imagery in psalm 40

Christ came to fulfill or complete Gods covenant. 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. Which he agreed to, had it in his mind, his heart was set upon it, and he cheerfully complied with it (John 10:18). Contemporary Israel, and later Israel, and the Church which has succeeded to the place of the original Israelites. Mine ears hast thou opened: Literally ears or two ears You have dug for me. We must see that we have the same need as David. Why does David repeat himself so determinedly? So that I am not able to look up: This is not the exact idea of the Hebrew word. 3 He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. He is the hub, that all must revolve around. Then, to be laid waste, or made desolate. The nations sought to storm the city but Yahweh scattered them in His wrath. How does God make me to know the measure of my days (Psalm 39:4). That is simply, I am not able to see; and it refers to the dimness or failure of sight caused by distress, weakness, or old age (1 Sam. If It Is During The Millennium How Will There Not Be Pain And Tears When The Devil Is Released To Deceive The Nations? Kingdom Of God Verses 1-17: Psalm 40 begins with a high-flight of thanksgiving and ends with a mixture of prayer and lament (compare the movement of Psalm 27). I have said before that possibly, that is why the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed. If you have not yet cried out to God to save you from judgment and eternal punishment for your sins, then you are in a deep pit with no human way out. The psalmists life is still threatened by enemies (verse 14); he is still scoffed at and taunted (verse 15). The problem, I believe, is that we do not believe God is this active in our lives. Body Your comment will be posted after it is approved. What a wonderful Savior is Jesus our Lord. He sent His Son to offer Himself obediently on the cross on our behalf (as Ps. David understood that sacrifices were not going to be enough. David is trying to tell us that doing good deeds does not appease God. He enabled them to conquer the powerful Canaanite nations and occupy the Promised Land. We were hiking in the rain in Nepal when Marla slipped and hurt herself. What are the different kinds of imagery? Man forsakes me, but he will not. He offered Himself and fulfilled all offerings and sacrifices. This is not necessary, since the man of God can present his lament and petition to God, while at the same time offering his thanksgiving. The taking of his life at any time before the full period had arrived, or in any other way than that in which he had purposed to lay it down, would have been a defeat of his work, since in the plan of salvation it was contemplated that he should die at a certain time, and in a certain manner. The poet wants us to take this life seriously, to win this battle of life like a hero. Even though he was being disciplined by the Lord and describing his suffering as receiving blows from a hand, David is patiently waiting for these things to end. SPECIAL TOPIC: THE TWO BOOKS OF GOD 40:8 "I delight to do Your will" What a radical change from Perhaps of greater interest is this section of scripture is quoted by the writer of Hebrews in Hebrews 10:5-10 and applied to Jesus. We were mired in our sins with no way out. But Paul describes your future this way (2 Thess. First, the blood of animals does not take away sins. Theyre like the guy I mentioned last week, who saw himself as a good sinner. Good sinners may admit that they need a little assistance now and then, but they dont need a Savior. O, Lord, please forgive me. 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. Say continually, the Lord be magnified: i.e., Give them constant occasion to say, and give them the grateful heart to say, The Lord be praised for his mercies (compare Psalm 35:27). In Psalm 40:7-10 David shifted to himself, recounting the things that he had done for God. May those who love your salvation always say, The Lord be exalted. Prayers for a Present Situation (40:11-17). 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. It is earnest, persevering prayer that is referred to. Book of Psalms: New International Commentary on the Old Testament by deClaisse-Walford, Jacobson, & Tanner. Psalm 40:9 I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; many will see and fear and will trust in the Lord. But here, the reason that David waits on the Lord and seeks Him is so that He will be magnified, or glorified. 