Psalm 40 commentary

PSALM 40 COMME TARY
EDITED BY GLE PEASE
I TRODUCTIO
SPURGEO , "Title. To the Chief Musician. Well might so exceedingly precious a
Psalm be specially committed to the most skilled of the sacred musicians. The
noblest music should be made tributary to a subject so incomparable. The
dedication shows that the song was intended for public worship, and was not a
merely personal hymn, as its being in the first person singular might lead us to
suppose. A Psalm of David. This is conclusive as to the authorship: lifted by the
Holy Spirit into the region of prophecy, David was honoured to write concerning a
far greater than himself.
Subject. Jesus is evidently here, and although it might not be a violent wresting of
language to see both David and his Lord, both Christ and the church, the double
comment might involve itself in obscurity, and therefore we shall let the sun shine
even though this should conceal the stars. Even if the ew Testament were not so
express upon it, we should have concluded that David spoke of our Lord in Psalms
40:6-9, but the apostle in Hebrews 10:5-9, puts all conjecture out of court, and
confines the meaning to him who came into the world to do the Father's will.
Division. From Psalms 40:1-3, is a personal thanksgiving, followed by a general
declaration of Jehovah's goodness to his saints, Psalms 40:4-5. In Psalms 40:6-10, we
have an avowal of dedication to the Lord's will; Psalms 40:11-17, contains a prayer
for deliverance from pressing trouble, and for the overthrow of enemies.
COKE, "Title. ‫למנצח‬ ‫לדוד‬ ‫מזמור‬ lamnatseach ledavid mizmor— Though this psalm,
in its primary sense, may be applicable to the sickness which God had inflicted on
David, and the distress to which he was reduced by his enemies (see the two
foregoing psalms), in devout thankfulness for deliverance from both of which he
may here be supposed to declare his resolution to serve God cheerfully and
faithfully; yet some passages in it may be much better applied to Christ's readiness
to do the will of his Father. Certain it is, that part of the psalm at least was
prophetical, and related to our Saviour, to whom it is applied by the apostle.
Hebrews 10.
PETT, "‘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 David
himself.
The Psalm in its final form appears to have been presented by David to the Chief

Musician for use in the worship in the Tabernacle. It very much reflects a certain
period in his life, when he experienced God’s merciful deliverances only to find
himself then plunged into even worse troubles. (See 1 Samuel 19:1 to 1 Samuel
27:12). It divides into a number of sections, the last of which (Psalms 40:13-17) is
paralleled in Psalms 70. But the letter may well be an extract from the Psalm for use
in public worship.
The Psalm commences with a cry of triumph as he is delivered from some
predicament, which has resulted in his being inspired to compose and sing a new
song (Psalms 40:1-3), and it continues with a period of consolidation in which he can
rejoice in God’s works (Psalms 40:4-5) leading up to his dedication of himself to
follow God’s will as revealed in His Instruction (Psalms 40:6-8), something which
results in his declaring God’s faithfulness to all the assembled people (Psalms 40:9-
10).
But then comes a period of trouble in which he is very much aware that his own sins
are overwhelming him, a period in which his enemies are seeking to take full
advantage of him, and he brings the Psalm to its conclusion in the confidence that
God will deliver him out of it, in spite of his undeserving, because He is his Helper
and Deliverer.
It is a reminder that there are many ups and downs in life, and of our need in the
midst of them to give ourselves wholly to God, whatever the future holds. It is a
reminder that while such dedication might lead us into even more troubles, it also
certain that through such troubles we will learn that God is our Helper and
Deliverer too. The idea that God’s people must rejoice in such tribulation, that is
tribulation that brings them closer to God, is prominent in the ew Testament (see
Romans 5:1-5; Hebrews 12:2-13; James 1:2-12; 1 Peter 1:6-7).
The Psalm follows a regular pattern found in many prayers, especially those of
spiritual people facing severe difficulties who do not just want to be seen as
launching straight into a begging session. It is a pattern of true prayer. It begins
with a consideration of God’s mercies, accompanied by an expression of gratitude
for them, followed by a statement of confidence in His faithfulness. It then results in
a rededication to His service, and an assertion by the worshipper that he will give
faithful testimony to others about what God has done, before launching into a
declaration of an awareness of present sin and into a plea for help in the particular
difficulties being faced. And it ends with a call for God not to delay in acting in
mercy, but to help him in spite of his undeserving. It is thus a well rounded prayer.
We can analyse it as follows:
· David Rejoices In His Past Deliverance Because He Believes That It Will
Cause Many To Trust In YHWH (Psalms 40:1-3).
· He Declares That The Man Who Does So Trust In YHWH, And Lives
Accordingly, Will Experience God’s Wonderful Working On His Behalf (Psalms
40:4-5).

· He Recognises That In Order For A Man To Express His Gratitude to God
Religious Observances Are ot Enough, And That What God Requires Of Him Is
Total Obedience to His Will, Something To Which He Gladly Accedes (Psalms 40:6-
8).
· He Assures God That He Has Been Faithful In His Testimony Towards His
Fellow Believers About God’s Goodness And Faithfulness Towards Them, Which Is
Of Course An Essential Part Of His Obedience (Psalms 40:9-10).
· Having Thereby Established His Gratitude And Loyalty And The
Faithfulness Of His Testimony With Regard to God, He ow 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 40:11-15).
· He Ends Up By Depicting Who Are The Truly Righteous, To Whom He
Knows YHWH Will Provide Help, And While ot Seeing Himself As Comparing
With Them, evertheless Looks To God For Him Also To Help Him (Psalms 40:16-
17).
For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.
1 I waited patiently for the Lord;
he turned to me and heard my cry.
BAR ES, "I waited patiently for the Lord - Margin, as in Hebrew, “In waiting I
waited.” That is, “I continued to wait.” It was not a single, momentary act of expectation
or hope; it was continuous; or, was persevered in. The idea is, that his prayer was not
answered at once, but that it was answered after he had made repeated prayers, or when
it seemed as if his prayers would not be answered. It is earnest, persevering prayer that
is referred to; it is continued supplication and hope when there seemed to be no answer
to prayer, and no prospect that it would be answered.
And he inclined unto me - That is, ultimately he heard and answered me; or he
turned himself favorably toward me, as the result of “persevering” prayer. The word
“inclined” here means properly “bowed;” that is, he “bent forward” to hearken, or to
place his ear near my mouth and to hear me. At first, he seemed as one that would not
hear; as one that throws his head backward or turns his head away. Ultimately, however,
he bent forward to receive my prayer.
And heard my cry - The cry or supplication which I made for help; the cry which I
directed to him in the depth of my sorrows and my danger, Psa_40:2. As applied to the
Redeemer, this would refer to the fact that in his sorrows, in the deep sorrows connected
with the work of redemption, he persevered in calling on God, and that God heard him,
and raised him up to glory and joy. See Mat_26:36-46. Compare the notes at Heb_5:7.

The time supposed to be referred to, is after his sufferings were closed; after his work
was done; “after” he rose from the dead. It is the language of grateful remembrance
which we may suppose he uttered in the review of the amazing sorrows through which
he had passed in making the atonement, and in the recollection that God had kept him
in those sorrows, and had brought him up from such a depth of woe to such a height of
glory.
CLARKE, "I waited patiently for the Lord - The two preceding Psalms are
proofs of the patience and resignation with which David waited for the mercy of God.
The reader is requested to consult the notes on them.
And heard my cry - The two preceding Psalms show how he prayed and waited; this
shows how he succeeded.
GILL, "I waited patiently for the Lord,.... Or "waiting I waited" (i); which denotes
continuance, constancy, and patience; and which Christ exercised in the garden, when
he submitted himself entirely to the will of God; and on the cross, when he continued in
sure hope and firm expectation of his help and assistance, though he was for a while
forsaken by him; see Isa_50:7;
and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry; both in the garden, by delivering him
from fear of death; and on the cross, by upholding, helping, and assisting him, by
carrying him through his sufferings and death, and raising him from the dead; see Isa_
49:8.
HE RY, "In these verses we have,
I. The great distress and trouble that the psalmist had been in. He had been plunged
into a horrible pit and into miry clay (Psa_40:2), out of which he could not work
himself, and in which he found himself sinking yet further. He says nothing here either
of the sickness of his body or the insults of his enemies, and therefore we have reason to
think it was some inward disquiet and perplexity of spirit that was now his greatest
grievance. Despondency of spirit under the sense of Gods withdrawings, and prevailing
doubts and fears about the eternal state, are indeed a horrible pit and miry clay, and
have been so to many a dear child of God.
II. His humble attendance upon God and his believing expectations from him in those
depths: I waited patiently for the Lord, Psa_40:1. Waiting, I waited. He expected relief
from no other than from God; the same hand that tears must heal, that smites must bind
up (Hos_6:1), or it will never be done. From God he expected relief, and he was big with
expectation, not doubting but it would come in due time. There is power enough in God
to help the weakest, and grace enough in God to help the unworthiest, of all his people
that trust in him. But he waited patiently, which intimates that the relief did not come
quickly; yet he doubted not but it would come, and resolved to continue believing, and
hoping, and praying, till it did come. Those whose expectation is from God may wait
with assurance, but must wait with patience. Now this is very applicable to Christ. His
agony, both in the garden and on the cross, was the same continued, and it was a
horrible pit and miry clay. Then was his soul troubled and exceedingly sorrowful; but
then he prayed, Father, glorify thy name; Father, save me; then he kept hold of his
relation to his Father, “My God, my God,” and thus waited patiently for him.

