Psalms 40
COA1655That this Psalme should wholly be understood of Christ; excluding David; may seeme not so safe and warrantable.
Psalms 40:1
I waited] They are Davids words throughout this Psalme. Yet he being in some things a Type of Christ; and was to be the Father of Christ according to the flesh, he useth some words propheticaly of Christ, speaking them as in the person of Christ, which are directly applyed to Christ by the Apostle, Heb. X. 7, 8, 9.
and heard my cry] Thus from experience of mercie formerly received, in Gods hearing his Prayers, and delivering him from deepest dangers, in the former part of the Psalme; he strengthens his faith in Prayer for obtaining like mercie, and deliverance, in the later part of the Psalme: so as there is no shew of opposition or contradiction, between the beginning, and ending of it.
Psalms 40:2
an horrible pit] Not that imaginarie Limbus Patrum: nor that state of sinne before regeneration; whereunto their own preparatorie dispositions, to their conversion, did availe and prevaile, whiles they were in that state of sinne, to their deliverance out of it, by merit of congruity. But this pit is the depth of miseries, the evils of punishments, the gulph of temporal afflictions, wherein David was plunged after his conversion, and the graces of faith, hope, and invocation appearing in him, ver. 1.
Psalms 40:3
a new song] For new benefits and deliverances; and those such and so new, as the like were scarce heard of before.
Many shall] Psal. XXXII. 6.
fear, and shall trust.] These two conjoyned in a pious soul; fear, and faith; a reverent fear, and trust in Gods mercie, Psal. CXXX. 4.
unto our God] To god, and Christ.
Psalms 40:4
his trust] Whose sure mercie to them is such, as we read, 1 Tim. IV. 10. Deut. I. 31. and XXXII. 10, 11, 12. John III. 16.
Psalms 40:5
Many, O Lord my God] David speaking to God and Christ; if not in the person of Christ, as his Type, with admiration of his infinite goodnesse and mercy towards man, and in ordering the meanes of his salvation. So that he riseth up now to a more general admiration of Gods wonderful works and thoughts towards his; and of the number, quantity, and quality of them.
Psalms 40:6
Sacrifice] Christs words, Heb. X. 5. So that these words, and the next are spoken unto God, in the person of the Messias, who was to come of the seed of David, Heb. X. 5, 6, 7. See the like before, XVI. 10. David having spoken in the former verse of Gods wonderfull works and thoughts towards mankinde, doth in this maner in the words of the Messias rise up to the very highest of them all in these two verses. For Sacrifices, see my Table of them in Leviticus.
not desire] Jer. VII. 22. Hos. VI. 6. Prov. XXI. 3. 1 Sam. XV. 22. Psal. L. 5,—16. Matth. XII. 7. Mark XII. 33. And Christ was now to put an end to them, Dan. IX. 27. as not able in themselves to purge away sinne, Heb. X. 4. Therefore God desired them not simply of themselves, without inward piety concurring, as the very life and soul of them; Or, in comparison of the spiritual worship of God; or, in comparison of that al-sufficient Sacrifice of Christ, which he was to offer in the body of his flesh, Heb. X. 1, 4. Rom. VIII. 3, 4. After which these Legal Typical Sacrifices were to be abolished, as was said. And that Sacrifice of Christ one offered never to be reiterated, Heb. IX. and X. chapters; contrary to that blasphemous sacrifice of Christ in the Popish Masse.
mine ears hast thou opened] Digged open, or peirced; made me obedient to thy voice: or bored, to make me thy servant for ever; in allusion to the Law Exod. XXI. 6. For these words here, we read, Heb. X. 5. but a body hast thou prepared me, or fitted me. Wherein the Apostle either followeth the LXX. or cites, not the words, but the sense, Rom. VIII. 3.
Phil. II. 7. it being the same both wayes, in issue. Besides that varieties of readings in both places are alledged out of ancient Copies by the learned. Papists themselves deny not this text to be incorrupt. The Apostle faithfuly retaining the sense and scope of the place, without tying himself to the letter of the words in his quotation. The variation is but a change of the figurative phrase into a proper, to expresse the ready obedience of Christ to do the will of his Father in the work of the redemption of mankind, John V. 30.
VI. 38. and IV. 34. whereunto by framing him a body God had fitted him.
Sinne-offering] Heb Sinne. Put often in the Law for the Sinne-offering. So Levit. IV. 3. 24. Exod. XXIX. 14. In which sense Christ is called Sinne, 2 Cor. V. 21.