10:5-7). For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. just a few moments later, Jesus commanded His Spirit to Go to the Father. And this verse, wherein he passeth from the singular number to the plural, may seem to be interposed as a wall of partition, between that which David speaks in his own person. The blood of Christ takes away the reminder of sin because our sins have been fully dealt with by Christ and we are now sanctified. We can find ourselves caught in the muddiness of sin. Or rather in the book of the law, the five books of Moses, since these were the only books or volumes that were composed at the writing of this psalm. David sees his need for God to take care of his sins. Verse 12 shows the connection: For troubles without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see. Shall put their trust in him and shall become his true worshippers and friends. But the idea here is that God opened the ear of His servant so that he would be obedient to His Word, which was in Davids heart. But 2 Chronicles 16:12 reports, yet even in his disease he did not seek the Lord, but the physicians. Its not that its wrong to go to doctors, but it is wrong to trust in doctors if your primary trust is not in the Lord. The following notes will help to follow Davids mental movements through these 17 verses: Two situations constitute the framework for the psalmists publicized expressions of worship in Psalm 40. 10:9-10). We must remember that God has carried us through other terrible circumstances. Beyond this, from the vantage point of New Testament revelation, an association with the Greater David is contained in seed form (in verses 6-8; compare Heb. When He spoke the words, I am He, they fell backward to the ground. You may feel as if life is going reasonably well. He will not lie. He never turns a deaf ear to us either. 1 I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. 17:11). I blame the Medio Fire and Psalm 104 for that. Yet in spite of these words and many other similar Scriptures (John 15:18; Acts 14:22; 1 Thess. If you fell into a pit whose walls and bottom were mud, you would be in big trouble! Yea, thy law is within my heart: I do not only understand it, but receive it with heartiest love. In the fulfilment of which the lovingkindness, truth, and faithfulness of God, would appear. Historical precedent and prayers for a present plight move the psalm along from beginning to end. Isaiah 12:2 Behold, God [is] my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH [is] my strength and [my] song; he also is become my salvation., Psalm 40:5 Many, O LORD my God, [are] thy wonderful works [which] thou hast done, and thy thoughts [which are] to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: [if] I would declare and speak [of them], they are more than can be numbered.. For such are safe and secure in him and are possessed of all blessings of grace through him. 1 Answers. Holy Spirit And by which it will appear that he that trusteth in thee is in a most blessed and safe condition, as he said (Psalm 40:4). Have surrounded me, or have beset me on every side. Turn to the Lord. In times past, I might have thought that an offering was the proper thing to do. Some versions say, You have multiplied, O Lord my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you (ESV). Thou art my help and my deliverer: Implying the highest confidence (see notes at Psalm 18:2). We will be able to sing the new song of victory when God lifts us up. You do not have to be an ordained minister to preach the gospel. Then I said, Behold, I come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me. And heard my cry: The cry or supplication which I made for help. The entire Bible, from Genesis to Revelation is about Him. 5. The Rock of our Salvation is Jesus Christ. This pictures obedience and dedication. Imagery is a literary device that evokes the five senses to create a mental image. There is no sin in the wish that the wicked may not be successful in their plans, and may not be suffered to injure us. WebImagery is a literary device that refers to the use of figurative language to evoke a sensory experience or create a picture with words for a reader. Either the whole moral law, under which he was, as man, and the surety of his people. It is a pleasure, not a chore, to do the will of the Lord. The king of Israel had to abandon his invasion of Judah to defend his northern flank. Or when it seemed as if his prayers would not be answered. In verse 3, David expresses his hope that because of his testimony of waiting on the Lord, others will also come to trust in Him. Neighbor 21:6; Deut. Your pit could be poor health, the loss of your job, former friends that turned against you, an unfaithful mate, rebellious children, or any other overwhelming problem. Furthermore, the last 5 verses of Psalm 40 are nearly identical to Psalm 70. They are more than the hairs of mine head: That is, the sorrows that come upon me in connection with sin. What does the statement (mine ears hast thou opened) mean? Psalm 40:11 Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.. Let us always be mindful and thankful for the forgiveness of sins that has been extended to us despite our sins. But if you think about Gods many wonders and how He has worked in the past to deliver His people, you will wait with expectant hope in Him. They chart a profound and vital relationship with God, with all the ups and downs that Psalm 40 Commentary - Explaining the Book In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate translations of the Bible, this psalm is Psalm 39 . Composed, as appears from the titles, mainly for use in the great congregation, they set forth the righteousness, faithfulness, salvation, loving-kindness, and truth of God in the strongest possible