WAITING-Psalm 40

Old Testament, Psalms, Sermons

Psalm 40 sermon, 4/14/2024.

Powerpoint: Psalm40Waiting.

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

“I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. 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” (Ps 40:1-2).
“I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart” (Ps 40:8).
  • “Psalm 40 is a very instructive portion of the Word of God. It is a biography of Christian experience.” “The Lord’s past dealings are the surest pledges of his future favor.” Charles Spurgeon.
  • “This psalm teaches us to pray for patience and to yield to the will of God, that we may not be carried away by impatience and lose faith.” Martin Luther.
  • “God does not give us everything we want, but He does fulfill His promises, leading us along the best and straightest paths to Himself.” Bonhoeffer.
  • “David has gone through many trials, and he here records the effects produced upon him, and the relief which he experienced from prayer.” John Calvin.
  • “The deliverance of Christ, and his sufferings and resurrection, were here primarily intended.” Matthew Henry.
I. Affirmation (Ps 40:1-10): An account of past deliverance. Waiting Rewarded. Needs met. The 1st part is a joyful praise to the God who has come to the rescue and helped him.
  1. Personal testimony (Ps 40:1-3): Wait.
  2. Public principle (4-5): Trust.
  3. Personal dedication (6-8): Obey.
  4. Public Proclamation (9-10): Testify.

II. Supplication (Ps 40:11-17): A prayer for present help. Waiting Renewed. Needs continuing. The 2nd part is a renewed anticipation of rescue and help from God.

  1. “My iniquities” (11-12): Confession of sin.
  2. My enemies (13-15). Prayer for protection.
  3. My help (16-17). Need for salvation.
A painful present trial (11-17) strengthened by the memory of past blessings (1-10). Because we have experienced God’s faithfulness in former days we are encouraged to trust Him still, even if God seems distant and silent. Psalm 40 begins with a description of deliverance (Ps 40:1-2) and ends with an urgent plea for continued mercy (Ps 40:17).
 
Psalm 40, linked by theme with Psalms 37-39 (Ps 37:1-11), is a plea for deliverance from suffering as the consequence of personal sin. The great topic of “waiting” was focused in Psalm 37, followed through in Psalm 38-39, and now its triumphant outcome is recorded. (Ps 25, 27.) In Hebrew Ps 40:1 says, “in waiting, I waited.”
The slimpy pit, mud and mire (Ps 40:2) symbolize some desolate experience of sin or depression or disease. In his helplessness, unable himself to climb out, he “waited patiently for the Lord” (Ps 40:1). He waited and waited persistently for seemingly forever.
 
“New song,” a phrase used 7 or 8x in the OT (Ps 40:3; 33:3; 96:1; 98:1; 144:9; 149:1; Isa 42:10; Rev 5:9; 14:3). is a new manifestation of God’s manifold grace, a new song testifying to the renewed grace of God.
 
Universal principle: trust or idolatry (Ps 40:4). Following Ps 40:3, David universalizes it as a public principle (Ps 40:4a). What he has learned from himself he gives testimony himself but then he universalizes the lesson: What is true in my case is universally true. The personal testimony (Ps 40:1-3) is then universalized. What is then the alternative to trusting God? It is idolatry (Ps 40:4b). The only alternative to trusting God is to slip into idolatry. 
 
Wonders God has done (Ps 40:5). When we go through tough and difficult times (illness, loss, opposition, complaints, criticism, condemnation, etc), we face a closing down of our horizons, the world seems smaller and narrow, our options are restricted and limited, we become inward focused, feel dark, down and depressed (Ps 42-43), etc. But only after the ordeal when we come out of the other end by the mercy of God, do we see the good and “wonders” that God has done (2 Cor 12). Unless you’re mature and wise, you’ll be consumed by your difficult circumstances.
 
Personal self-dedication (Ps 40:6-8) is the only proper response to God’s wonders and deliverance (Ps 40:5). (1 Sam 15:22; Isa 1:11-18; Heb 10:4-10; Rom 12:1-2; Mt 26:39, 42; Mk 15:36; Lk 22:42; Jn 14:30-31)
 
Sin (Ps 40:11). “I’m drowning in the consequences of my sin, my actions, my choices, my decisions. My sin has blown up in my face.”
  1. Longman III, Garland. The Joyful Experience and Expectation of Salvation.
    • A. Personal Experience of Salvation (Ps 40:1-3).
      • B. Blessedness of God’s Protection (Ps 40:4-5).
        • C. Expression of Commitment (Ps 40:6-8). Obedience.
          • D. Proclamation of God’s Perfections (Ps 40:9-10).
          • D’. Prayer for God’s Perfections (Ps 40:11).
        • C’. Confession of Sin (Ps 40:12).
      • B’. Prayer for God’s Protection (Ps 40:13-16).
    • A’. Personal Need of Salvation (Ps 40:17).
  2. John Stott, 1988. Keller. 2015. Wait, wait (1-5). From duty to pleasure (6-10). Praying for glory (11-17).
  3. Wilson. 2002.
    1. Description of Past Deliverance (Ps 40:1-4).
    2. Avowal of Personal Faithfulness and Witness (Ps 40:5-10).
    3. The Need for Divine Aid (Ps 40:11-12).
    4. Speedy Delivery (Ps 40:13-17; 70:1-5).
  4. Goldingay. 2013. Praise and thanksgiving as a key to pray–II.
  5. Kidner. 1973. Glad News of Deliverance.
    1. Waiting rewarded (Ps 40:1-10).
      1. Rescue (Ps 40:1-3).
      2. Reflection (Ps 40:4-5). Worship.
      3. Dedication (Ps 40:6-8). Obedience.
      4. Proclamation (Ps 40:9-10).
    2. Waiting renewed (Ps 40:11-17).
      1. “My iniquities.” (Ps 40:11-12).
      2. My enemies (Ps 40:13-15).
      3. My help (Ps 40:16-17).
  6. Motyer. 2016. Needs Met, Needs Continuing.
    • A1. The effectiveness of waiting (Ps 40:1-3).
      • B1. Blessing (Ps 40:4-5).
        • C1. The receptive, responsive heart (Ps 40:6-8).
        • C2. The testifying heart (Ps 40:9-10).
        • C3. The fainting heart (Ps 40:11-12).
      • B2. Blessing and blighting (Ps 40:13-16).
    • A2. Still waiting (Ps 40:17).

“For troubles without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails within me” (Ps 40:12). “But as for me, I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer; you are my God, do not delay” (Ps 40:17).

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