PSALMS FOR QUIET TIME
Lesson 2
Psalm 40
Back in the mid-80s, I was quite the U2 fan. (The same can be said for the mid90s, mid-2000s, and today!) After church one Wednesday night, I remember
several High School U2 aficionados coming to me as the elder statesman (I was,
after all, 25!) to discuss the significance of U2 closing most every concert with the
song “40.” This song was not a hit, but rather was an obscure cut off the 1983
album, “War.” (No coincidence, by the way, that the song ended the album, just
as it ended the concerts!)
The topic of discussion was, “Where on earth did this title come from?”
Admittedly, the song’s lyrics seem to have nothing to do with the number 40. One
fellow believed it was because the song was rumored to have taken 40 minutes to
write, record, mix, and play back (which, I understand to be true, although not the
reason for the title.) These High School guys wanted to know if I had any “inside
skinny” or other ideas.
I told them that I had not read or heard anything at all about the song or title,
beyond hearing it close their concerts and knowing it as the last song on the War
album. As they looked crestfallen, I then jolted them with this statement, “But I
am confident I can tell you where Bono got the title for the song!”
“Where?” they asked in unison.
“This song is just the first three verses of Psalm 40,” I replied.
“Really?” “Yes, and what is more, I suspect that Bono uses the New American
Standard Version! At least he did for this song!1
The 40 Psalm, has been for many years, and still remains, one of my favorite
places to go during quiet times with the LORD. We will unfold the Psalm in this
lesson.

                                                        
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Bono: “I waited patiently for the Lord; He inclined and heard my cry; He brought me up out of
the pit; Out of the miry clay He set my feet upon a rock; And made my footsteps firm; Many will
see; Many will see and fear; I will sing, sing a new song; I will sing, sing a new song.” NASV: “I
waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined to me and heard my cry. He brought me up out
of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, and He set my feet upon a rock making my
footsteps firm. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; many will see and
fear and will trust in the LORD.”
Biblical-literacy.com

© Copyright 2010 by W. Mark Lanier.

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PSALM 40 – STRUCTURE
We could map out the structure of the Psalm as follows:

This Psalm can easily be divided into two sections. The first section (verses 1-10)
proclaim thanks to God for his past deliverance from time of distress. The second
section (verses 11-17) seeks God’s deliverance from a current crisis/time of
distress.
As is apparent from the above chart, each of the two sections can be further
subdivided.
These observations come from time taken over the years both translating the
Psalm and from studying the Psalm. If this is your first time to spend time with it,
then you might not see this structure from the first casual reading. The structure
helps, however, because it teaches a lesson itself.
In this Psalm’s structure, we see an approach for seeking God’s mercy and
deliverance in times of distress. It is important that we not fail to see that the
Psalmist spends time recounting God’s deliverance in the past, and praising God
for that deliverance, before invoking his aid for the current crisis!
We are often a “cut to the chase” kind of people, even to our own detriment. I am
chief among those who tries to “get to the bottom line” as quickly as possible.

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One of my legal mentors was fond of the phrase, “Net, net.” He wanted not just
the “net” or bottom line, but he wanted the bottom line of the bottom line. He
would insist on the “Net, net.”
Yet, the Psalmist does not start this Psalm with, ‘God help me now please!” He
begins with recounting God’s help in the past, and praising him for it. Of course,
that is not the way all Psalms begin. One need only go several Psalms forward to
43 to read the Psalm beginning with the “net, net:”
Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause against an ungodly
people, from the deceitful and unjust man deliver me! (Ps. 43:1)
Each approach may have its time and place. As this class is centered on Psalm 40,
we note the importance of remembering God’s faithful deliverance in the past, as
one seeks his help in the present.
Our digesting of the Psalm will follow the breakdown of the structure above. As
this lesson is meant to be a glimpse into my own personal quiet time (in hopes it
offers some guidance and encouragement for you to use in yours), I will
personalize much of this as we go through it.
PSALM 40:1-10 – THANKS FOR PAST DELIVERANCE
1-3: Description of past deliverance
The Psalm begins:
1I waited patiently for the LORD;
he inclined to me and heard my cry.
2He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.
3He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
and put their trust in the LORD.