JAMISO 1-3, "Psa_40:1-17. In this Psalm a celebration of God’s deliverance is
followed by a profession of devotion to His service. Then follows a prayer for relief from
imminent dangers, involving the overthrow of enemies and the rejoicing of sympathizing
friends. In Heb_10:5, etc., Paul quotes Psa_40:6-8 as the words of Christ, offering
Himself as a better sacrifice. Some suppose Paul thus accommodated David’s words to
express Christ’s sentiments. But the value of his quotation would be thus destroyed, as it
would have no force in his argument, unless regarded by his readers as the original sense
of the passage in the Old Testament. Others suppose the Psalm describes David’s
feelings in suffering and joy; but the language quoted by Paul, in the sense given by him,
could not apply to David in any of his relations, for as a type the language is not adapted
to describe any event or condition of David’s career, and as an individual representing
the pious generally, neither he nor they could properly use it (see on Psa_40:7, below).
The Psalm must be taken then, as the sixteenth, to express the feelings of Christ’s human
nature. The difficulties pertinent to this view will be considered as they occur.
The figures for deep distress are illustrated in Jeremiah’s history (Jer_38:6-12).
Patience and trust manifested in distress, deliverance in answer to prayer, and the
blessed effect of it in eliciting praise from God’s true worshippers, teach us that Christ’s
suffering is our example, and His deliverance our encouragement (Heb_5:7, Heb_5:8;
Heb_12:3; 1Pe_4:12-16).
inclined — (the ear, Psa_17:6), as if to catch the faintest sigh.
K&D 1-4, "David, who, though not without some hesitation, we regard as the author,
now finds himself in a situation in which, on the one hand, he has just been rescued
from danger, and, on the other, is still exposed to peril. Under such circumstances praise
rightly occupies the first place, as in general, according to Psa_50:23, gratitude is the
way to salvation. His hope, although ‫ה‬ ָ‫כ‬ ָ ֻ‫מ‬ ְ‫מ‬ ‫ת‬ ֶ‫ל‬ ֶ‫ּוח‬ (Pro_13:12), has not deceived him; he
is rescued, and can now again sing a new song of thanksgiving, an example for others,
strengthening their trust. ‫י‬ ִ‫וּית‬ ִ‫ק‬ ‫ּה‬‫וּ‬ ַ‫,ק‬ I waited with constancy and perseverance. ‫יהוה‬ is the
accusative as in Psa_25:5; Psa_130:5, and not the vocative as in Psa_39:8. ‫ּו‬‫נ‬ְ‫ז‬ፎ is to be
supplied in thought to ‫ט‬ֵ ַ‫,ו‬ although after the analogy of Psa_17:6; Psa_31:3, one might
have looked for the Hiph. wayaT instead of the Kal. ‫ּון‬‫א‬ ָ‫שׁ‬ ‫ּור‬‫ב‬ does not mean a pit of
roaring (of water), since ‫שׁאון‬ standing alone (see, on the other hand, Psa_65:8, Isa_
17:12.) has not this meaning; and, moreover, “rushing, roaring” (Hengstenberg),
tumultuous waters of a pit or a cistern does not furnish any idea that is true to nature;
neither does it mean a pit of falling in, since ‫ה‬ፎ ָ‫שׁ‬ does not exhibit the signification
deorsum labi; but the meaning is: a pit of devastation, of destruction, of ruin (Jer_25:31;
Jer_46:17), vid., supra on Psa_35:8. Another figure is “mire of the marsh” (‫ן‬ֵ‫ו‬ָ‫י‬ found
only here and in Psa_69:3), i.e., water, in the miry bottom of which one can find no firm
footing - a combination like ‫ם‬ ֶ‫שׁ‬ֶ‫ר־‬ ַ‫ט‬ ְ‫,מ‬ Zec_10:1, ‫ר‬ ָ‫פ‬ ָ‫ת־ע‬ ַ‫מ‬ ְ‫ד‬ፍ, Dan_12:2, explained in the
Mishna, Mikvaoth ix. 2, by ‫הבורות‬ ‫טיט‬ (mire of the cisterns). Taking them out of this,
Jahve placed his feet upon a rock, established his footsteps, i.e., removed him from the
danger which surrounded him, and gave him firm ground under his feet. The high rock
and the firm footsteps are the opposites of the deep pit and the yielding miry bottom.
This deliverance afforded him new matter for thanksgiving (cf. Psa_33:3), and became
in his mouth “praise to our God;” for the deliverance of the chosen king is an act of the

God of Israel on behalf of His chosen people. The futures in Psa_40:4 (with an
alliteration similar to Psa_52:8) indicate, by their being thus cumulative, that they are
intended of the present and of that which still continues in the future.
CALVI , "1.In waiting I waited The beginning of this psalm is an expression of
thanksgiving, in which David relates that he had been delivered, not only from
danger, but also from present death. Some are of opinion, but without good reason,
that it ought to be understood of sickness. It is rather to be supposed that David
here comprehends a multitude of dangers from which he had escaped. He had
certainly been more than once exposed to the greatest danger, even of death, so that,
with good reason, he might be said to have been swallowed up in the gulf of death,
and sunk in the miry clay It, nevertheless, appears that his faith had still continued
firm, for he ceased not to trust in God, although the long continuance of the
calamity had well nigh exhausted his patience. He tells us, not merely that he had
waited, but by the repetition of the same expression, he shows that he had been a
long time in anxious suspense. In proportion then as his trial was prolonged, the
evidence and proof of his faith in enduring the delay with calmness and equanimity
of mind was so much the more apparent. The meaning in short is, that although
God delayed his help, yet the heart of David did not faint, or grow weary from
delay; but that after he had given, as it were, sufficient proof of his patience, he was
at length heard. In his example there is set before us this very useful doctrine, that
although God may not forthwith appear for our help, but rather of design keep us
in suspense and perplexity, yet we must not lose courage, inasmuch as faith is not
thoroughly tried, except by long endurance. The result, too, of which he speaks in
terms of praise, ought to inspire us with increased fortitude. God may succor us
more slowly than we desire, but, when he seems to take no notice of our condition,
or, if we might so speak, when he seems to be inactive or to sleep, this is totally
different from deceit: for if we are enabled by the invincible strength and power of
faith to endure, the fitting season of our deliverance will at length arrive.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 1. I waited patiently for the Lord. 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. o 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. Job on the dunghill does not equal Jesus on the
cross. The Christ of God wears the imperial crown among the patient. Did the Only
Begotten wait, and shall we be petulant and rebellious? And he inclined unto me,
and heard my cry. either Jesus the head, nor any one of the members of his body,
shall ever wait upon the Lord in vain. Mark the figure of inclining, as though the
suppliant cried out of the lowest depression, and condescending love stooped to hear
his feeble moans. What a marvel is it that our Lord Jesus should have to cry as we
do, and wait as we do, and should receive the Father's help after the same process of
faith and pleading as must be gone through by ourselves! The Saviour's prayers

among the midnight mountains and in Gethsemane expound this verse. The Son of
David was brought very low, but he rose to victory; and here he teaches us how to
conduct our conflicts so as to succeed after the same glorious pattern of triumph.
Let us arm ourselves with the same mind; and panoplied in patience, armed with
prayer, and girt with faith, let us maintain the Holy War.
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS
Whole Psalm. David's Psalm, or, a Psalm of David;but David's name is here set first,
which elsewhere commonly is last: or A Psalm concerning David, that is Christ, who
is called David in the prophets: Hosea 3:5, Jeremiah 30:9 Eze 34:23 32:24. Of him
this Psalm entreateth as the apostle teacheth, Hebrews 10:5-6, etc. Henry Ainsworth.
Whole Psalm. It is plain, from Psalms 40:6-8 of this Psalm, compared with Hebrews
10:5, that the prophet in speaking in the person of Christ, who, Psalms 40:1-5,
celebrates the deliverance wrought for his mystical body, the church, by his
resurrection from the grave, effecting that of his members from the guilt and
dominion of sin; for the abolition of which he declareth, Psalms 40:6-8, the
inefficacy of the legal sacrifices, and mentions his own inclination to do the will of
his Father, and Psalms 40:9-10, to preach righteousness to the world. Psalms 40:11-
13. He represents himself as praying, while under his sufferings, for his own, and his
people's salvation; he foretells, Psalms 40:14-15, the confusion and desolation of his
enemies, and, Psalms 40:16, the joy and thankfulness of his disciples and servants;
for the speedy accomplishment of which, Psalms 40:17, he prefers a petition. George
Horne.
Ver. 1. I waited patiently for the Lord: and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. I
see that the Lord, suppose he drifts and delays the effect of his servant's prayer, and
grants not his desire at the first, yet he hears him. I shall give a certain argument,
whereby thou may know that the Lord heareth thee, suppose he delay the effect of
thy prayers. Do you continue in prayer? Hast thou his strength given thee to
persevere in suiting (petitioning for or praying for) anything? Thou may be assured
he heareth; for this is one sure argument that he heareth thee, for naturally our
impatience carrieth us to desperation; our suddenness is so great, specially in
spiritual troubles, that we cannot continue in suiting. When thou, therefore,
continues in suiting, thou may be sure that this strength is furnished of God, and
cometh from heaven, and if thou have strength, he letteth thee see that he heareth
thy prayer; and suppose he delay the effect and force thereof, yet pray continually.
This doctrine is so necessary for the troubled conscience, that I think it is the
meetest bridle in the Scripture to refrain our impatience; it is the meetest bit to hold
us in continual exercise of patience; for if the heart understand that the Lord hath
rejected our prayer altogether, it is not possible to continue in prayer; so when we
know that the Lord heareth us, suppose he delay, let us crave patience to abide his
good will. Robert Bruce, 1559-1631.
Ver. 1. I waited for the Lord. The infinitive (hwq) being placed first brings the
action strongly out: I waited. This strong emphasis on the waiting, has the force of
an admonition; it suggests to the sufferer that everything depends on waiting. E. W.
Hengstenberg.
Ver. 1. I waited patiently: rather anxiously; the original has it, waiting I waited; a
Hebraism which signifies vehement solicitude. Daniel Cresswell.
Ver. 1. I waited. The Saviour endureth his sufferings waitingly, as well as patiently

and prayerfully. He "waited for the Lord." He expected help from Jehovah; and he
waited for it until it came. James Frame, in "Christ and his Work: an Exposition of
Psalms 40:1-17." 1869.
Ver. 1. Patiently. Our Lord's patience under suffering was an element of perfection
in his work. Had he become impatient as we often do, and lost heart, his atonement
would have been vitiated. Well may we rejoice that in the midst of all his
temptations, and in the thickest of the battle against sin and Satan, he remained
patient and willing to finish the work which his Father had given him to do. James
Frame.
Ver. 1. Heard my cry. Our Saviour endured his sufferings prayerfully as well as
patiently. James Frame.
COFFMA ,"A SO G OF PRAISE A D A PRAYER FOR HELP
A GLORIOUS PROPHECY OF THE MESSIAH
This psalm is especially distinguished in that the author of Hebrews quoted Psalms
40:6-8 (Hebrews 10:5ff). The precious words of these verses in the psalm constitute a
promise on David's part; but, of course, " one but the Messiah could fulfill them, as
the ew Testament passage makes abundantly clear. `Lo, I come,' (Psalms 40:7) is
the highlight of the Psalm."[1]
There are a number of different ways of interpreting this psalm. Barnes cited these:
(1) "The psalm refers originally and exclusively to David; (2) it refers originally and
exclusively to the Messiah; (3) it applies partly to David, and partly to Messiah; (4)
the author of Hebrews 10:5ff merely `applied' the psalm to Messiah, seeing that the
words were capable of such an accommodation."[2]
The big problem here is the diverse nature of the two main sections of the psalm. In
Psalms 40:1-11, there is the joyful praise of thanksgiving; and in Psalms 40:12-17
there is the fervent prayer for `help,' and `deliverance' from iniquities. At first
glance, it would seem impossible to apply the second section to the Messiah, "who
was tempted in all points like as we are tempted, and yet without sin."
However, some of the great scholars of an older generation such as Robert
Jamieson, Matthew Henry, and Albert Barnes understood the second section as also
a prophecy of Christ. They pointed out that God "laid upon him (Christ) the
iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:6), and that, "God made him (Christ) to be sin on our
behalf" (2 Corinthians 5:21).
In support of this view, it should be noticed that there is no prayer in the second
section for `forgiveness of sins,' which would positively forbid the application of it to
the Messiah, but a prayer for "deliverance" and for "help." We agree with
Jamieson that such an interpretation, "Removes all the difficulties of applying the
second section to Christ."[3]