way. This psalm is simply titled To the Chief Musician. Peace What does it mean to commit your way to the Lord (Psalm 37:5)? I wonder if Jeremiah meditated on this passage and found hope when he was literally put into a pit of mud (Jeremiah 38:1-6; Lamentations 3:55-57). David not only told everyone he saw about God and His goodness, but he even wrote these Psalms proclaiming to all future generations the goodness of the Lord. Asas final days were plagued with painful gout. August 2020, All Psalm 40 is a psalm of David that continues the same line of thinking as psalms 38 and 39. This page last updated: September 8, 2022. I wonder how they felt when it became dark in the middle of the day, and the earth begain to shake? October 2020 That seek after my soul to destroy it: That seek after my life; that would destroy me. It means they probably would not seek repentance, because they knew at this point, what a terrible thing they had done. Or that in respect to success they might be like a waste and desolate field where nothing grows. Rejoice and be glad in thee: As their covenant God, the Father of their mercies, the God of all comfort and salvation. Pray When what was written was finished, it was rolled about a stick in the manner of a cylinder; and in this form is the book of the law with the Jews to this day (see notes on Luke 4:17). December 2021 What does it mean that He brought me out of the miry clay (Psalm 40:2)? Rescue You may be responsible for being in your pit, or you may be a victim of the sins of others. Nor such as turn aside to lies: To idols, the lying vanities of the Gentiles. I believe that the verse above is saying, it will be hard for them to find a way to repent of this. Perhaps our problem many times, is that we tire of waiting. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.. imagery in psalm 40 Figures of Speech in Psalms | Sermon Preparation Tips In Is.40:11 he pictures the Shepherd's protection by pointing out his care for the most helpless of the flock. Applied to Jesus, that obedience was unto the cross (see Isa. Precedent from a Past Situation (40:1-10). There, the author quotes the LXX, which translates the second line of verse 6, a body You have prepared for Me. This was apparently an interpretive paraphrase, where they used a part (the ear) and expanded it to the whole body (F. F. Bruce, Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews [Eerdmans], p. 232). We must not build upon shifting sand, but on the solid Rock who is our Lord. 4236 Haverhill Road, West Palm Beach Florida, 33417, 2015 Lectures (Following The Followers of Jesus), 2011 Lectures (Refreshed: Revive Your Faith), 2009 Lectures (Building Character from Bible Characters), 2008 Lectures (A Closer Look at Romans 12), 2006 Lectures (Building Proven Character). He had said before, they have ears to hear and cannot hear. It does not mean that they could not repent. I have preached righteousness: This word for good news in Hebrew (compare the root in Isa. I would spend the rest of my life naming them. Whether this psalm is connected to any of the previous psalms where David asked for Gods deliverance is unknown, but it does say that God did deliver him at one time, and David was sure to express his gratitude in the best method he knew: a song of praise. The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work . He has the ability to help us become better people, living in better circumstances, and giving the stability to our lives that we yearn for daily. We may be in a pit of hell, but Jesus will lift us up out of that pit and establish our goings, if we will only repent of our sins and receive Him as our Savior. Registration confirmation will be emailed to you. He can change our circumstances. Hands and heart represent the whole of ones life. Next: Psalm 41, Have Mercy on Me, West Palm Beach church of Christ4236 Haverhill RoadWest Palm Beach, FL 33417, Sunday Services9:30 am / 10:30 am & 6:30 pm. ' We must always see that our lives are continually in a slimy, muddy pit. And respecteth not the proud: Such as the Pharisees, and all self-righteous persons, who trust in themselves and their own righteousness. And when God did rescue him, David made sure that God got all the praise. We have another Psalm in our readings October 2021 Many times one sin leads to another sin and we have great difficulty trying to extract ourselves from the mire. For a reward: The word used here eqeb means the end, the last of anything. Or in the book of the Scriptures. November 2021 Constant situational awareness. The writer of Hebrews is talking about wills, or covenants. Christ took away the first will (covenant) and established a second will (covenant). Fellowship But, also, the consequences involved wicked people who were wrongly intent on destroying David (40:14). This may be understood here rather as a confident expectation than a wish or desire. Sadly, many use God like Aladdins Genie and put Him back on the shelf when they get what they want. They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God. He ends that chapter in a similar vein (16:33), These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. As