“I waited patiently for the LORD,” for Yhwh. At some time in the past, the
Psalmist waited for God’s help. If we were studying this in the Hebrew, then we
would be very impressed by the way the Psalmist writes of “waiting.” There is
some interesting Hebrew in the way the Psalmist says, “I waited.” The Psalmist
uses the word for “wait” (qwh) twice. In other words, the Psalmist did not just
wait; he waited intensely. The translators try to capture it with a “manner adverb”

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like the ESV’s, “patiently.”2 The Psalmist is certainly drawing attention to “I
waited,” which has a certain irony in light of the Psalm’s ending!
As I read that, I think about the difference between God’s timing and my own.
When I seek God’s deliverance, I tend to want it immediately. Furthermore, when
it does not come immediately, my visceral reaction is not to wait patiently. It is to
look for the quickest short cut to help God deliver me! Yet there is something
peaceful about the idea of knowing God will deliver, in God’s good timing.
As we noted in our first Psalm lesson (Psalm 139), the Psalmist invokes the
unspeakable name of God, Yhwh, as he writes. This is God’s personal name he
gave to Moses with his personal pledge to deliver the people of Israel from
Egypt’s bondage. Personal God, the Deliverer, is whom the Psalmist waits for!
The waiting was not in vain, for Yhwh “inclined” and “heard my cry.” The
Hebrew has the image of God turning his ear and listening. God is not deaf. He
does not ignore his people when they call. He turns his attention and listens.
Then, as he sees fit, he acts!
“He drew me up from the pit of destruction.” We need the Hebrew imagery here.
The pit of “destruction” is a pit of “rushing noise.” It is like the noise of a rushing
river, or of pounding waves of the ocean. It is also the rushing noise of the
destructive forces like winds. The experience was of God taking the Psalmist
from a place of insecurity, of rushing destruction that was real, to the senses
(audible in the Psalm’s language) and rescuing him.
The Psalmist adds a second image to his predicament. He was not only stuck in a
pit of noisy/rushing destruction, but also in a “miry” or “deep” bog. This is a
picture of sinking in quicksand. It is where struggle as you might, you seem to go
deeper and deeper into trouble. It is being in a place where there seems no way
out. Personal effort will not bring successful deliverance.
From this predicament, God rescued. God came in and lifted the Psalmist from
the bog, from the pit of destruction, and set him high up on a firm foundation. He
“set my feet upon a rock, and made my steps secure.” True and total rescue from
the LORD!
The rescue did not stop with removing the Psalmist from the distress and putting
him securely in a safe place. The LORD also put a new song of praise in the heart
                                                        
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Special thanks on understanding this Hebrew construction to Scott Callaham, son of one of our
class members, published Hebrew scholar, and Chaplain in our military. Scott has authored a
soon to be published book that includes this construction as an example of a “paronomastic
infinitive construction.”

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and on the mouth of the Psalmist. He brought true joy! He turned mourning into
dancing!
The song was one of praise to “our God.” We see here the usage of “God” rather
than the personal name Yhwh. The saving hand was that of capital G God! The
Psalmist adds a Hebrew suffix to “God” making it “our God.” Here, for the first
time in this Psalm, the Psalmist takes the attention off of his own circumstances
and includes the reader! For the God who brought this rescue was not the God of
the Psalmist only. This is our God who rescues!
As we see this shift from the personal to the corporate, the Psalmist makes the
point that “Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.” Yes, as we
consider the saving hand of God in the lives of others, and as we hear them sing of
his faithfulness, we too put our trust in the LORD.
As I study this Psalm, I can’t help but wonder if the Psalmist had a clue that his
adversity, God’s rescue, and the new song of praise, would not only move his
contemporaries to trust in the LORD, but would move us thousands of years later?
Who knows how God will use your patience in waiting for his deliverance, and
then use the deliverance itself, not only in your life and mine, but also in the lives
of countless others!
4-5: A song of praise for past deliverance
The Psalm continues:
4Blessed

is the man who makes the LORD his trust,
who does not turn to the proud,
to those who go astray after a lie!
5You have multiplied, O LORD my God,
your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;
none can compare with you!
I will proclaim and tell of them,
yet they are more than can be told.
“Blessed,” literally here, “Happy” (ashrei) is the man who puts his trust in the
LORD. The result is not misery, nor even sadness. But, happiness awaits the one
who trusts in LORD. This is in contrast to those who seek his or her help
elsewhere.
The “proud” and “those who go astray after a lie” have good indicators in the
Hebrew as those who speak either of false idols or of those who ascribe to false

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idols.3 For us, those idols are generally not clay shaped figurines. Instead, our
idols seem to be other things we worship over and against the things of God.
We should be clear here. Most everyone remembers the parable of God sending
two boats and a helicopter to rescue a drowning man. Rather than take any of the
three, the man drowns while “waiting on the Lord” for his rescue. God does
powerful works through others. God does expect us to move out in faith knowing
that he will guide us and hem us in both before and behind, yet there are times
where we are tempted to find our solution through the ways of man in
contravention to God. That is what this Psalmist speaks of here -- solutions that
are no more than a lie.
In contrast to such unhappy pursuits, the one who trusts in the LORD will find that
God not only does good by his people, but he also multiplies his wonderful deeds
and concerns for us. The word translated “multiplied” (rabot) means not only
“many” but also “great.” Yhwh is the real God and is the one who does these
many and great things for us.
The deeds are wonderful indeed, as is the fact that God’s thoughts are “toward us”
or “over us.” I always draw great encouragement over knowing confidently that
God is thinking of me, and what is going on in my life. Hopefully, this is not
some narcissistic tendency for me to place myself in the center of the universe.
Rather, it is a recognition that even though I am this small, small collection of
atoms on some dirt clod in some far flung corner of the galaxy that itself is a small
part of an undefined universe, God thinks about me and comes to my rescue.
In this sense, I join the Psalmist in saying that even though I will proclaim and tell
of God’s goodness and his thoughts toward me, I cannot begin to tell the fullness
of the truth.
6-10: Gratitude expressed through behavior
The Psalm continues:  
In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted,
but you have given me an open ear.
Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required.
7Then I said, "Behold, I have come;
in the scroll of the book it is written of me:
8 I delight to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart."
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The Hebrew for “go astray after a lie” is satey kazav. It literally references “those who stray to
lies,” but the words in this context can reference those who worship idols, or even the idols
themselves. The NIV translates this section as “those who turn aside to false gods.”