This writer is by no means sure that such a projected acceptance of the psalm in its
entirety as a prophecy of the Messiah should be accepted, although the possibility of
it is freely admitted. Yates' statement that, "The beginning of a new Psalm in
Psalms 40:12 is verified by the use of Psalms 40:13-17 as Psalms 70,"[4] appears to
be reasonable enough.
A number of very capable scholars find two psalms here, Psalms 40:12-17 being
designated by them as a separate psalm altogether; and the fact that these verses
appear almost verbatim as a separate Psalms 70 supports such a thesis. Adam
Clarke commented that, "From Psalms 40:11 to the end contains a new subject and
appears to have belonged to another Psalm, namely, the 70th, only it lacks the two
first verses."[5]
This writer claims no special capability of solving such problems as these. We shall
therefore take the first section as an unqualified prophecy of Messiah, and submit
for the reader's consideration the conflicting positions on the last section.
We are on sure ground in interpreting the first section as a prophecy of the Son of
God, because the author of Hebrews, whom we hold to be inspired, did so in such a
manner as to forbid any notion that the words were merely being used
accommodatingly. The allegation that these words did not originally apply to
Messiah, but were merely used accommodatingly, is untenable.
"Paul's usage of this Psalm was made in his appeal to Jews; and it cannot be
supposed that he would have adduced as proof an Old Testament prophecy that the
Jews themselves did not refer to Messiah. Therefore, it must be presumed that the
passage was commonly applied by the Hebrews themselves to the Messiah."[6]
In our Commentary on the ew Testament, Vol. 10 (Hebrews), we devoted pp. 197-
199 to the prophecy recorded here in Psalms 40:6-8; and we refer to that in
connection with what is written here. Of course, in Hebrews we dealt with Psalms
40:6-8 only.
Regarding authorship: The superscription labels it `A Psalm of David'; "And there
are no serious reasons for questioning the Davidic authorship."[7] Leupold also
supposed that the occasion for it came somewhat early in David's life.
Rawlinson's divisions of the psalm are: (1) "The introduction (Psalms 40:1-3); (2)
praise and promise (Psalms 40:4-10); and (3) prayer to God (Psalms 40:11-17)."[8]
However, we shall treat Psalms 40:6-8 as the prophetic words of Messiah himself.
Psalms 40:1-3
"I waited patiently for Jehovah;
And he inclined unto 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 upon a rock, and established my goings.
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 Jehovah."
"Horrible pit ... miry clay ... rock ..." (Psalms 40:2). This language is figurative.
(1) If they regard David, then an appropriate occasion was the defeat of King Saul
upon Mount Gilboa and the consequent elevation of David to the throne of Israel.
"The circumstances that occasioned these words are those related at the end of
1Samuel."[9]
(2) The words may with equal reason be applied to Messiah, in which case, they
would refer to the repeated efforts of Satan to maneuver the death of Christ, in his
infancy, in his home town, and repeatedly by the Sanhedrin. "Without any
impropriety, the language may be applied to the dangers and trials of Messiah, and
to the merciful interposition of God in delivering him."[10]
"He hath put a new song in my mouth" (Psalms 40:3). It appears to us that this is a
reference to the songs of the ew Covenant, praising God for the remission of sins, a
remission unknown in the ultimate sense, under the Old Covenant. (See Jeremiah
31:31-35).
If any doubt of this appears here, it is dispelled by the prophecy, immediately
afterward, "That many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in Jehovah." This is
much more applicable to the singing of the ew Covenant than to anything done
either by David or by the Old Israel.
BE SO , "Psalms 40:1-2. I waited patiently for the Lord — Hebrew, ‫קויתי‬ ‫,קוה‬
kavvo kivviti, in waiting I waited, or, in hoping I hoped, which doubling of the word
signifies that he waited or hoped diligently and earnestly, patiently and
perseveringly, until God should be pleased to help him. And he inclined unto me —
Or bowed himself, or his ear: see 16:30 ; Psalms 17:6; Psalms 31:2. He brought me
up also out of a horrible pit —
From desperate dangers and calamities, signified by a similar phrase, Psalms 18:16;
Psalms 69:1-2. I was not only on the brink, but in the very bottom of this pit; out of
the miry clay — In which my feet stuck fast. As David often compares himself in
distress to a sinking and drowning man; so here he compares the affliction from
which he had been delivered to that of a man thrown into some loathsome and filthy
dungeon. And set my feet upon a rock — A place of strength and safety; and
established my goings — Or my steps; that is, kept me from stumbling, or falling
again into misery.

PETT, "Verses 1-3
David Rejoices In His Past Deliverance Because He Believes That It Will Cause
Many To Trust In YHWH (Psalms 40:1-3).
Psalms 40:1-3
‘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 upon a rock,
And established my goings.’
And he has put a new song in my mouth,
Even praise to our God.
Many will see it, and fear,
And will trust in YHWH.’
As David looks back to past trial he describes how he had waited patiently and
trustingly for YHWH, and how YHWH had bent down to him and had heard his
cry. He had lifted him from the ‘pit of tumult’ and from the miry clay, and had set
his feet on a rock and had established his goings.
The picture is a vivid one of a man struggling in a quagmire and being rescued from
it by being drawn out onto a rock. But the quagmire is a quagmire of worldly
problems, being faced up to in a tumultuous world that would seek to drag us down.
It can however be seen as any troubles with which we might be beset as we struggle
to face up to the quagmire of life. And the promise is that, as He did with David,
God will lift us out from them to a place of safety and security. He will set our feet
on a rock, where the ground is firm beneath our feet, so that we might continue on
securely.
The result was that David, ‘the sweet Psalmist of Israel’, found himself with a new
song on his mouth, a song of praise to ‘our God’. The use of ‘our’ indicates that he
wants all to join with him in praise. For his purpose in the song is that men may see
what has happened and be filled with reverent awe and love, and may thus learn to
trust in God.
2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;

he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.
BAR ES, "He brought me up also out of an horrible pit - Margin: “A pit of
noise.” The word used here means a pit; a cistern; a prison; a dungeon; a grave. This last
signification of the word is found in Psa_28:1; Psa_30:4; Psa_88:4; Isa_38:18; Isa_
14:19. It may refer to any calamity - or to trouble, like being in a pit - or it may refer to
the grave. The word rendered “horrible” - ‫שׁאון‬ shâ'ôn - means properly “noise, uproar,
tumult,” as of waters; of a crowd of men; of war. Then it seems to be used in the sense of
“desolation” or “destruction,” as applicable to the grave. DeWette understands it here of
a pit, a cavern, or an abyss that roars or is tumultuous; that is, that is impassable.
Perhaps this is the idea - a cavern, deep and dark, where the waters roar, and which
seems to be filled with horrors. So Rosenmuller understands it. The Septuagint renders
it: ᅚκ λάκκου ταλαιπωρίας ek lakkou talaipōrias, “a lake of misery.” It is a deep and horrid
cavern, where there is no hope of being rescued, or where it would seem that there
would be certain destruction.
Out of the miry clay - At the bottom of the pit. Where there was no solid ground -
no rock on which to stand. See Jer_38:6; Psa_69:2, Psa_69:14.
And set my feet upon a rock - Where there was firm standing.
And established my goings - Or, fixed my steps. That is, he enabled me to walk as
on solid ground; he conducted me along safely, where there was no danger of descending
to the pit again or of sinking in the mire. If we understand this of the Redeemer, it refers
to that time when, his sorrows ended, and his work of atonement done, it became certain
that he would never be exposed again to such dangers, or sink into such a depth of woes,
but that his course ever onward would be one of safety and of glory.
CLARKE, "A horrible pit - Literally, the sounding pit; where nothing was heard
except the howlings of wild beasts, or the hollow sounds of winds reverberated and
broken from the craggy sides and roof.
The miry clay - Where the longer I stayed the deeper I sank, and was utterly unable
to save myself. The Syriac and Arabic translate “The pit of perdition, and the mud of
corruption.” These are figurative expressions to point out the dreary, dismal, ruinous
state of sin and guilt, and the utter inability of a condemned sinner to save himself either
from the guilt of his conscience, or the corruption of his heart.
Set my feet upon a rock - Thou hast changed my state from guilt to pardon; from
corruption to holiness; in consequence of which my goings are established. I have now
power over all sin, and can walk steadily in the way that leads to God’s kingdom.
GILL, "He brought me up also out of an horrible pit,.... Which, with the

