Introduction of the Psalm Series
Psalms are meditations and spiritual songs where we give praise to our Lord and God. To seek the Lord is a Commandment, and when we go to Him in our victories or our defeats, and ask of Him, we are praising the Lord and acknowledging Him as our Maker and our Lord. He is directing our every step, and we delight and seek to walk in His ways, knowing apart from Him we can do nothing.
Psa 37:23 The steps of man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighted in his way.
The Lord has led us to a more interactive format in our gatherings, where, for the next little while, we study the Psalms as Scripture together. By doing so, we learn to study and rightly divide the Scriptures as we give praise and sing spiritual psalms to our Lord. The world is waxing worse, and yet we have the Scriptures to study, to occupy our time as an alternative, and to focus on the things above. We are to redeem our time wisely, and thus teaching and promoting one another to study the Scriptures, including the Psalms, is a very good thing.
2Ti 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
As the Lord’s Christ in the world, we are fulfilling the Scriptures and all things written therein. As we now partake of the meat of the Gospel, our eyes of understanding are being opened to see ourselves in the Psalms and all Scripture. We are sharing this meat and honey when we gather with the risen Christ. May our understanding be further enlightened by our communion with one another as we tarry together in Jerusalem waiting for the Lord.
Luk 24:41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?
Luk 24:42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.
Luk 24:43 And he took it, and did eat before them.
Luk 24:44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
Luk 24:45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures …
Luk 24:49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
We are led to begin with Psalm 40, a cry we all make to the Lord when our man of sin is revealed unto us. As King David in shadow, a type of Christ, we find ourselves surrounded by our enemies, with no way out, and we cry to our Lord. The writings of all the prophets, including David, were written for our admonition and prophesied of the grace that is now come upon the elect.
1Pe 1:10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
1Pe 1:11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
1Pe 1:12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
We ask the Lord to bless these endeavors in the Psalms as we seek Him and wait for the former and the latter rain to come.
Psalm 40
“My Help and My Deliverer”
Psa 40:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
Psa 40:2 He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
Psa 40:3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.
Psa 40:4 Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
This Psalm is about the Lord saving us and totally changing our ways. We are brought up out of the miry clay, that is, the marred vessel of flesh we are first made, so we can be remade in the appointed time [Jer 18:3]. We are slaves to sin and are in “a pit of despair” when we know the Commandments and do not do the Commandments. Our carnal mind and innate lusts of the flesh are likened to wet clay that keeps us stuck or bound to the law of sin and death in our flesh. We only escape from this bondage by the mercy and grace of the Lord, and that in the appointed time. We first endure a long period of trying to save ourselves before the Lord hears our cries and delivers us.
He plants and grows the rock, the Living Commandments, the Spirit of Christ, in our hearts and minds. Our feet, meaning our walk, have a new foundation; thus, our goings are changed. We, as King David, cry to our Lord, knowing that He must come to save us and bring the blessings that make us partakers of His divine nature.
Psa 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
Psa 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
Psa 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
With the Comforter guiding us into all righteousness, bringing chastening judgment, speaking to us from heaven, we follow the Lord in fear and are being taught the new song of salvation.
Rev 14:3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
Notice, David had to wait, continually asking, learning patience, for the Lord to come answer Him and bring freedom from his captivity to sin. Thus, we too possess our souls in much patience while we tarry and wait on the Lord in faith. Faithful is He who calls us who promises to complete the work of salvation. Do not despair at your falling down, but rise and keep walking and seeking the Lord. We like David, pray to the Lord, and praise Him in our own psalms as we ask Him to come and deliver us.
Mat 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
Mat 7:8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Php 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
When given faith, our eyes see, and we comprehend how everything the Lord is doing in our lives is molding and shaping us for His purposes. They are the wondrous works of God to the children of men [See Psa 107].
Psa 40:5 Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.
Here is Paul writing about the same understanding that all things we experience are working together for the greater good of saving us in due time.
2Co 4:15 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
We now know the Truth; our struggle is in obeying the Truth. Thus we pray for the Lord’s kingdom to come and His will to be done (our sanctification) on earth as it is already established in our mind. Our struggle is with our flesh, the miry clay we are stuck in.
Psa 40:6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.
Psa 40:7 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,
Psa 40:8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.
David’s plea reminds us of Paul’s writing about our struggles getting out the miry clay that has us stuck knowing the Commandments but being in bondage to our flesh.
