Words in italic type have been added for clarity. They are not found in the original Hebrew or Aramaic.

{1 of 3} Psalm 40 – Prophecy of Grace
{2 of 3} Psalm 40 – Symbolism, Hebrew Word Meanings
{3 of 3} Psalm 40 – Personal Applications, Sayings

What should we learn from this chapter?

• The prophecy of Law to Grace (Jesus fulfilled the law. All of it.)
• The outward purpose of the law is written on the hearts of men to do God’s will.
• Faith is Grace is Jesus
• Like David, also Jesus
• Like Isaac, also Jesus

Psalm 40

• Grace is LOVE, Law is DUTY

Faith Persevering in Trial

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

Psalm 40:¹ I waited patiently for the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ);
And He inclined to me,
And heard my cry.

Psalm 40:² He also brought me up out of a horrible pit,
Out of the miry clay (ṭîṭ yāvēn ṭîṭ),
And set my feet upon a rock,
And established my steps.

• CHART BELOW: Comparing David, whose ears were opened (v.6) to Jesus:
  (As Jesus, also David)

DAVID	JESUS
Followed the law Ps 40:8	Followed the law, and fulfilled it.
King of Israel	King of kings
Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require but a contrite heart Psalm 34:18 Psalm 51:17 Isaiah 57:15	John 14:1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. Matthew 26:28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. John 19:34 But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.
Does not respect the proud Ps 40:4	Matthew 16:6 Then Jesus said to them, “Take heed and beware of the leaven (pride/hypocrisy) of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.”
I am poor and needy Ps 40:17	Luke 9:58 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”
Brought up out of a horrible pit (v.2)	Brought up out of the grave John 21:14 This is now the third time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after He was raised from the dead.
Does not respect liars	John 8:44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.
Many who seek to destroy my life (v.14)	Many who seek to destroy my life John 7:19 Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law? Why do you seek to kill Me?” Psalm 22:12 Many bulls (leaders) have surrounded Me; Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled Me. Matthew 26:3 Then the chief priests, [a]the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, 4 and plotted to take Jesus by [b]trickery and kill Him.
Psalm 40:3 He has put a new song in my mouth	Revelation 5:9 And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,

Psalm 40:³ He has put a new song in my mouth—
Praise to our God (‘ĕlōhîm);
Many will see it and fear,
And will trust in the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ).

Psalm 40:⁴ Blessed is that man who makes the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ) his trust,
And does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.

Psalm 40:⁵ Many, O Lord (Yᵊhōvâ) my God (‘ĕlōhîm), are Your wonderful works
Which You have done;
And Your thoughts toward us
Cannot be recounted to You in order;
If I would declare and speak of them,
They are more than can be numbered.

Psalm 40:⁶ Sacrifice and offering You did not desire;
My ears You have opened.
Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require.

• King David kept the law with its sacrifices, but he understood that the sacrifices would not save, only faith with its obedience. The sacrifices represented faith in doing what God asks without understanding why. Only when Jesus appears as the sacrificial Lamb of God, does one understand that the sacrifices looked forward to the Jesus Messiah whose innocent blood would cover all man’s sins for all time if it is accepted it by faith.

• Ref: Hebrews 5:10.
• Isaiah 1:11
  “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?” Says the Lord. “I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams And the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls, Or of lambs or goats.”

The purpose of Old Covenant sacrifices was simply to illustrate that something innocent has to bleed and die for something guilty in order to atone for sin. However: the sacrifice of animals were simply a substitute until the sinless Son of God died and bled as a permanent covering for sin.

Every sacrifice was God’s promise to men that a deliverer would come and every prophecy was given as a revelation of God’s agenda for man.

An animal died in the Garden of Eden to provide a covering for Adam and Eve instead of fig leaves, Abel sacrificed a lamb instead of vegetables like his brother Cain, and a ram died as a substitute for Isaac. But it is not until the death of Jesus was atonement for sin perfected.

“Faith” is believing in God’s promises that He will perfect salvation for the guilty; if and only if they trust Him.

The greatest example of trusting God was not Abraham’s faith in being willing to sacrifice Isaac, his only son of promise, BUT having the faith that Isaac would return with him alive.

The comparisons between Jesus as a sacrifice and Isaac as a sacrifice are striking:

As it turns out, God provided a substitute as an example to everyone for all the ages to come to believe, like Abraham, that He will also provide a substitute for them.

Isaiah 53:7
He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.

Romans 4:16
Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all.

Romans 4:²⁴ It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, ²⁵ who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.

• See Biblical Comparison: Isaac and Jesus.

Psalm 40:⁷ Then I said, “Behold, I come;
In the scroll of the book it is written of me.

• @Prophecy Alert, fulfilled by Jesus

• Isaiah 61:1 The Year of the LORD’s Favor
  The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,
  
• Luke 4:16-21 Jesus Rejected at Nazareth
  So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:
  • “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”
    
• Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

Psalm 40:⁸ I delight to do Your will, O my God (‘ĕlōhîm),
And Your law is within my heart.”

• Isaiah 42: The Servant of the Lord – “Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.
• Luke 11:2 So He (Jesus) said to them, “When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
• Luke 22:42 saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”

Psalm 40:⁹ I have proclaimed the good news of righteousness
In the great assembly;
Indeed, I do not restrain my lips,
O Lord (Yᵊhōvâ), You Yourself know.

Psalm 40:¹⁰ I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart;
I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation;
I have not concealed Your loving kindness and Your truth
From the great assembly.

Psalm 40:¹¹ Do not withhold Your tender mercies from me, O Lord (Yᵊhōvâ);
Let Your loving kindness and Your truth continually preserve me.

Psalm 40:¹² For innumerable evils have surrounded me;

My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up;
They are more than the hairs of my head;
Therefore my heart fails me.

Psalm 40:¹³ Be pleased, O Lord (Yᵊhōvâ), to deliver me;
O Lord (Yᵊhōvâ), make haste to help me!

Psalm 40:¹⁴ Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion
Who seek to destroy my life (Lit. soul);
Let them be driven backward and brought to dishonor
Who wish me evil.

Psalm 40:¹⁵ Let them be confounded because of their shame,
Who say to me, “Aha, aha!” (he’āḥ he’āḥ A saying of contempt)

Psalm 40:¹⁶ Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;
Let such as love Your salvation (Salvation is the word “Yeshua” in Hebrew or “Jesus” in Greek) say continually,
“The Lord (Yᵊhōvâ) be magnified!”

• Magnify the Lord in your heart but none can magnify the extant or the extent of His Being.

Psalm 40:¹⁷ But I am poor and needy;
Yet the Lord (‘ăḏōnāy) thinks upon me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
Do not delay, O my God (‘ĕlōhîm).

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