following phrase,
out of the miry clay, expresses the state and condition Christ was in at the time of his
bloody sweat, his crucifixion, and his lying in "sheol", the pit or grave, sometimes
rendered hell, which these figurative phrases fitly signify; when it is observed, that he
was made sin, and had the sins of all his people on him; and, as the type of Joshua, was
clothed with their filthy garments; he might be truly said to be in the miry clay; and also
that he was made a curse for them, and bore the wrath of God in their room and stead;
and was forsaken by his God and Father, and so endured both the punishment of loss
and sense, and what was tantamount to the sufferings of the damned in hell; see Psa_
69:1; to which may be added the noisy insults of malignant men, and the infernal fiends,
who surrounded him on the cross; when he was in an horrible, or "noisy pit", as the
words may be rendered (k), the allusion being to subterraneous caverns or pits, in which
the falls of water make so horrible a noise as is intolerable; or to deep pits, into which
anything cast makes a great sound: and the issue of all this was, that he was laid in the
pit of the grave, and held under the power and with the cords of death; from all which he
was delivered when he was raised from the dead, justified in the Spirit, and glorified in
the human nature by his God and Father;
and set my feet upon a rock; on Mount Zion in heaven, whither he was carried up
after his resurrection; where he will remain until his second coming, being set down at
the right hand of God, in a most stable, firm, and unalterable state, as well as an
honourable one; for he will die no more, and death shall no more have dominion over
him;
and established my goings; in treading the path of life, which was shown him at his
resurrection; in passing through the air, the territory of Satan, at his ascension; and in
his entrance into his glory, and making his way to his Father's right hand and throne.
HE RY, "His comfortable experience of God's goodness to him in his distress, which
he records for the honour of God and his own and others' encouragement.
1. God answered his prayers: He inclined unto me and heard my cry. Those that wait
patiently for God, though they may wait long, do not wait in vain. Our Lord Jesus was
heard in that he feared, Heb_5:7. Nay, he was sure that the Father heard him always.
2. He silenced his fears, and stilled the tumult of his spirits, and gave him a settled
peace of conscience (Psa_40:2): “He brought me up out of that horrible pit of
despondency and despair, scattered the clouds, and shone brightly upon my soul, with
the assurances of his favour; and not only so, but set my feet upon a rock and
established my goings.” Those that have been under the prevalency of a religious
melancholy, and by the grace of God have been relieved, may apply this very feelingly to
themselves; they are brought up out of a horrible pit. (1.) The mercy is completed by the
setting of their feet upon a rock, where they find firm footing, are as much elevated with
the hopes of heaven as they were before cast down with the fears of hell. Christ is the
rock on which a poor soul may stand fast, and on whose meditation alone between us
and God we can build any solid hopes or satisfaction. (2.) It is continued in the
establishment of their goings. Where God has given a stedfast hope he expects there
should be a steady regular conversation; and, if that be the blessed fruit of it, we have
reason to acknowledge, with abundance of thankfulness, the riches and power of his
grace.

CALVI , "2.And he drew me out of the roaring pit. Some translate,from the pit of
desolation, (80) because the verb ‫,שאה‬ shaah, from which the noun ‫,שאום‬ shaon, is
derived, signifies to destroy or to waste, as well as to resound or echo. But it is more
appropriate to consider that there is here an allusion to the deep gulfs, where the
waters gush with a tumultuous force. (81) By this similitude he shows that he was
placed in as imminent peril of death as if he had been cast into a deep pit, roaring
with the impetuous rage of waters. To the same purpose also is the similitude of the
miry clay, by which he intimates that he had been so nearly overwhelmed by the
weight of his calamities, that it was no easy matter to extricate him from them. ext,
there follows a sudden and incredible change, by which he makes manifest to all the
greatness of the grace which had been bestowed upon him. He declares that his feet
were set upon a rock, whereas formerly he had been overwhelmed with water; and
that his steps were established or upheld, whereas before they were not only
unsteady and slippery, but were also stuck fast in the mire.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 2. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit. 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, fearful 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 the
oubliettes, forgotten of all mankind, immured 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. Out of the miry clay. The sufferer was as one who cannot
find a foothold, but slips and sinks. The figure indicates not only positive misery as
in the former figure, but the absence of solid comfort by which sorrow might have
been rendered supportable. Once give man a good foothold, and a burden is greatly
lightened, but to be loaded and to be placed on slimy, slippery clay, is to be tried
doubly. Reader, with humble gratitude, adore the dear Redeemer who, for thy sake,
was deprived of all consolation while surrounded with every form of misery; remark
his gratitude at being born up amid his arduous labours and sufferings, and if thou
too hast experienced the divine help, be sure to join thy Lord in this song. And set
my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. The Redeemer's work is done. He
reposes on the firm ground of his accomplished engagements; he can never suffer
again; for ever does he reign in glory. What a comfort to know that Jesus our Lord
and Saviour 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 for ever 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 favour and faithfulness.
Ver. 2. An horrible pit. Some of the pits referred to in the Bible were prisons, one

such I saw at Athens, and another at Rome. To these there were no openings, except
a hole at the top, which served for both door and window. The bottoms of these pits
were necessarily in a filthy and revolting state, and sometimes deep in mud. He
brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay; one of these filthy
prisons being in the psalmist's view, in Isaiah 38:17, called "the pit of corruption,
"or putrefaction and filth. John Gadsby.
Ver. 2. An horrible pit; or, as it is in the Hebrew, a pit of noise; so called because of
waters that falling into it with great violence, make a roaring dreadful noise; or
because of the strugglings and outcries they make that are in it; or because when
anything is cast into deep pits, it will always make a great noise; and where he stuck
fast in miry clay, without seeming possibility of getting out. And some refer this to
the greatness of Christ's terrors and sufferings, and his deliverance from them both.
Arthur Jackson.
Ver. 2. Three things are stated in verse two. First, resurrection as the act of God, He
brought me up, etc. Secondly, the justification of the name and title of the Sufferer,
and set my feet upon a rock. Jesus is set up, as alive from the dead, upon the basis of
accomplished truth. Thirdly, there is his ascension, He establisheth my goings. The
Son of God having trodden, in gracious and self renouncing obedience the passage
to the grave, now enters finally as Man the path of life. "He is gone into heaven,
"says the Spirit. And again, "He ascended on high, and led captivity captive."
Arthur Pridham in " otes and Reflections on the Psalms, "1869.
COKE, "Psalms 40:2. Out of an horrible pit— As David often compares himself in
distress to a sinking and drowning man; so here he compares the affliction from
which he had been relieved, to that of a man thrown into some loathsome and
nauseous dungeon, with much filth in it; such a one, we will suppose, as Jeremiah
was cast into, chap. Psalms 38:6. Mudge, observing that this is a metaphorical way
of speaking familiar to the sacred writers, adds, "Though, perhaps, it may here be
literal, and Jeremiah the author of the psalm after he had been delivered from his
dungeon."
ELLICOTT, "(2) Horrible pit.—The rendering of the margin, “pit of noise,” takes
shaôn in its primary sense, as in Isaiah 17:12, Psalms 65:7, and the idea of a noise of
rushing water suits this passage. Most commentators, however, take it here in the
sense the cognate bears in Psalms 35:8, “destruction.” The LXX. and Vulg. have
“misery.”
Miry clay.—The word translated “clay” (comp. Psalms 69:2) is from a root meaning
to boil up, or ferment. (One of its derivatives means “wine.”) Hence “froth,” or
“slime.” LXX., ilus; Vulg., fœx. A verse of R. Browning’s perhaps expresses the
poet’s image:—
“It frothed by,
A black eddy, bespate with flakes and fumes.”

Rock.—The common image of security (Psalms 18:2; Psalms 27:5), the occurrence
of which makes it probable that the “pit” and “clay” are also not realities, but
emblems of confusion and danger.
WHEDO , "Verse 2
2. Horrible pit—The first word may be translated noise, in which sense we get the
idea of a deep “pit” which resounds at the least noise; or it may be rendered
desolation, a “pit” of desolation. The latter is the probable idea.
Miry clay—Or, clay of the mire, Psalms 69:2 gives the idea of thick mud. The “pit”
itself is a description of a prison, into which the felon might have been lowered by
cords, as in Jeremiah 38:6; Isaiah 24:22—a condition which the prisoner could not
long survive.
Feet upon a rock—The most perfect contrast to the “miry clay.”
Established my goings—Gave me a firm and sure footing, as opposed to the “miry”
bottom of the “pit.” The figure denotes safety and prosperity. Psalms 37:31; Psalms
73:2; Proverbs 14:15
3 He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
and put their trust in him.
BAR ES, "And he hath put a new song in my mouth - See the notes at Psa_
33:3. The idea is, that he had given a new or fresh “occasion” for praise. The deliverance
was so marked, and was such an addition to former mercies, that a new expression of
thanks was proper. It was an act of such surprising intervention on the part of God that
the language used on former occasions, and which was adapted to express the mercies
then received, would not be sufficient to convey the sense of gratitude felt for the present
deliverance. As applied to the Messiah, and referring (as it was supposed in the notes at
Psa_40:2) to his being raised up to glory after the depth of his sorrows, it would mean
that no language hitherto employed to express gratitude to God would be adequate to
the occasion, but that the language of a new song of praise would be demanded to

celebrate so great an event.
Even praise unto our God - “To our God;” identifying himself, as the Messiah
does, with his people, and expressing the idea that the new song of praise was
appropriate to them as well as to “himself,” since they would be benefited by his work,
and since God was their God as well as his. Compare Joh_20:17.
Many shall see it - Great numbers of the human race shall be made acquainted with
the occasion which there was for such a song.
And fear - Learn to reverence, to worship, to honor God, as the result of what had
been done.
And shall trust in the Lord - Shall confide in God; shall put their trust in him;
shall become his true worshippers and friends:
(a) as the effect of this merciful interposition in behalf of him who had been thus in
trouble or distress, and who was enabled to triumph;
(b) as the result of the work accomplished by him.
The effect of the Redeemer’s sorrows, and of God’s merciful help, would be that great
numbers would learn to put their trust in God, or would become his true friends. No
man, in fact, can compute the “numbers” of those who, in consequence of the work of the
Messiah, will turn to God and become his true worshippers and friends.
CLARKE, "A new song - Cheerfulness and joy had long been strangers to him. He
seemed to live to utter the most doleful complaints, and be a prey to suffering and
wretchedness. Praise for a sense of God’s favor was a new song to him. The word is often
used to signify excellence: I will sing a most excellent and eminent song.
Many shalt see it - I will publish it abroad and fear-to sin against the Lord, knowing
by my example what a grievous and bitter thing it is.
And shall trust in the Lord - Even the worst of sinners shall not despair of mercy,
being penitent, when they see that I have found favor in his sight.
GILL, "And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise to our God,....
Sung by him in the midst of the great congregation of angels and saints, upon his
resurrection, ascension, and session at the right hand of God; see Psa_22:22; when he
went to his God and ours, to his Father and ours; and in which song he is joined by all
his people above and below, Rev_5:9;
many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord; even all the elect of God,
as many as are ordained to eternal life; the many whose sins Christ bore, for whom he
became a ransom, whom he justifies and brings to glory: these all "see" him in the
horrible pit and miry clay, in his state of humiliation, as bearing their sins, and the
punishment due unto them; as wounded, bruised, and crucified; as rising again for their
justification; and as on Mount Zion crowned with glory and honour; and a multitude of
harpers with him, singing the new song; these see the salvation he has wrought out, the
glory, fulness, and suitableness of it, and their interest in it; and they "fear" not with a
fear of hell and damnation, which is inconsistent with the trust after mentioned; but
with a godly and filial fear, which arises from and is encouraged by the grace and
goodness of God, their faith in the sufferings, death, and resurrection of Christ Jesus,

