The Testimony of a Believer (Psalm 40:1-3)

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 of praises to God for his goodness and mercy. The testimony that David is guided to write is that the God of the psalter is a God who answers prayer eventually. This psalm is a reminder of the comment made on it by Augustine: ‘The Lord, who though He puts off the fulfilment of His promises, yet never recalls them?’

The realisation of David (v. 1)

David tells us that he waited on God. The words are literally ‘in waiting I waited’. It is possible to regard the waiting as patience, which is how our Bible version takes it. Yet I wonder if there is also a sense of expectation, otherwise why would David continue to wait? He must have been convinced beforehand that his petitions would be answered because he continued to wait on the Lord.

Of course, this leads to a question: ‘What was the ground of his confidence?’ The answer to this question is found in considering the particular name that he uses of God when he calls him Yahweh. This was the covenant name for the Lord, one that revealed his desire to bless Israel as his particular people after delivering them from bondage in Egypt. The reason for expecting an answer was not to be found in the energy that David had when he prayed. Rather, the reason was connected to the character of God and the promises that he had made.

Robert Bruce, the famous Edinburgh preacher in the time of James VI, pointed out that persistence in praying over a matter is proof that the petition has probably come from God because he is giving the strength to persist in making it. Normally, if we cease a petition after a couple of mentions we can deduce that while it may have come from God at that time it was not a longterm burden sent by God.

David, of course, knew that he had no right to receive such a blessing from God. Even although he belonged to the covenant people he knew that the only reason any petition was answered was God’s divine grace. At first, the lack of merit might seem a problem in persuading God to answer our prayers. Yet we eventually realise that a relationship of grace ensures that we will receive a great deal of blessing from the God of all grace.

We should all be able to see that this how anyone of should approach the Lord in prayer. Things have changed greatly since David’s time. We know so much more about God. When we pray, we speak to the Father in the name of the Son and by the leading of the Spirit. But our confidence must be in the God of all grace, the God who knows how to answer our requests.

The response of the Lord (v. 1b)

David points out that the Lord did two things as David prayed. First, he inclined towards David and, second, he heard the cry of David. Why did the Lord incline? It is a word picture that says something about God and perhaps something about David. Maybe the psalmist had become exhausted as he prayed and his voice had become weak. Just as we bend to hear a whisper from a weak person, so the Lord came closer to hear the petition of his weak saint.

The illustration also reminds us that the delay in answering did not mean that the Lord seemed further away. Instead, the opposite was true. David sensed that the Lord cared about him even as he prayed for an answer to be given. The picture of inclining also reveals the intense interest that the Lord had in David’s circumstances. Other incidents in human life do not have the same response in heaven.

When David mentions that the Lord heard, he is acknowledging that the Lord knows the time when to answer a request. Since this petition had come from God initially, he must have heard it long before he answered it. David tells us that it is wise to leave the time of answering to the Lord’s calendar and not imagine that we can write in the date.

The rescue of the Lord (v. 2)

David uses an illustration that would have been common in his day, that of a muddy cistern, except that this one is a noisy place because of the torrents of water. Individuals could find themselves in muddy cisterns for several reasons. One could fall into one by accident; one could be placed in one as a prisoner (such as Jeremiah was in Jeremiah 38:1-13); and one could find themselves in one because of a trap (maybe an enemy would put branches over it to hide it). We can see how each of these could illustrate an experience in the Christian life. We can find ourselves in trouble for no obvious reason, like Job; we could find ourselves persecuted for the faith, like Paul; or the devil could trap us by temptation, like Peter.

It is the case that David’s experience is a good picture of conversion, although I doubt if it describes his conversion, since he seems to have been converted as a shepherd boy and this experience described in the psalm looks like that of an adult. Still it is true that to be in an unconverted state is like being in a situation without security either for this life or in the next. Those who are in such a condition should flee to the Lord for mercy.

Out of the many incidents in David’s life that could fit into this description there are two that I would highlight briefly. First, there were the many years when he was denied the throne because of the presence of Saul. Indeed, David had to go on the run for considerable periods during that time. Delays in the fulfilment of God’s promises can be like in a pit. Second, there was the rebellion connected to his son Absalom. Disappointment can be a real pit, especially as in that case it was accompanied by David having to flee. So we too can say that delays and disappointments can be very difficult experiences.

Whatever the particular experience was, the Lord eventually put David on to a secure standing. When he speaks about a rock, he does not mean a large stone lying on the ground. Instead he means something like a pillar that elevated him far above the problem. This is a graphic picture of divine deliverance whether at conversion or later. We who were down so low are raised so high. At conversion we are seated with Christ in the heavenlies, and are given a sure path to walk along. Similarly, after difficult times in life as a believer, we find a clear path ahead. And it is all the doing of the Lord.

Rejoicing (3a)

If there was one talent that David knew a lot about, it was songs. So when he mentions in verse 3 that he had been given a new song, we can assume that he would be excited about it. It is an obvious fact from the Psalter that David was given new songs after times of trouble in his life were over. The most obvious one is Psalm 51 which he composed after his sinful behaviour with Bathsheba had been forgiven. Psalm 32 comes from that time as well. It looks as if Psalm 63 was written during the time he was being pursued by Saul and Psalm 3 was written when he received help from God during the rebellion of Absalom. So David could be saying that he received a literal new song from the Lord.

Or maybe he was saying that a song became new because its words were fulfilled in a new way in his life. We can easily see how Psalm 23 would have many fulfilments as he experienced the shepherd care of God in a variety of situations. He would use old words in new ways as he praised God.

We may wonder what the challenge for us from David writing a song of deliverance. I would say that there are two challenges, at least. One is, do we dedicate our talents to the Lord? David did, and so should we. The other is that David made sure that others would know about his God-given deliverance. In his song, he told others about what the Lord had done for him, and we should share with Christians and others what he has done for us.

Moreover, David points out that happiness as much as deliverance from trouble is dependent on the Lord. It was the Lord that gave to him this wonderful new song to sing. And whenever any believer finds joy in his heart, it is evidence that the Lord has been at work in that soul. David expected joy to come after the deepest trials as we can see from Psalm 51 in which he prayed for the restoration of the joy of his salvation. He was not being presumptuous when he made that request. Instead he was exercising faith in the Lord who gives joy to those he rescues and restores.

The psalmist reminds us that earth is a good place for singing about the Lord’s deliverance. In heaven, they are constantly praising him. Yet there is something special about giving a happy testimony to the Lord’s saving grace while we live in this dark world. We have this opportunity many times.

Recognition by others (v. 3)

The last detail that David mentions is that others will note the deliverance and trust in the Lord for themselves. It is not clear if the reason why they will fear is because they had assumed that the trials indicated that the Lord was against David, and the deliverance proved that they had been wrong in their assumptions. Or maybe the fear is connected to recognising the ability of God in rescuing his servant from a difficult situation. Whatever the reason, the fact is that many will become believers because of the divine restoration. This possibility was even true in the darkness caused by his sin with Bathsheba, as recounted in Psalm 51. In that psalm, he prayed that many would be converted after he had been restored.

It looks from this statement that the psalmist is saying that the Lord allows troubles to come our way so that eventually others will receive spiritual benefits from the way he restores us. Paul tells us that many of his acquaintances became bolder because of his troubles. Whatever the reason, it is good for us when conversations take place about our deliverance from troubles, and that those conversations will lead to conversions.