Heading. ‘For the Chief Musician. A Psalm to/for David.' This Psalm is offered to the person responsible for the sacred music, or the choirmaster, and is of the Davidic collection. ‘To (or ‘for') David' may indicate that it was dedicated to David, written for the Davidic house, or even written by... [ Continue Reading ]
DAVID REJOICES IN HIS PAST DELIVERANCE BECAUSE HE BELIEVES THAT IT WILL CAUSE MANY TO TRUST IN YHWH (PSALMS 40:1). Psalms 40:1 ‘I waited in patient waiting for YHWH, And he inclined to me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And he set my feet u... [ Continue Reading ]
HE DECLARES THAT THE MAN WHO DOES SO TRUST IN YHWH, AND LIVES ACCORDINGLY, WILL EXPERIENCE GOD'S WONDERFUL WORKING ON HIS BEHALF (PSALMS 40:4). Psalms 40:4 ‘Blessed is the man who makes YHWH his trust, And respects not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. Many, O YHWH my God, are the wonde... [ Continue Reading ]
HE RECOGNISES THAT IN ORDER FOR A MAN TO EXPRESS HIS GRATITUDE TO GOD RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES ARE NOT ENOUGH, AND THAT WHAT GOD REQUIRES OF HIM IS TOTAL OBEDIENCE TO HIS WILL, SOMETHING TO WHICH HE GLADLY ACCEDES (PSALMS 40:6). Psalms 40:6 ‘Sacrifice and offering you have no delight in, My ears hav... [ Continue Reading ]
HE DECLARES TO GOD THAT HE HAS BEEN FAITHFUL IN HIS TESTIMONY TOWARDS HIS FELLOW BELIEVERS ABOUT GOD'S GOODNESS AND FAITHFULNESS, WHICH IS OF COURSE AN ESSENTIAL PART OF HIS OBEDIENCE (PSALMS 40:9). Psalms 40:9 ‘I have proclaimed glad tidings of righteousness in the great assembly, Lo, I will not... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVING ESTABLISHED HIS GRATITUDE AND LOYALTY AND THE FAITHFULNESS OF HIS TESTIMONY WITH REGARD TO GOD, HE NOW SEEKS GOD'S AID IN HELPING HIM WITH REGARD TO HIS OWN SINFULNESS AND PRAYS ALSO FOR ASSISTANCE AGAINST THOSE WHO ARE HIS ENEMIES (PSALMS 40:11). Psalms 40:11 ‘Do not withhold your tender m... [ Continue Reading ]
HE ENDS UP BY DEPICTING WHO ARE THE TRULY RIGHTEOUS, TO WHOM HE KNOWS YHWH WILL PROVIDE HELP, AND WHILE NOT SEEING HIMSELF AS COMPARING WITH THEM, NEVERTHELESS LOOKS TO GOD FOR HIM ALSO TO HELP HIM (PSALMS 40:16). He closes the Psalm by turning men's attention away from him to YHWH. He wants them t... [ Continue Reading ]