and which render him a proper object of trust and confidence; for he is so both as
suffering, crucified, and slain, and as risen again, and exalted at the Father's right hand,
Gal_2:20.
HE RY 3-4, " He filled him with joy, as well as peace, in believing: “He has put a
new song in my mouth; he has given me cause to rejoice and a heart to rejoice.” He was
brought, as it were, into a new world, and that filled his mouth with a new song, even
praise to our God; for to his praise and glory must all our songs be sung. Fresh mercies,
especially such as we never before received, call for new songs. This is applicable to our
Lord Jesus in his reception to paradise, his resurrection from the grave, and his
exaltation to the joy and glory set before him; he was brought out of the horrible pit, set
upon a rock, and had a new song put into his mouth.
IV. The good improvement that should be made of this instance of God's goodness to
David.
1. David's experience would be an encouragement to many to hope in God, and, for that
end, he leaves it here upon record: Many shall see, and fear, and trust in the Lord. They
shall fear the Lord and his justice, which brought David, and the Son of David, into that
horrible pit, and shall say, If this be done to the green tree, what shall be done to the
dry? They shall fear the Lord and his goodness, in filling the mouth of David, and the
Son of David, with new songs of joy and praise. There is a holy reverent fear of God,
which is not only consistent with, but the foundation of, our hope in him. They shall not
fear him and shun him, but fear him and trust in him in their greatest straits, not
doubting but to find him as able and ready to help as David did in his distress. God's
dealings with our Lord Jesus are our great encouragement to trust in God; when it
pleased the Lord to bruise him, and put him to grief for our sins, he demanded our debt
from him; and when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand, he
made it to appear that he had accepted the payment he made and was satisfied with it;
and what greater encouragement can we have to fear and worship God and to trust in
him?. See Rom_4:25; Rom_5:1, Rom_5:2. The psalmist invites others to make God their
hope, as he did, by pronouncing those happy that do so (Psa_40:4): “Blessed is the man
that makes the Lord his trust, and him only (that has great and good thoughts of him,
and is entirely devoted to him), and respects not the proud, does not do as those do that
trust in themselves, nor depends upon those who proudly encourage others to trust in
them; for both the one and the other turn aside to lies, as indeed all those do that turn
aside from God.” This is applicable, particularly, to our faith in Christ. Blessed are those
that trust in him, and in his righteousness alone, and respect not the proud Pharisees,
that set up their own righteousness in competition with that, that will not be governed
by their dictates, nor turn aside to lies, with the unbelieving Jews, who submit not to the
righteousness of God, Rom_10:3. Blessed are those that escape this temptation.
JAMISO , "a new song — (See on Psa_33:3).
fear, and ... trust — revere with love and faith.
SBC, "I. Consider the "new songs" already put into the mouths of Christians. (1)
Coming to Christ and conversion to God are materials for a "new song." (2) Few leave
the Lord’s Table after their first communion without a new song in their mouth of praise
to their God. (3) God in springtime renews the face of the earth, and there are
corresponding renewings of our spiritual life. (4) A good hope when first given is a new
song; and this good hope when renewed, when made more alive and effectual, is a new

song.
II. Grand and glorious new songs are in our future. There is the song of victory over
death. The first moment after death will put a new song in our mouth, and as certainly—
more certainly—our entrance to heaven will do the same.
III. Let the text excite us to go through life with songs. Let us sing that which God gives
us to sing. In plain words, let us acknowledge our obligations to "the Father of all
mercies" and the God of all consolation; and let us so acknowledge them as to awaken
praise to our God. We are all called to be singers, and we are called to sing new songs.
S. Martin, Comfort in Trouble, p. 106.
CALVI , "3.And he hath put into my mouth a new song In the first clause of the
verse he concludes the description of what God had done for him. By God’s putting
a new song into his mouth he denotes the consummation of his deliverance. In
whatever way God is pleased to succor us, he asks nothing else from us in return but
that we should be thankful for and remember it. As often, therefore, as he bestows
benefits upon us, so often does he open our mouths to praise his name. Since God,
by acting liberally towards us, encourages us to sing his praises, David with good
reason reckons, that having been so wonderfully delivered, the matter of a new song
had been furnished to him. He uses the word new in the sense of exquisite and not
ordinary, even as the manner of his deliverance was singular and worthy of
everlasting remembrance. It is true, that there is no benefit of God so small that it
ought not to call forth our highest praises; but the more mightily he stretches forth
his hand to help us, the more does it become us to stir up ourselves to fervent zeal in
this holy exercise, so that our songs may correspond to the greatness of the favor
which has been conferred upon us.
Many shall see it Here the Psalmist extends still farther the fruit of the aid which he
had experienced, telling us, that it will prove the means of instruction common to
all. And certainly it is the will of God that the benefits which he bestows upon any
individual of the faithful should be proofs of the goodness which he constantly
exercises towards all of them, so that the one, instructed by the example of the other,
should not doubt that the same grace will be manifested towards himself. The terms
fear, and hope, or trust, do not seem at first view to harmonise; but David has not
improperly joined them together; for no man will ever entertain the hope of the
favor of God but he whose mind is first imbued with the fear of God. I understand
fear in general to mean the feeling of piety which is produced in us by the
knowledge of the power, equity, and mercy of God. The judgment which God
executed against the enemies of David served, it is true, to inspire all men with fear;
but, in my opinion, David rather means, that by the deliverance which he had
obtained, many would be induced to yield themselves to the service of God, and to
submit with all reverence to his authority, because they would know him to be the
Judge of the world. ow, whoever submits cordially to the will of God will of
necessity join hope with fear; especially when there is presented to his view the
evidence of the grace by which God commonly allures all men to himself; for I have
already said that God is presented to our view as merciful and kind to others, that
we may assure ourselves that he will be the same towards us. As to the word see, of

which David makes use, we are to understand it as referring not only to the eyes, but
chiefly to the perception of the mind. All without distinction saw what had
happened, but to many of them it never occurred to recognize the deliverance of
David as the work of God. Since, then, so many are blind regarding the works of
God, let us learn, that those only are considered to see clearly to whom the Spirit of
understanding has been given, that they may not occupy their minds in dwelling
upon the mere events which take place, but may discern in them by faith the secret
hand of God.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 3. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto
our God. At the passover, before his passion, our Lord sang one of the grand old
Psalms of praise; but what is the music of his heart now, in the midst of his
redeemed! What a song is that in which his glad heart for ever leads the chorus of
the elect! ot Miriam's tabor nor Moses' triumphant hymn over Miriam's chivalry
can for a moment rival that ever new and exulting song. Justice magnified and grace
victorious; hell subdued and heaven glorified; death destroyed and immortality
established; sin overthrown and righteousness resplendent; what a theme for a
hymn in that day when our Lord drinketh the red wine new with us all in our
heavenly Father's kingdom! Even on earth, and before his great passion, he foresaw
the joy which was set before him, and was sustained by the prospect. Our God. The
God of Jesus, the God of Israel, "my God and your God." How will we praise him,
but ah! Jesus will be the chief player on our stringed instruments; he will lead the
solemn hallelujah which shall go up from the sacramental host redeemed by blood.
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 become
trusters 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?
ote the way of salvation, a sight, a fear, a trust! Do you know what these mean by
possessing and practising them in your own soul? Trusting in the Lord is the
evidence, nay, the essence of salvation. He who is a true believer is evidently
redeemed from the dominion of sin and Satan.
Ver. 3. A new song. See otes on Psalms 33:3.
Ver. 3. Many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord. The terms fear, and
hope, or trust, do not seem at first view to harmonise; but David has not improperly
joined them together, for no man will ever entertain the hope of the favour of God
but he whose mind is first imbued with the fear of God. I understand fear, in
general, to mean the feeling of piety which is produced in us by the knowledge of the
power, equity, and mercy of God. John Calvin.
Ver. 3. Many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord. First of all they see.
Their eyes are opened; and their opened eyes see and survey what they are, where
they are, whence they came, and whither they are going...When the attention of
sinners is really and decisively arrested by the propitiation of Jesus, not only are
their eyes opened to their various moral relations, not only do they "see" but they
fear too. They "see" and "fear." ...Conviction follows illumination...But while the
sinner only sees and fears, he is but in the initial stage of conversion, only in a state

of readiness to flee from the city of destruction. He may have set out on his
pilgrimage, but he has not yet reached his Father to receive the kiss of welcome and
forgiveness. The consummating step has not yet been taken. He has seen indeed; he
has feared too; but he still requires to trust, to trust in the Lord, and banish all his
fears. This is the culminating point in the great change; and, unless this be reached,
the other experiences will either die away, like an untimely blossom, or they will
only be fuel to the unquenchable fire. James Frame.
BE SO , "Psalms 40:3. He hath put a new song into my mouth — Both by giving
me new matter for a song, and by inspiring me with the very words of it. Many shall
see it — Shall observe God’s wonderful mercies vouchsafed to me; and fear — Shall
stand in awe of that God, whom they see to have so great power, either to save or to
destroy; and shall trust in the Lord — Their fear shall not drive them from God,
but draw them to him, and be attended with trusting in him.
4 Blessed is the one
who trusts in the Lord,
who does not look to the proud,
to those who turn aside to false gods.[b]
BAR ES, "Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust - See the notes
at Psa_34:8. Compare Psa_27:1. Literally, here, “The blessings of the man who places
Yahweh for his confidence;” that is, who makes Him his seeurity, or who feels that his
security for happiness and salvation is in Him.
And respecteth not the proud - The haughty, or those who are confident in
themselves. Literally, “who looks not to the proud;” that is, who does not depend on
them for help and for salvation.
Nor such as turn aside to lies - Who depart from the straight path, and incline to
that which is false and deceitful. The reference is to those who are easily made to swerve
from that which is true and honest to that which is delusive and false. Their integrity
cannot be confided in. There is no security that they will be disposed to do right. The
idea is, that the man who trusts in God is blessed or happy, as compared with one who
trusts in man; man confident in himself; man liable to fall into error; man who is easily
led astray; man who is deceitful, and who cannot, therefore, be relied on. God is mighty,
but not haughty; God never is drawn aside from the truth; he never deceives.

