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Psalm 40 has been interpreted in different ways because verses 6 and 7 are applied to the Lord Jesus in Hebrews 10:5-7. Some have argued that the whole psalm applies to Jesus, although the confession of sin in verse 12 makes that suggestion unlikely. Many interpret the opening section as applying to Jesus in his death, resurrection and ascension. Whether that is right, I cannot say, although doing so is evidence of a devout spirit. What can be said from the structure of the psalm is that after deliverance we should put Jesus central and that will help us when we face further difficulties. It is not clear when David wrote this psalm. He could have written it at any stage in his walk with God. What is clear is that he wrote it after a time of great personal trouble. But did he write it merely to indicate that he had known personal deliverances from God? We should remember that David was not writing a diary extract, but was guided by the Holy Spirit to write a song for a psalter composed