Psalm 40
Psalm 39 properly closed the first book of the psalms (1-4) only that it must be shown that Christ has gone through the same kind of sorrows with those of the suffering and tried "remnant" of the Jews, and that He patiently endured all, waiting on God. Psalm 40 then introduces the Lord in association with the Jewish believers whose condition we have been noticing in the preceding psalms. Verses 1, 2, 3, tell the subject of psalm 40. Christ's making atonement for sin is not referred to in this psalm.
He would not take Himself out of the trying circumstances He was in; He would not call upon His Father for angelic aid (Matthew 26:5353Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? (Matthew 26:53)), nor drink the stupifying myrrh (Mark 15:2323And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not. (Mark 15:23)), or rebuke Herod and the chief priests and scribes (Luke 23:10, 1110And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him. 11And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate. (Luke 23:10‑11)); He was the unresisting One, drinking the cup which the Father had given Him ( John 18:8-118Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way: 9That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none. 10Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. 11Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it? (John 18:8‑11)). Other evidences of His holy submission abound in the Scriptures.
In verse 3 He says "praise unto our God," linking Himself with the remnant, and the same is seen in verse 5: "Thy thoughts toward us." Learning of the path of their Redeemer, many in the coming day will fear and trust in God.
Verses 6-8 are quoted in Hebrews 10:5-75Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: 6In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. 7Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. (Hebrews 10:5‑7) as the language of Christ. He came to do God's will, the altogether obedient One. He took his place in Israel, the great congregation (verses 9 and 10), and this brought on Him rejection by His people. He asks then in verses 11 and following, in full dependence for preservation, for help and deliverance. All of this He knew in His experience before the cross; He is not here seen as the forsaken One, but as about to assume the burden of our sins, and the sorrow of that position.
"Mine iniquities" (verse 12), shows how completely the sinless One identified Himself with those He loved, for whom He came to die, that He who knew no sin could call their iniquities His own. He asks that those who are found to be His enemies, shall be confused and confounded, and that those that seek God, may be glad and rejoice in Him. All is perfect here, for the alone perfect One is revealed in the hour 'of His deep trial. Matchless Jesus, we bow at Thy feet!
It may be interesting to compare verse 6: "Mine ears hast Thou opened," or properly, "ears hast Thou digged, (or hollowed out, or prepared Me"), with Hebrews 10:5: "A body hast Thou prepared Me," which is the reading of the translation of the Scriptures current when and after the Lord was on earth,—the LXX, or Septuagint. What is meant is that He took the place of a servant, by becoming man, and it is apparent that the Holy Spirit, in using in Hebrews 10:55Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: (Hebrews 10:5) the Septuagint interpretation of the words in the Psalm, accepted it as having the same meaning. The expression is not the same as in Exodus 21:6,6Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever. (Exodus 21:6) nor in Isaiah 50:4, 54The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. 5The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. (Isaiah 50:4‑5).
Messages of God’s Love 9/14/1930