Psalm Chapter 40

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.

• Psalm 40:1 I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.

I see a key phrase here. Waiting patiently. This is typical of many of us. We don't wait. We live in an instant generation where we want everything now. Some things happen swiftly but others take time. When we pray, God hears but sometimes He has to work with people and change hearts. Some prayers take time to answer. In emergency situations, God always responds just at the right time but in other situations, God may not answer as soon as we would like. Patience and trusting is what is hardest for us to do.

Sometimes we are quick to get irritated at someone and do not wait for the Lord to work out the difficulty and we get in the flesh and try to work things out ourselves. We get in the way when we act in haste and lose patience.

• Proverbs 14:29 He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.

• Psalm 40:2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.

This will surely happen if we truly trust God. I admit that this is not always easy. It's so easy to try to work things out for ourselves and ignore God but when we do, we get into trouble. Our feet needs to be firmly set upon the sold rock and established firm in the Lord with full assurance and faith. This takes prayer and the reading of the Word of God. The study of the word builds our faith.

• Psalm 40:3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.

Wow, if we have a song and praise in our mouth, it causes others to trust God also. We are an open book to the world.

• Psalm 40:4 Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.

Lies and deceptions are around us constantly. If we sit and watch TV all day, we open ourselves up to this. In the workplace or school, we are daily confronted with those that do not believe in the word of God. This can wear us down spiritually if we let it. This is why we need to spend time in prayer and seek God continually.

• Psalm 40:5 Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.
• 6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.
• 7 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,
• 8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. To obey God and acknowledge His word is what He desires. This is worth much more than sacrifice and offerings.
• 9 I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.

We can go to church and worship God in all kinds of ritualistic service and then go out and forget the word of God the very next day. This stuff is vain if we do not worship God in spirit and in truth. This is vain also if we do not fear the Lord or walk in His word. We need to bring forth the fruits. We need to have the word in our hearts so that we do not sin against God and we are ready to share this with those around us.  

• Psalm 40:10 I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.

To share what we have learned from the Lord with others is part of bringing forth the fruits of righteousness.

• Psalm 40:11 Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.

This will come to us if we stay faithful to the Lord.

• Psalm 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.

When we see someone going through a bad time, this is the time to uphold them in prayer and support. When someone fails, it is not the time to knock them down further. Let us not lose our compassion. Try not to gossip and cast down those that fall into sin. 

• Psalm 40:13 Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me: O LORD, make haste to help me.
• 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.
• 15 Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame that say unto me, Aha, aha.

This will happen to those who continually try to destroy those that are faithfully serving the Lord.

• Psalm 40:16 Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified.
• 17 But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.

God helps those best who recognize that they are weak, poor and very dependent upon God. It is dangerous when we get self-assured and have too much confidence in our own talents and education instead of trusting in God. We need God yesterday, today and forever. We need to depend only on Him for guidance. -DC

Psalm 41

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