NOTES for Psa 40

¹Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.

²The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.

³The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness.

⁴I said, LORD, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee.

⁵Mine enemies speak evil of me, When shall he die, and his name perish?

⁶And if he come to see me, he speaketh vanity: his heart gathereth iniquity to itself; when he goeth abroad, he telleth it.

⁷All that hate me whisper together against me: against me do they devise my hurt.

⁸An evil disease, say they, cleaveth fast unto him: and now that he lieth he shall rise up no more.

⁹Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.

¹⁰But thou, O LORD, be merciful unto me, and raise me up, that I may requite them.

¹¹By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me.

¹²And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settest me before thy face for ever.

¹³Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen.

In offering praise and thanksgiving for salvation, the psalmist uses the image of the rock upon which the Lord, who delivered him from destruction, has set him. It is natural and yet remarkable that this image should appear in the lines of the very psalm whose words, beginning with the Epistle to the Hebrews, Church tradition recognizes as prophetic and speaking of the coming into the world of the One who would be called the Cornerstone.

Indeed, much of what is said here would be disclosed only after the psalm was composed, throughout the subsequent history of our salvation. It is no accident that precisely here the song of praise placed by the Lord on human lips is called a new song, for the Lord makes all things new. It is also revealed to the psalmist that the Lord does not desire sacrifices—but how long it would still take humanity to learn these words!

And there is one more prophetic insight: the Lord’s mercy and truth together and without ceasing guard the person who walks in His ways. Years will pass, and another prophet will speak of the times when mercy and truth will meet as something still to come. But in the Lord they are inseparable, regardless of time.

Other notes

For Psa 40:6

⁶And if he come to see me, he speaketh vanity: his heart gathereth iniquity to itself; when he goeth abroad, he telleth it.

Who is this, "my soul"? And if this is not I, then who is "I"?... Read more

Who is this, "my soul"? And if this is not I, then who is "I"? Perhaps the psalmist here discovers his own lack of uniformity, his many-sidedness, which each of us knows from experience. Perhaps he does not yet have in mind the threefold structure of the human person of which the Fathers of the Church speak already in New Testament times; after all, such a classification grows from Greek philosophy, not from Old Testament wisdom. But there is no doubt that he is very close to such a view: for his "soul" is downcast and troubled, that is, under the power of negative feelings, while the "I" is where there is a firm decision, independent of emotions, to praise God. It is important for us too that our will should not follow on the heels of our moods, but should be nourished by faith in God and relationship with Him, leading us to hope in God, a hope that overcomes every despondency.

${currentDateString}

NOTES for Psa 40

Other notes

Readings for 7 April 2022

Main news

Orthodox readings

Catholic lectionary

The Bible for beginners

Three-year Bible reading plan

Five-year Bible reading plan


	After registering, you can subscribe to any Bible reading plan. Personalized settings and other services for registered users are planned, so we recommend registering now. Registration is free.