Rom 7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
Rom 7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Rom 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
In our plea, we remind the Lord of our ministry, the very purpose He is raising us up in this age, to go and preach His gospel into all the world within and without ourselves. We seek and ask Him to reveal His righteousness in our lives and enable us to be preserved by His Commandments, which is the Truth.
Psa 40:9 I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.
Psa 40:10 I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.
Psa 40:11 Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.
We are in the day of the Lord, and our salvation is near when we see our bondage, the man of sin has been revealed. Jerusalem within us is surrounded by enemies, and her desolation is near.
Psa 40:12 For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me.
The Lord gave this situation as a pivotal sign of the end times, signifying our salvation is near. The signs of change are now being seen in the heavens and the earth, as the Lord has come to avenge His temple, meaning to save and deliver us. It is coming, just wait and be patient, and watch the salvation of the Lord.
Luk 21:20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.
Luk 21:21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.
Luk 21:22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
We pray without ceasing for the Lord to bring deliverance, hasten His coming, and remake a new earth. The lies and carnal lusts and thoughts within our flesh make a mockery of the Lord and entice us into sin. We ask the Lord to come and destroy that which destroys our soul in unbelief and sin.
Psa 40:13 Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me: O LORD, make haste to help me.
Psa 40:14 Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil.
Psa 40:15 Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame that say unto me, Aha, aha.
We lament and sigh over our sins; our cries are heard and answered in their time through much patience and tribulation. The Lord comes to put to shame those who mock us within and without ourselves, saying Aha, where is your God?
Psa 79:1 O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance; thy holy temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps.
Eze 36:2 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because the enemy hath said against you, Aha, even the ancient high places are ours in possession:
The appearance of scoffers and mockers is in the last days, and that includes the last bit of doubt we listen to when we are overcome in a sin. Be of good cheer, the Lord has overcome the world and so shall we if we endure.
2Pe 3:3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts
When we are always praying, the Lord is nigh and coming quickly. Our prayers are a call for the Spirit of grace to come into our hearts. He who is faithful to the covenant shall come suddenly.
Rev 3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
Regardless of our situation, whether we are stuck in the mud or freed of our bondage to flesh, we rejoice in the Lord and give Him thanks for all things. Our faith is based on the promises of the Lord and the things that we have not yet seen in our walk, but we know they are soon coming if we stay the course. We press onward to the high calling of the Lord, rejoicing in the Lord and our hope in His promises yet to be revealed.
Psa 40:16 Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified.
Psa 40:17 But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.
The Lord is the only one who can deliver us and save us from our enemies. When our time is at hand, we are praying daily for the Lord to come and deliver us from the sins that vex us and hinder our growth. We are poor in spirit, having seen that our own strength saves nothing, so we are calling on the Lord to come and proclaim our need for His power and strength to save us.
Rev 22:20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
As the sons of God, we sorrow over our sins and cry out to our Abba Father, bearing witness that we are the children of God.
Rom 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
Rom 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Do not despair over what we see, as we walk by faith and not by sight. The Lord is coming, His Promises are true and His word shall not fail to prosper any of us. We are just waiting for it and being taught patience.
Rom 8:24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
Rom 8:25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
Rejoicing in the Lord is a Commandment we always perform even while we wait in our hope. No matter the season of life or the trials we face, rejoice always.
Php 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
The last five verses of Psalm 40 are repeated by David in the short Psalm 70, signifying the importance of constant prayer and praise to the Lord to deliver us from our flesh. Thy kingdom come, His will be done in our lives is our daily prayer.
We can readily rejoice in the mercy of the Lord, who is opening our eyes to see them and bringing the necessary corrections and chastening that raise us from the dead.
Eze 36:27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
Joh 16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
No one is righteous and seeks to do good on their own. We are all beasts at heart, bound to the law of sin and death, stuck in the miry clay of our flesh, until the Lord comes with the power of the Spirit, bringing the Living Sword. We are patient in our prayers and cries for deliverance. As the Lord’s anointed kings and priests, we are delivered from the sword that is the evil or wickedness that dwells within our flesh and in this world, by the Sword of the Lord.
Rev 13:10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
Psa 144:10 It is he that giveth salvation unto kings: who delivereth David his servant from the evil sword.
We are no longer getting drunk on the wine of knowledge, but focusing on the Commandments and singing psalms of praise and thanks to the Lord in our hearts. Living the prophecies of King David, we praise our Lord and Savior, by whom all things are, knowing that apart from Him we can do nothing. Please come, Lord, and finish the good work you started in all the saints. Selah.