CLARKE, "Blessed is that man - The man must be blessed and happy who casts
his soul with all its burden of sin and wretchedness, at the footstool of God’s mercy; for
he will save all who come to him through the Son of his love.
GILL, "Blessed is the man that maketh the Lord his trust,.... For such are safe
and secure in him, are possessed of all blessings of grace through him, have peace in
their own souls now, and shall enjoy eternal happiness with him hereafter;
and respecteth not the proud; such as the Pharisees, and all self-righteous persons,
who trust in themselves and their own righteousness, submit not to the righteousness of
Christ, and despise others; to these such who trust in Christ have no respect; they
neither esteem them, nor imitate them;
nor such as turn aside to lies; to idols, the lying vanities of the Gentiles; or to any
doctrines injurious to the person, office, blood, righteousness, sacrifice, and grace of
Christ; which are no other than lies, and which those who believe in Christ have no
respect to, but abhor both them and the abettors of them.
JAMISO , "Blessed — (Psa_1:1; Psa_2:12).
respecteth — literally, “turns towards,” as an object of confidence.
turn aside — from true God and His law to falsehood in worship and conduct.
CALVI , "4.Blessed is the man who hath set Jehovah for his confidence David here
relates what ground for good hope his deliverance would give to all the faithful;
inasmuch as, setting aside all the allurements of the world, they would thereby be
encouraged to commit themselves with confidence to the protection of God;
persuaded not only that they are happy who trust in him alone, but that all other
expectations at variance with this are deceitful and cursed. This assurance is not
natural to us, but is derived partly from the word of God, and partly from his
works; although, as I have said before, the contemplation alone of the works of God
would not kindle this light within us, unless God, illuminating us by his word,
should show us his benevolence. After having promised to be gracious to us, in
manifesting also his goodness by indubitable proofs, he confirms with his own hand
what he had previously uttered with his lips. David, therefore, from the fact of his
having been restored to life from the abyss of death, justly declares that the faithful
are taught from this proof — what men are naturally so reluctant to believe — that
they are happy who trust in God alone.
As the instability of our nature commonly tends to draw us downward, and as all of
us, from our proneness to yield to delusions, are tempted by many wicked examples,
David immediately adds, that he is blessed who regardeth not the proud Some,
indeed, render ‫,רהבים‬ rehabim, the rich, or the great of this world, but improperly,
in my opinion; because pride, and turning aside to lies, are two things which David
here joins together. To regard the great of the earth, therefore, does not signify, as

they suppose, to rely upon their power and riches, as if a man’s welfare depended
thereupon, but it rather means to be carried away by their examples, to imitate their
conduct. When we are everywhere constantly seeing men puffed up with pride, who
despise God, and place their highest felicity in ambition, in fraud, in extortion, in
guile, a perverse desire of imitating them steals upon us by degrees; and, especially
when every thing turns out according to their wishes, a vain and delusive
expectation solicits us to try the same course. David, therefore, wisely, and not
without good reason, warns us, that in order to have our mind constantly fixed in
simple reliance upon God alone, we must guard against those evil examples which
ever seek to allure us on all sides to apostatise from him. Moreover, when he says
that the proud turn aside to lying, or vanity, (84) in this way he describes briefly the
foolish confidence of the flesh. What else is the pride of those who put their own
fancies in the place of God but a vain illusion? Certainly the man who, puffed up by
the breath of fond conceit, arrogates any thing in the least degree to himself, flatters
himself to his own destruction. In short, pride and vanity are opposed to the holy
confidence which relies upon God alone; for there is nothing more difficult to the
flesh than to trust in God alone, and the world is always full of proud and haughty
men, who, soothing themselves with vain allurements, would soon corrupt the minds
of the godly, if this arrest were not laid upon them, to restrain, as with a bridle, their
erroneous and extravagant opinions.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 4. Blessed. This is an exclamation similar to that of the first
Psalm, "Oh, the happiness of the man." God's blessings are emphatic, "I wot that he
whom thou blessest is blessed, "indeed and in very truth. Is that man that maketh
the Lord his trust. Faith obtaineth promises. A simple single eyed confidence in God
is the sure mark of blessedness. A man may be as poor as Lazarus, as hated as
Mordecai, as sick as Hezekiah, as lonely as Elijah, but while his hand of faith can
keep its hold on God, none of his outward afflictions can prevent his being
numbered among the blessed; but the wealthiest and most prosperous man who has
no faith is accursed, be he who he may. And respecteth not the proud. The proud
expect all men to bow down and do them reverence, as if the worship of the golden
calves were again set up in Israel; but believing men are too noble to honour mere
money bags, or cringe before bombastic dignity. The righteous pay their respect to
humble goodness, rather than to inflated self consequence. Our Lord Jesus was in
this our bright example. o flattery of kings and great ones ever fell from his lips;
he gave no honour to dishonourable men. The haughty were never his favourites.
or such as turn aside to lies. Heresies and idolatries are lies, and so are avarice,
worldliness, and pleasure seeking. Woe to those who follow such deceptions. Our
Lord was ever both the truth and the lover of truth, and the father of lies had no
part in him. We must never pay deference to apostates, time servers, and false
teachers; they are an ill leaven, and the more we purge ourselves of them the better;
they are blessed whom God preserves from all error in creed and practice. Judged
by this verse, many apparently happy persons must be the reverse of blessed, for
anything in the shape of a purse, a fine equipage, or a wealthy establishment,
commands their reverence, whether the owner be a rake or a saint, an idiot or a
philosopher. Verily, were the arch fiend of hell to start a carriage and pair, and live
like a lord, he would have thousands who would court his acquaintance.

COFFMA , "Verse 4
"Blessed be the man that maketh Jehovah his trust,
And respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
Many, O Jehovah my God, are the wonderful works which thou hast done,
And thy thoughts which are to us-ward:
They cannot be set in order unto thee;
If I would declare and speak of them,
They are more than can be numbered."
"Blessed be the man ..." (Psalms 40:4). This is a beatitude much like those that Jesus
used in the Sermon on the Mount.
" or such as turn aside to lies" (Psalms 40:4). "This is the same as, `Those that turn
aside to false gods.'"[11]
"Many ... are the wonderful works which thou hast made" (Psalms 40:5). The
wonderful works of God are: (1) all of those things which are beyond the power of
men to accomplish; (2) so complex that they cannot be set in order, meaning that
they cannot be classified, or in any sense completely comprehended; and (3) they are
innumerable, as stated in the last line of Psalms 40:5. "When we have said the most
we can of the wonders of divine love to us, we must conclude with an `etc.,' or an `as
such,' and adore the depths of that to which we can never find the bottom!"[12]
BE SO , "Psalms 40:4. Blessed is the man, &c. — I said, many shall trust in the
Lord, and they shall not be losers by it, nor disappointed of their hope; but they are
and shall be blessed. And respecteth not — ‫פנה‬ ‫,ולא‬ velo-panah, looketh not toward,
namely, with delight and desire to imitate; or with confidence and expectation of
relief; the proud — Or the mighty; the great and proud potentates of the world, to
whom most men are apt to look and trust. or such as turn aside — From God, in
whom alone they ought to trust. To lies — To lying vanities, such as worldly power,
and wisdom, and riches, and all other earthly things or persons, in which men are
prone to trust; which are called lies, because they promise more than they perform.
PETT, "Verse 4-5
He Declares That The Man Who Does So Trust In YHWH, And Lives Accordingly,
Will Experience God’s Wonderful Working On His Behalf (Psalms 40:4-5).
Psalms 40:4-5

‘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 wonderful works which you have done,
And your thoughts which are to us-ward,
They cannot be set in order to you,
If I would declare and speak of them,
They are more than can be numbered.’
David now outlines the blessedness of those who do so trust in God, and thus turn
from all sinful ways. They do not listen to those proud men who in their pride
ignore God and would lead them astray, nor do they listen to those who would lead
them into dishonesty and deceit, for God has made their thoughts pure.
For such people God performs many wonderful things, and His thoughts and
purposes are continually loving towards them. Indeed what He will do for them is so
vast and so manifold that it cannot be tabulated or numbered. It is more than can
possibly be sorted out into some sort of sequences in order that it can be described.
For one thing multiplies and tumbles over on another, and then another, so that His
actions towards them are beyond listing or counting.
5 Many, Lord my God,
are the wonders you have done,
the things you planned for us.
one can compare with you;
were I to speak and tell of your deeds,
they would be too many to declare.
BAR ES, "Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou
hast done - literally, “Many (things), O Lord my God, hast thou done; thy wonderful
things and thy thoughts toward us, it is not (possible) to state unto thee.” The
recollection of the particular kindness shown to the speaker, as referred to in the
previous verses, suggests the recollection of the great number of wonders that God had

