Psalms, Book 2, Psalms 40-41

From: The Psalms
Narrator: Chris Genthree
Psalm 40‑41  •  4 min. read  •  grade level: 6
Here again we have a pair of psalms, where Christ appears unmistakably, even if the latter be not so exclusively personal as the former, in which Christ chants His deliverance in connection with Israel and the earth. Hence Psa. 40 is more mixed with judgment at the close than we hear in Psa. 22. But His coming as incarnate to do God's will in the setting aside of the sacrificial system by His own obedience unto death is as plain as all-important.
Psalm 40
“ To the chief musician: a psalm of David. Waiting I waited for Jehovah, and He bowed to me and heard my cry. And He brought me up from a pit of noise, from the miry clay, and set my feet on a rock; He fixed my steps. And He put in my mouth a new song, praise to our God: many shall see and fear and trust in Jehovah. Blessed the man that hath made Jehovah his trust and hath not turned to proud [men] and swerving to falsehood. Great things hast Thou done, O Jehovah my God; Thy wondrous deeds and Thy thoughts toward us none can set in order unto Thee: would I declare and speak, they are more than can be numbered. Sacrifice and oblation Thou didst not desire; Mine ears didst Thou dig; burnt-offering and sin-offering Thou didst not ask. Then said I, Behold, I come—in the roll of the book it is written of Me—to do Thy will, O My God; and Thy law [is] within My heart. I published righteousness in the great congregation. Behold, I will not refrain My lips, O Jehovah, Thou knowest. Thy righteousness I hid not within My heart; Thy faithfulness and Thy salvation I declared; I concealed not Thy mercy and Thy truth from the great congregation. Thou, O Jehovah, wilt not withhold Thy compassions from Me; let Thy mercy and Thy truth always preserve Me. For evils innumerable compassed upon Me, My sins have overtaken Me, and I am unable to see. They are more than the hairs of My head, and My heart hath forsaken Me. Be pleased, O Jehovah, to deliver Me; O Jehovah, for My help hasten. Ashamed and confounded together be [those] that seek after My soul to destroy it: driven back and disgraced be [those] that delight in My hurt; desolate for a reward of their shame be [those] that say to Me, Aha, Aha. Let all that seek Thee be glad and rejoice in Thee; let those that love Thy salvation say always, Jehovah, be magnified. And I poor and needy—Jehovah thinketh on Me; My help and Deliverer [art] Thou; O My God, delay not” (vers. 1-18).
Psalm 41
“ To the chief musician: a psalm of David. Blessed he that payeth heed to the poor one; in the day of evil Jehovah will deliver him. Jehovah will preserve him and keep him alive; he shall be blessed in the land [or, earth]; and give him not up to the will of his enemies, Jehovah will sustain him on the couch of languishing; all his bed Thou hast turned in his sickness. As for me, I said, O Jehovah, be merciful to me, heal my soul, for I have sinned against Thee. Mine enemies speak evil of me, When shall he die and his name perish? And if he come to see, vanity he will speak, his heart gathereth iniquity to itself, he goeth abroad, he speaketh. Together against me, all that hate me whisper; against me they devise my hurt. A word [or, matter] of Belial is poured into him, and he that lieth down will no more rise. Even a man of my peace, in whom I confided, eating my bread, lifted up [or, magnified] the heel against me. But Thou, O Jehovah, be merciful to me, and raise me up, and I will requite them. By this I know that Thou delightest in me, because mine enemy shall not exult in me. And as for me Thou upholdest me in mine integrity and settest me before Thy face forever. Blessed [be] Jehovah the God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen” (vers. 1-14).
That this psalm embraces Christ as betrayed by Judas is beyond dispute. He indeed was the One Who being rich made Himself poor for His own.