest problems with lost people today.  They want to divide their hope and their trust, placing part of it in God and the rest in themselves or in some other false hope.  D. R. Davies was right when he said, "As long as a man nurses even the slight belief that he can save himself, salvation will escape him."  "Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name (Moffatt translation, "no second name") under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12).  "I waited patiently for the Lord," this desperate man said.  There was nothing else to do, nowhere else to turn.

Then, the second phrase says, "and He inclined unto me."  This is the picture of an interested, involved person cupping his hand to his ear to give full attention to an appeal for help.

Picture this scene; a hapless individual has fallen down into one of these "pits" and has tumbled down into the quicksand at the bottom.  He has discovered very quickly that he should not struggle against the pit, because as he struggles, he only sinks deeper.  He has sunk to his armpits and has spread his arms to give buoyancy to his body.  He has stopped struggling and simply rests passively, almost swallowed by the sand.  As he looks wistfully toward the round circle of the hole at the top, he envies every cloud that breaks his small horizon and crosses his tiny sky.  He wants to curse every bird that flits across the opening because it is free and he is not.

Suddenly, he thinks he hears an irregular noise above. He doesn't know whether it lies in the realm of reality or in his own invention. He strains to listen and sure enough, he hears footfalls sounding on the nearby road. He gathers all of his strength, draws what little air into his pressured lungs that he can, and cries out a very weak, pitiful cry. Then he cries out again.  And wonder of wonders, the footfalls stop. He cries out all the more. The person on the road above has heard the cry, and he slips off the road and very cautiously begins to investigate his surroundings in the direction of the voice.  Soon he has found the hole. He peers down into the darkness and cannot clearly see the person who is crying helplessly from below.  So, the traveler above cups his hand to his ear and listens very carefully.  This, dear friends, is a picture of Jesus, who gives His maximum attention to every lost sinner who cries unto Him (See Mark 10:48-49).  The fallen victim has stopped trying to climb out of the pit and simply cries to the possible rescuer above.

C. The Rescue of Man From the Condition of Sin.

Then comes the third movement of the story, the Rescue of Man from the Condition of Sin. In verses two and three, the text gives us a beautiful picture of God's great rescue operation.

In verses two and three, there are five great movements of God's rescue operation.

First, "He brought me up," verse 2a.  Notice that it does not say, "He reached down and drew me out," or "He pulled me out."  Oh, no!  The picture is much richer and more meaningful than that.  The verb, "brought," means that the rescuer came down into the pit with the victim.  So, Jesus Christ came to us in order to save us.  Like the Good Samaritan who saw the man on the Jericho road "stripped, and wounded, and half dead," (Luke 10:30), Jesus saw us stripped, and wounded, and half dead.  And as the Samaritan "came where he was," (Luke 10:34) so Jesus came where we were.  He came all the way down into the pit, while at the same time He protected Himself from our Fall!  What a miracle!  "He came into the world," (I Tim. 1:15) yet the world did not contaminate Him.  He took our humanity without becoming guilty of our sin.  And when He came to us, He lashed us to Himself in perfect identification, so that when He went back up, He took us with Him (Ephesians 2:4-6).  Hallelujah, He brought me up!

Then, He cleaned me up.  He would never lift us up out of the pit, covered with its corruption, and send us slithering and sliding on our way.  If He brings you up, He also cleans you up.  A person who thinks he has been brought up but he has not been cleaned up is only fooling himself.

Again, He set me up.  "He set my feet upon a rock."  Remember that this is the same person who shortly before was floundering in quicksand, and now his feet are fixed on a solid rock.

Also, He held me up.  "He established my goings."  I love the word "goings."  It means that there is direction, momentum, and progress in the Christian life.  When Jesus Christ gets you out of the pit, it is necessary that you leave behind the place where you fell.  Don't linger around the pit's mouth.  It is not necessary to sample the slime or study the pit!  No; as soon as you are out, make for high ground and head for home!

Finally, he tuned me up.  "He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God."  Notice the word, "mouth."  It is not enough to have a song in our hearts.  It must break our lips and penetrate the atmosphere around us.  This brings powerful new testimony to the saving power of Jesus Christ, and the confession of our lips provides momentum for our own victory in Christ.  See how far salvation brings a helpless sinner; this man has come all the way out of the mire into the choir!  God has turned him up with a new song.  A true song is an outward expression of an inward happiness.

Nothing captures and thrills the imagination of men like a genuine rescue operation - and here is the greatest operation ever.  No wonder the message is called the "Gospel," or the "Good News."  This is the Best News ever told, the Best News ever heard, the Best News ever experienced!

"In loving kindness, Jesus came, My soul in mercy to reclaim,
And from the depths of sin and shame He lifted me.
From sinking sand, He lifted me.
By His own hand, He lifted me.
From shades of night to plains of light, Praise God!  He lifted me."