done for his people - the acts of his kindness which it would be hopeless to attempt to
recount before him. And who “could” enumerate and record all the acts of God’s
benevolence toward men in the works of creation, providence, and redemption; all that
he has done in the history of the Church, and for the individual members of the Church
in past times; all that he has done to save his people in the days of persecution; all that
has been accomplished in our own individual lives? Obviously these things are beyond
all power of enumeration by man. They can be admired now only in the gross; eternity
alone will be sufficient for us to look at them and to recount them in detail. The phrase
“wonderful works” means here remarkable interventions; things fitted to excite
astonishment; things that surpass what man could have anticipated; things that could
have been done only by God.
And thy thoughts which are to us-ward - Toward us; or which pertain to us. The
word “thoughts” here refers to the plans, purposes, arrangements of God designed for
our welfare; the things that are the result of his thinking of our wants - of what we need -
of what would do us good. See Psa_40:17.
They cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee - Margin, “None can order
them unto thee.” Literally, “There is no putting them in order before thee;” that is, there
is no such arranging of them, or disposing of them in order, that they can all be brought
into their proper place, so as to be perceived or numbered. The Hebrew word - ‫ערך‬ ‛ârak
- means properly, to place in a row; to put in order; to arrange; as, to put an army in
battle array, or to draw it up for battle, Jdg_20:20, Jdg_20:22; to put words in order for
an argument, or to arrange thoughts so as to present an argument, Job_32:14; to set a
cause in order before a judge, or to lay it before him, Job_13:18. The word also means to
place together with anything, or by the side of anything - that is, to make a comparison.
Gesenius (Lexicon) supposes that this is the idea here, and that the proper interpretation
is, “Nothing can be compared unto thee.” But the other interpretation seems best to
accord with the connection, as referring to the wonderful works of God, and to his
thoughts of mercy and goodness as being beyond the power of computation, or as too
numerous to be brought into order and arrangement before the mind.
If I would declare and speak of them - If I should attempt to speak of them; or to
recount them.
They are more than can be numbered - More than man can enumerate. They go
beyond the power of language to express them. This is literally true. No language of man
can describe what God has done and has purposed in fitting up this world as an abode
for people, and in his mercy toward them.
CLARKE, "Many - are thy wonderful works - The psalmist seems here
astonished and confounded at the counsels, loving-kindnesses, and marvellous works of
the Lord, not in nature, but in grace; for it was the mercy of God towards himself that he
had now particularly in view.
GILL, "Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast
done,.... This is the "new song", as Aben Ezra rightly observes, which is said in Psa_
40:3, to be put in the mouth of the Messiah; who sometimes speaks in the plural
number, being the representative of his people, and sometimes in the singular; for it is
the same person that speaks here who is continued speaking in Psa_40:6, and following;

and which are applied to Christ, Heb_10:5; the "works" here said to be done, and to be
"many" and "wonderful", are not the creation of the world, the dividing of the sea, and
feeding the people of Israel forty years in the wilderness, as Jarchi interprets them; but
the incarnation of Christ, redemption by him, the resurrection of him from the dead;
regeneration and conversion, and the preservation of the saints from the evil of the
world, safe to the kingdom and glory of God; all which, as they are many and various,
and display the manifold wisdom and grace of God, so they are marvellous, and will be
the subject of the wonder of saints to all eternity;
and thy thoughts which are to us-ward; that is, the decrees of God, as Aben Ezra
truly explains them; the purposes, counsels, and intentions of God; which, though
mentioned last, are before his works, and are the spring of them: these were in the mind
of God from everlasting, were unknown till revealed, were thoughts of peace, and not of
evil, and are unfrustrable, and ever fulfilled, and are manifold, precious, and amazing,
Psa_139:17; and these were concerning all the elect of God as considered in Christ, and
members of his; and therefore he says to us-ward; and all the works before mentioned
were done to them, or for them, and on their account; and so Jarchi and Aben Ezra
interpret the phrase, "because of us", or "for our sakes"; even the incarnation, sufferings,
death, and resurrection of Christ, and the thoughts of them, were for them;
they cannot be reckoned up in order to thee; or "there is none can order them
unto thee" (l); there is no power in man to do it, as Aben Ezra observes; or "there is none
like unto thee", as Jarchi and the Oriental versions; see Exo_15:11; though this sense
seems to break in upon the account of the wonderful works and thoughts of God, which
are still designed in the following clause;
if I could declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered;
that is, by men: from this general account of, the many and wonderful works and
thoughts of God, the Messiah passes on to take notice of one particular design and work
of the Lord, the redemption of his people by the sacrifice of himself.
HE RY, " The joyful sense he had of this mercy led him to observe, with
thankfulness, the many other favours he had received from God, Psa_40:5. When God
puts new songs into our mouth we must not forget our former songs, but repeat them:
“Many, O Lord my God! are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, both for me
and others; this is but one of many.” Many are the benefits with which we are daily
loaded both by the providence and by the grace of God. (1.) They are his works, not only
the gifts of his bounty, but the operations of his power. He works for us, he works in us,
and thus he favours us with matter, not only for thanks, but for praise. (2.) They are his
wonderful works, the contrivance of them admirable, his condescension to us in
bestowing them upon us admirable; eternity itself will be short enough to be spent in the
admiration of them. (3.) All his wonderful works are the product of his thoughts to us-
ward. He does all according to the counsel of his own will (Eph_1:11), the purposes of
his grace which he purposed in himself, Eph_3:11. They are the projects of infinite
wisdom, the designs of everlasting love (1Co_2:7, Jer_31:3), thoughts of good and not of
evil, Jer_29:11. His gifts and callings will therefore be without repentance, because they
are not sudden resolves, but the result of his thoughts, his many thoughts, to us-ward.
(4.) They are innumerable; they cannot be methodized or reckoned up in order. There is
an order in all God's works, but there are so many that present themselves to our view at
once that we know not where to begin nor which to name next; the order of them, and

their natural references and dependencies, and how the links of the golden chain are
joined, are a mystery to us, and what we shall not be able to account for till the veil be
rent and the mystery of God finished. Nor can they be counted, not the very heads of
them. When we have said the most we can of the wonders of divine love to us we must
conclude with an et caetera - and such like, and adore the depth, despairing to find the
bottom.
JAMISO , "be reckoned up in order — (compare Psa_5:3; Psa_33:14; Isa_
44:7), too many to be set forth regularly. This is but one instance of many. The use of the
plural accords with the union of Christ and His people. In suffering and triumph, they
are one with Him.
K&D 5-6, "He esteems him happy who puts his trust (‫ּו‬‫ח‬ ַ‫ט‬ ְ‫ב‬ ִ‫,מ‬ with a latent Dagesh, as,
according to Kimchi, also in Psa_71:5; Job_31:24; Jer_17:7) in Jahve, the God who has
already made Himself glorious in Israel by innumerable wonderful works. Jer_17:7 is an
echo of this ‫י‬ ֵ‫ר‬ ְ‫שׁ‬ ֽፍ. Psa_52:9 (cf. Psa_91:9) shows how Davidic is the language. The
expression is designedly not ‫ישׁ‬ ִ‫א‬ ָ‫,ה‬ but ‫ר‬ ֶ‫ב‬ֶ ַ‫,ה‬ which is better adapted to designate the man
as being tempted to put trust in himself. ‫ים‬ ִ‫ב‬ ָ‫ה‬ ְ‫ר‬ from ‫ב‬ ָ‫ה‬ ָ‫ר‬ (not from ‫ב‬ ַ‫ה‬ ַ‫)ר‬ are the impetuous
or violent, who in their arrogance cast down everything. ‫ב‬ָ‫ז‬ ָ‫כ‬ ‫י‬ ֵ‫ט‬ ָ‫,שׂ‬ “turners aside of
falsehood” (‫שׁוּט‬ = ‫ה‬ ָ‫ט‬ ָ‫,שׂ‬ cf. Psa_101:3), is the expression for apostates who yield to
falsehood instead of to the truth: to take ‫ב‬ָ‫ז‬ ָⅴ as accusative of the aim is forbidden by the
status construct.; to take it as the genitive in the sense of the accusative of the object
(like ‫ּם‬‫ת‬ ‫י‬ ֵ‫כ‬ ְ‫ּל‬‫ה‬, Pro_2:7) is impracticable, because ‫שׂוט‬ (‫)שׂטה‬ does not admit of a transitive
sense; ‫כזב‬ is, therefore, genit. qualit. like ‫ן‬ֶ‫ו‬ፎ in Psa_59:6. This second strophe contains
two practical applications of that which the writer himself has experienced. From this
point of view, he who trusts in God appears to the poet to be supremely happy, and a
distant view of God's gracious rule over His own people opens up before him. ‫ּות‬‫א‬ ָ‫ל‬ ְ‫פ‬ִ‫נ‬ are
the thoughts of God realized, and ‫ּות‬‫ב‬ ָ‫שׁ‬ ֲ‫ֽח‬ ַ‫מ‬ those that are being realized, as in Jer_51:29;
Isa_55:8. ‫ּות‬ ַ‫ר‬ is an accusative of the predicate: in great number, in rich abundance; ‫ינוּ‬ ֵ‫ל‬ ֵ‫א‬
, “for us,” as e.g., in Jer_15:1 (Ew. §217, c). His doings towards Israel were from of old a
fulness of wondrous deeds and plans of deliverance, which was ever realizing and
revealing itself. There is not ָ‫יך‬ ֶ‫ל‬ ֵ‫א‬ ְ‫ּך‬‫ר‬ ֲ‫,ע‬ a possibility of comparison with Thee, οᆒκ ᅞστι (Ew.
§§321, c) ᅶσουν τί σοι - ְ‫ך‬ ַ‫ר‬ ָ‫ע‬ as in Psa_89:7; Isa_40:18 - they are too powerful (‫ם‬ ֵ‫צ‬ ָ‫ע‬ of a
powerful sum, as in Psa_69:5; Psa_139:17, cf. Jer_5:6) for one to enumerate. According
to Rosenmüller, Stier, and Hupfeld, ‫אליך‬ ‫ערך‬ ‫אין‬ even affirms the same thing in other
words: it is not possible to lay them forth to Thee (before Thee); but that man should
“lay forth” (Symmachus ᅚκθέστηαι) before God His marvellous works and His thoughts
of salvation, is an unbecoming conception. The cohortative forms, which follow, ‫ה‬ ָ‫יד‬ִፍ
‫ה‬ ָ‫ר‬ ֵ ַ‫ד‬ ֲ‫ֽא‬ַ‫ו‬ ,wollof h, admit of being taken as a protasis to what follows, after the analogy of
Job_19:18; Job_16:6; Job_30:26; Psa_139:8 : if I wish to declare them and speak them
forth, they are too powerful (numerous) to be enumerated (Ges. §128, 1, d). The

