Psalm 40

1 I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
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.
4 Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
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.
6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.
7 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,
8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.
9 I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.
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.
11 Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.
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.
13 Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me: O LORD, make haste to help me.
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.
15 Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame that say unto me, Aha, aha.
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.
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.

Key Verse:
6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.

Key Observation:
Messianic psalm.

Memory Verse:
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.

Devotion:
Verse 6 is quoted in Hebrews 10:5. “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire; but a body you prepared for me. Italics are different, noticed by McGee, and commented upon at length. He says the obvious: God wanted this portion of scripture changed the way it is changed. “Mine ears hast thou opened” is the portion which is changed. I learned that the open ear is a reference to the slave, loving his master, denies his freedom, and as a sign to all has his ear pierced with an awl. McGee feels that Christ’s submission to His Father’s will is a picture of this ear opening. In other words, Christ giving Himself is the manifestation of what a slave might do if choosing his master over his freedom.

Matthew Henry says Christ is foretold by the name: ho erchomenos- or He that should come. “I have come to do your will, O God.” Christ’s statement to his father. And what is the Father’s will? Nothing less than pouring out punishment for the sins of the whole world upon the body of His Son. There is nothing, not even the second coming of Christ in all its great glory, that shall eclipse the first coming. Oh that God should become man- and being man should bear our chastisements. Chafer points out that it is not grace or unmerited favor we receive when we are forgiven. Instead it is a substitutionary sacrifice of punishment. God punished His Son in our place! Chafer wants us to remember that grace is not free—it came at incalculable cost.

I like what the Statler Brothers sing:
“I believe He died for me,
So I believe I will live for Him.”
Are you living today for Him? If He came back today, would He find you where you are supposed to be? Can you echo Christ in the call: “I have come to do your will, O God?” He just may come today. I suggest you might want to be sure your “affairs are in order” or that you are walking with Him just in case. He is coming. Soon.