David turns his cries to the Lord, the Lord responds by turning to David, noticing his plight and hearing his cry. But now I realize that what You really desire is an obedient heart that delights to do Your will. In other words, David is affirming what Samuel told the disobedient King Saul (1 Sam. His petition is a plea for deliverance from his enemies, but it is wider than that. He preserves us from many catastrophes that we dont even know about. For of the time of his coming into the world are these words interpreted (Heb. 16:7-9). All believers in the Lord preach righteousness to the unsaved world. God will turn to us and hear our pleas when we draw near to him. Many in the world either ignore God or think of Him as small and distant with regard to their lives. It is a song of praise. Or the salvation he is the author of, which is loved by those that know it. Arizona mud is especially sticky and slippery. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all (Hebrews 10:8-10). David expresses in this, that he had so many iniquities, it even kept him from looking up. Imagery adds to the reader's understanding of a text and its themes. Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but Gods kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. To be an object of the thoughts of God; to be had in his mind; to be constantly in his remembrance; to be certain that he will not forsake us in our trouble. Therefore, at the appointed time he came, freely and willingly. Additionally, Hebrews 10:5-7 quotes the Septuagint version of Psalm 40:6-8 in reference to Jesus incarnation. This beautiful biblical imagery of sheep found throughout Scripture is humbling and profoundly insightful into humanitys need for an intimate relationship with God. September 2022 Maundy Thursday We see in this, the beautiful assurance that the Lords lovingkindness and truth are not withheld from us, when we seek them. Jesus had no iniquities. 10:5-10). When we build upon Him, we shall not be moved. The only one worthy of our trust is the Lord. He was trapped and unable to free himself. June 2022 They dwarf our own sun, making it look like a speck of dust by comparison! imagery in psalm 40; The first section of the psalm describes God delivering David. Our faith in God will move mountains. The lesson is, it is always wrong to trust in anything or anyone other than the Lord to get out of your pit, even if it works. This was not intended to boast or simply inform but to verbalize his loyalty to God in gratitude for Gods loyalty to him. Psalm 23 is one of the most well-known and beloved passages in the Bible. Without a telescope, people either ignore the stars or maybe look up and think, Twinkle, twinkle little star. Little star? This book is called a volume, or roll, alluding to the manner of writing formerly. What does it mean to delight yourself in the Lord (Psalm 37:4)? It would be of little advantage to us who should think on us, if he did not. Psalm 40: The poles of thanksgiving and lament are so distinct in this psalm that some divide it into two separate psalms. The first sentence of this psalm shows us that David is practicing what he has been preaching in the past two psalms. Holy Week These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power. Its the worst of all pits to be in! These elements constitute only a part of the richness of Psalm 40. Psalm 40:14 Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil.. Psalm The old covenant sacrifices did not take care of our sins nor the reminder of guilt caused by the sacrifices. Waiting on Him means crying out to Him; trusting Him; recounting His many wonders; obeying Him; seeking Him; and rejoicing in Him. All ____________ in the Lord preach righteousness to the unsaved world. Because he did not have the indwelling Holy Spirit, he was genuinely concerned that God could finally reject him, something that Christians never have to fear, so he prayed for Gods grace and mercy to be poured out to him again. After saying that God did not desire sacrifices and offerings, Jesus says that he came to this earth to do the will of God. 3:2; 4:15; 1 Kings 14:4; compare Psalm 6:7). In our day, we would call this a last will and testament. Therefore, when the passage says, I have come to do your will he is not speaking in terms of coming to do what God says, though Christ certainly did what God said. Rather, it is an intently active time when your situation in the pit tunes your heart to the Lord in ways that you would not normally experience. Commit your way to the Chief Musician his wrath if you fell into a whose... There not be Pain and Tears when the Devil is Released to Deceive the nations to! A victim of the richness of Psalm 40: the cry or supplication which I made help! A good sinner them in his wrath responds by turning to David, noticing his plight and hearing cry... Days ( Psalm 37:5 ) the manner of writing formerly Kings 14:4 compare. Take this life seriously, to win this battle of life like a.... Repentance, because they knew at this point, what a terrible thing they had for! 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