accentuation, however, renders it as a parenthetical clause: I would (as in Psa_51:18;
Psa_55:13; Psa_6:10) declare them and speak them forth. He would do this, but because
God, in the fulness of His wondrous works and thoughts of salvation, is absolutely
without an equal, he is obliged to leave it undone - they are so powerful (numerous) that
the enumeration of them falls far short of their powerful fulness. The words alioqui
pronunciarem et eloquerer have the character of a parenthesis, and, as Psa_40:7 shows,
this accords with the style of this Psalm.
SBC 5-12, "So then there are two series of things which cannot be numbered—God’s
mercies and man’s sin.
I. If we keep these two things close together in cur contemplations, they suggest for us
very forcibly the greatest mystery in the universe, and throw a little light upon it. The
difficulty of difficulties, the one insoluble problem, is, Given a good and perfect God,
where does sorrow come from? and where is there any pain? Must it not be that the
innumerable sum of God’s mercies has not to have subtracted from it, but added to it,
the sum, which also at intervals appears to us innumerable, of our sorrows and our
burdens? "All things work together for good;" and God’s innumerable mercies include
the whole sum-total of our sorrows.
II. Notice how the blending of these two thoughts together heightens the impression of
each. God’s mercies never seem so fair, so wonderful, as when they are looked at in
conjunction with man’s sin. Man’s sin never seems so foul and hideous as when it is
looked at close against God’s mercies.
III. The keeping of these two thoughts together should lead us all to conscious penitence.
IV. Looking at these two numberless series together will bring into the deepest penitence
a joyful confidence.
A. Maclaren, Christian Commonwealth, July 16th, 1885.
CALVI , "5.Many are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, O Jehovah!
Interpreters are not entirely agreed as to these words; but it is generally admitted
that David here contemplates with admiration the providence of God in the
government of mankind. And first of all, he exclaims that the wonders of God’s
works are great or many; (85) meaning by this, that God in his inscrutable wisdom
so governs human affairs, that his works, which come to be little thought of by men,
from their constant familiarity with them, far surpass the comprehension of the
human understanding. Thus we find, that from one particular species he ascends to
the whole class; as if he had said, God has proved not only by this particular act the
paternal care which he exercises towards men, but that, in general, his wonderful
providence shines forth in the several parts of creation. Then he adds, that the
counsels of God concerning us are so high and so hidden, that it is impossible to
reckon them up in order distinctly and agreeably to their nature. Some think that
the word ‫,אלינו‬ elenu, towards us, is employed by way of comparison, in this sense,
The counsels of God are far beyond the reach of our understanding, (but David
rather commends the care which God vouchsafes to take of us;) and as, in this way,
the connection of the words is broken, they are constrained to render the word ‫,ערוד‬

aroch, which I have rendered to count in order, differently, namely, that none is
equal to God, or can be compared with him. (86) But that I may not enter upon any
lengthened refutation, the intelligent reader will agree with me in considering that
the true meaning is this: That God, by his incomprehensible wisdom, governs the
world in such a manner that we cannot reckon up his works in their proper order,
seeing our minds, through their very dulness, fail us before we can reach to so great
a height. It follows, to thee, for although we should in so far reflect how wonderfully
the Lord can make provision for our wants, yet this consideration is limited by the
imperfection of our understanding: and hence it falls far short of the infinite glory
of God. Those who give this explanation, that the counsels of God are not referred to
him, because the greatest part of men imagine that every thing is subject to chance
and fortune, as if David meant in passing to censure the ingratitude of those who
defraud God of his praise, are no doubt mistaken as to the meaning. In stating, as
David does, immediately after, that however much he might set himself to rehearse
the works of God, he yet would fail ere he could declare the half of them; — in
stating this he shows with sufficient plainness that the godly and devout meditation,
in which the children of God are often engaged, gives them only, as it were, a slight
taste of them and nothing more. We have now arrived then at the Psalmist’s
meaning. Having spoken before of the deliverance which God had vouchsafed to
him, he takes occasion from it to set forth the general providence of God in
nourishing and sustaining men. It is also his design in this to exhort the faithful to a
consideration of God’s providence, that they may not hesitate to cast all their cares
upon it. Whilst some are in constant pain by reason of their own anxiety and
discontent, or quake at the slightest breeze that blows, and others labor hard to
fortify and preserve their life by means of earthly succours, — all this proceeds
from ignorance of the doctrine, that God governs the affairs of this world according
to his own good pleasure. And as the great majority of men, measuring the
providence of God by their own understanding, wickedly obscure or degrade it,
David, placing it on its proper footing, wisely removes this impediment. The
meaning of the sentence, therefore, amounts to this, that in the works of God men
should reverently admire what they cannot comprehend by their reason; and
whenever the flesh moves them to contradiction or murmuring, they should raise
themselves above the world. If God cease to work, he seems to be asleep, because,
binding up his hands to the use of outward means, we do not consider that he works
by means which are secret. We may therefore learn from this place, that although
the reason of his works may be hidden or unknown to us, he is nevertheless
wonderful in his counsels.
This verse is closely connected with the preceding. o man places, as he ought,
entire trust in God, but he who, shutting his eyes upon external circumstances,
suffers himself to be governed by him according to his good pleasure. Moreover,
having spoken hitherto in the third person, David now suddenly addresses his
discourse, not, however, unadvisedly, to God, that he might lead us the more
effectually to this sobriety and discretion. When, however, he affirms that the works
of God cannot be distinctly known by us, it is not for the purpose of deterring us
from seeking the knowledge of them, or from the examination of them, but only to
lay a restraint upon our rashness, which would otherwise go beyond the proper

boundaries in this respect. To this end, the words to thee, or before thee, are
expressly employed, by which we are admonished that however diligently a man
may set himself to meditate upon the works of God, he can only attain to the
extremities or borders of them. Although then so great a height be far above our
reach, we must, notwithstanding, endeavor, as much as in us lies, to approach it
more and more by continual advances; as we see also the hand of God stretched
forth to disclose to us, so far as it is expedient, those wonders, which we are unable
of ourselves to discover. There is nothing so preposterous as to affect, of one’s own
accord, a gross ignorance of the providence of God, because as yet we cannot
comprehend it perfectly, but only discern it in part; even as at this day we find some
who employ all their endeavors to bury it in oblivion, for no other pretense than
that it surpasses our understanding, as if it were unreasonable to allow to God
anything more than what appears right and proper, according to our carnal reason.
David acts very differently regarding it. Feeling all his senses absorbed by an
inconceivable majesty and brightness, which he could not bear to look upon, (87) he
confesses frankly that these are wonderful things of which he could not comprehend
the reason; but still he does not abstain wholly and everywhere from making
mention of them, but, according to the measure of his capacity, sets himself devoutly
to meditate upon them. From this we learn how foolish and vain a thing it is to say,
by way of caution, that none should speak of the counsels or purposes of God,
because they are high and incomprehensible. David, on the contrary, though he was
ready to sink under the weight, ceased not to contemplate them, and abstained not
from speaking of them, because he felt unequal to the task of rehearsing them, but
was content, after having declared his faith on this subject, to finish his discourse in
admiration.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 5. Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou
hast done. Creation, providence, and redemption, teem with wonders as the sea with
life. Our special attention is called by this passage to the marvels which cluster
around the cross and flash from it. The accomplished redemption achieves many
ends, and compasses a variety of designs; the outgoings of the atonement are not to
be reckoned up, the influences of the cross reach further than the beams of the sun.
Wonders of grace beyond all enumeration take their rise from the cross; adoption,
pardon, justification, and a long chain of godlike miracles of love proceed from it.
ote that our Lord here speaks of the Lord as "my God." The man Christ Jesus
claimed for himself and us a covenant relationship with Jehovah. Let our interest in
our God be ever to us our peculiar treasure. And thy thoughts which are toward us.
The divine thoughts march with the divine acts, for it is not according the God's
wisdom to act without deliberation and counsel. All the divine thoughts are good
and gracious towards his elect. God's thoughts of love are very many, very
wonderful, very practical! Muse on them, dear reader; no sweeter subject ever
occupied your mind. God's thoughts of you are many, let not yours be few in return.
They cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee. Their sum is so great as to forbid
alike analysis and numeration. Human minds fail to measure, or to arrange in
order, the Lord's ways and thoughts; and it must always be so, for he hath said, "As
the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and
my thoughts than your thoughts." o maze to lose oneself in like the labyrinth of

love. How sweet to be outdone, overcome and overwhelmed by the astonishing grace
of the Lord our God! If I would declare and speak of them, and surely this should
be the occupation of my tongue at all seasonable opportunities, they are more than
can be numbered; far beyond all human arithmetic they are multiplied; thoughts
from all eternity, thoughts of my fall, my restoration, my redemption, my
conversion, my pardon, my upholding, my perfecting, my eternal reward; the list is
too long for writing, and the value of the mercies too great for estimation. Yet, if we
cannot show forth all the works of the Lord, let us not make this an excuse for
silence; for our Lord, who is in this our best example, often spake of the tender
thoughts of the great Father.
Ver. 5. Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, etc.
Behold God in the magnificence and wisdom of the works which his hands have
made, even this immense universe, which is full of his glory. What art and
contrivance! What regularity, harmony, and proportion, are to be seen in all his
productions, in the frame of our own bodies, or those that are about us! And with
what beams of majestic glory do the sun, moon, and stars proclaim how august and
wonderful in knowledge their Maker is! And ought not all these numberless
beauties wherewith the world is stored, which the minds of inquisitive men are
ready to admire, lead up our thoughts to the great Parent of all things, and inflame
our amorous souls with love to him, who is infinitely brighter and fairer than them
all? Cast abroad your eyes through the nations, and meditate on the mighty acts
which he hath done, and the wisdom and power of his providence, which should
charm all thy affections. Behold his admirable patience, with what pity he looks
down on obstinate rebels; and how he is moved with compassion when he sees his
creatures polluted in their blood, and bent upon their own destruction; how long he
waits to be gracious; how unwillingly he appears to give up with sinners, and
execute deserved vengeance on his enemies; and then with what joy he pardons, for
"with him is plenteous redemption." And what can have more force than these to
win thy esteem, and make a willing conquest of thy heart? so that every object about
thee is an argument of love, and furnishes fuel for this sacred fire. And whether you
behold God in the firmament of his power, or the sanctuary of his grace, you cannot
miss to pronounce him "altogether lovely." William Dunlop.
Ver. 5. Thy thoughts which are toward us, they cannot be reckoned up in order unto
thee: i.e., there is no one can digest them in order; for although that may be
attempted according to the comprehension and meaning of men, yet not before thee,
every attempt of that nature being infinitely beneath thy immeasurable glory.
Victorinus Bythner's "Lyre of David; "translated by T. Dee: new edition, by . L.
Benmohel, 1847.
Ver. 5. Toward us. It is worthy of notice that while addressing his Father, as
Jehovah and his God, our Saviour speaks of the members of the human family as
his fellows. This is implied in the expression "toward us." He regarded himself as
most intimately associated with the children of men. James Frame.
Ver. 5. They cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee. They are "in order" in
themselves, and if they could be "reckoned up" as they are, they would be
"reckoned in order." Created mind may not be able to grasp the principle of order
that pervades them, but such a principle there is. And the more we study the whole

Psalm 40 commentary

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