Psalms 40:7
Then said I, Lo, I come] When thou hadst so fitted me, Mark X. 32, 33, 34.
In the volume] or Scroll rowled up, Jer. XXXVI. 2. Ezek. II. 9. The Volume of the Law and Scripture, Luke XXIV. 27, 44. John V. 39.
of the Book] Sepher, or Book generaly signifies any writings, Court-rools, &c. Deut. XXIV. 1. 2 Kings V. 5, 6. Jer. XXXII. 11.
it is written of me] So Christ himself saith, Matth. XXVI. 24 John V 46. See Luke XXIV. 44, 46. Acts XIII. 29.
I delight] Luke XXII. 15. Heb. X. 10.
to do thy will] Heb. X. 10. John VI. 38. Luke XXII. 42. In all things to be performed by me in my flesh, which are required by thee for the redemption and salvation of man; even to my obedience in suffering the death of the Crosse, Phil. II. 8.
Thus Christ in regard of his humane nature was truly lesse then the Father, John XIV. 28. was subject to him; his will to the will of his Father; took upon him the forme of a servant, Phil. II. 7. was truly a servant, Esay XLII. 1. obeyed the mandates of the Father, John XII. 49. and XIV. 31. and XV. 10. Being our Surety, was made under the Law, Gal. IV. 4. under the Law of Moses, Moral, and Ceremonial; that the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in us, Rom. VIII. 4. And these are not figurative and metaphorical, but proper elocutions, in regard of Christs humane nature; not making a Person in it self, distinct from the Person of the Sonne of God, with Nestorius; nor yet hereby making the Person of the Sonne of God hypostaticaly uniting to himself the Humane Nature, inferiour to the Person of the Father, as Arius would.
Psalms 40:9
I have preached] Though Gods works were such as the fifth verse expresseth; and specialy that work of mans redemption; yet Christ, as he took a body, by the sacrifice of it, as a Priest, to satisfie the Father; so here as the great Prophet of the Church, he doth preach and publish it, John XVII. 6. Luke XXIV. 47. even Gods righteousnesse, faithfulnesse, truth, loving-kindnesse, salvation, to the great Congregation of his people, Rom. III. 21, 22. Esay LXI. 1, 2, 3. and XLIX. 6. which office and duty David also the Type, in his degree, and all Christs messengers in their place and function, do performe.
Psalms 40:11
with-hold not thou] David prayes here for what he had preached in the former verse, containing in it the fountain, and the epitome of blessings and happinesse to man.
Psalms 40:12
Heart faileth me] Psal. XXII. 14. and XXXVIII. 10.
Psalms 40:13
Be pleased] Hence to the end of the Psalme agrees with Psal. LXX. David petitions, for his deliverance, in this verse; the confusion of his enemies, verse 14, 15. to the joy of the godly, and the glory of God, verse 16.
Psalms 40:14
confounded] Davids imprecation against his enemies. This is more then a passionate unfolding of their injuries, and leaving the revenge to God: more then that 2 Sam. XV. 31. and Acts IV. 29. and Psal. LXXXIII. 16. more then a meer prophetical prediction of evills to befall them. Here is more: And so Psal. XXXV. 4. and LXX. 2, 3. and CIX. 7. &c. & LIX. 13. and 2 Tim.
IV. 14. And in many other places. David here, and other holy Prophets do not thunder thus against their enemies, desperate sinners, out of any immoderate carnal passions, of private hatred, or desire of revenge; or out of any rash and inconsiderate zeal; but moved and inflamed rather by the Spirit of God; acting herein the publike cause of God, and of his glory; against those whom they knew by the spirit of discerning, 1 Cor. XII. 10. to be Gods, and their forlorne foes. Yet possible that in some of these imprecations some mixture of humane infirmities might be: as in Jeremie XV. 15, 16, 17. But for us; touching private and personal enemies, our duty is, as we read, Matth.
V. 44. as we finde in the example of Christ, Luke XXIII. 34. and of Stephen, Acts VII. 60. and 1 Pet. II. 23. And for publick enemies of God and his Church; we may not absolutely use execrations against their persons; as not knowing but God may convert them afterwards, of Sauls make them Pauls; and lest we incurre that rebuke, with those Disciples, Luke IX. 55. Let us stay till we know that we be of their spirit before we do as these Prophets did. Of imprecations, see more in the Observations on Psal. CIX. 14. and the Annotations on Neh.
IV. 5.
Psalms 40:16
Let all those] Davids prayer for those that seek God, and love his salvation.
Psalms 40:17
But I] He concludes with commending his own case to God, his help, and deliverer.