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9I

have told the glad news of deliverance
in the great congregation;
behold, I have not restrained my lips, as you know, O LORD.
10I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart;
I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;
I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness
from the great congregation.
The Psalmist not only expresses his happiness, but he also responds to God’s
deliverance in faithful obedience. God is not looking for the Psalmist to go kill a
dove over this deliverance. The Psalmist expresses desire both to follow God’s
instructions in the Torah (law) and to tell everyone he meets of the great
redemptive arm of the LORD.
Both of these responses make sense to me and they challenge me. It makes sense
that God is not looking for me to “pay back” his deliverance. I cannot turn around
and give God something in payment, be it a dove, a lamb, or even a good meal.4
                                                        
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There is a change in this section in the translation of the Hebrew into Greek by the pre-first
century Jewish scholars who produced the Septuagint. They have translated the phrase, “You
have given me an open ear” as “You have prepared for me a body.” The writer of Hebrews
seized this phrase in the Septuagint applying verses 6-8 to Christ in Hebrews 10:5-7. In his
commentary on Hebrews, Edward Fudge explains,
Jesus did God’s will in a human body. Jesus begins: “Sacrifice and offering you
have not desired . . . .” The Law of Moses provided many kinds of sacrifices, but
not one of them ranked first on the wish-list of things God wanted from his
people. God’s first choice was for his people to live each day in perfect
fellowship with him, in a life that fully matched God’s desires for human beings.
Throughout Israel’s history, God said this time and time again (Deuteronomy
10:12-13; 1 Samuel 15:22; Psalm 51:16-17; Micah 6:6-8; Jeremiah 7:21-23). But
only a human being with a human body could give God such loving human
obedience. And so the Son of God continues: “Then I said, ‘Behold, I have
come— in the scroll of the book it is written of me— to do your will, O God.’”
Jesus mentions two subjects here, our author points out. First he refers to the
animal sacrifices of the levitical priesthood. Then he speaks about his own
coming to do the will of God. So, our author concludes, Jesus took away the first
thing he spoke about, animal sacrifices, to establish the second thing he
mentioned -- his personal human commitment to do everything that God desired.
Jesus was true to his word. Every “today” that he lived, he fully embodied God’s
will by doing exactly what God desired. We can visualize God’s performed
wishes (or “will”) as a present from Jesus, contained in the gift-wrapping of his
own human body. Jesus gave that present to the Father by offering his body on
the cross.
God was thoroughly pleased with Jesus’ present, which was exactly what he had
always wanted. Because Jesus had given God his first choice, the gift of a faithful

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What is important is that I give God my humble obedience. That I live with God
as Lord, not only when I am in trouble, but when I am out of trouble!
It also makes sense that I would tell the world of God’s faithfulness and steadfast
love. Everyone I know, and everyone I meet, will have stormy times and times of
despair. There is not one soul on planet earth that would not benefit from making
the LORD their God. Every person alive today would be transformed by letting
God direct his or her life.
I am reminded of a friend of one of my family members who came to church
recently. Although not a Christian, this friend was and is impressed by my
relatives’ concerns for him. He recently said, “I have never understood how some
Christians could really believe they have a life changing, and eternity changing
relationship with the Creator and not share it. I figured either they don’t really
believe it, or they must not care too much for me!”
Why would we ever want to conceal God’s love and work in our lives?
We come now to the second section of the Psalm where the Psalmist seeks help
for his current distress.
PSALM 40:11-17 – PRAYER FOR CURRENT DELIVERANCE
11: Prayer to reveal mercy
This section begins:
11As

for you, O LORD, you will not restrain your mercy from me;
your steadfast love and your faithfulness will ever preserve me!

                                                                                                                                                                     
and loving life in unbroken fellowship with God, there would never be the need
again of that second choice—that remedial business involving slaughtered
animals and ceremonial blood (7:27; 9:12; 6:4; 9:7, 26-28; 10:2 and 12:26-27).
And, because this sacrifice/offering represented a human life perfectly in accord
with God’s wishes, God forgave his people’s sins forever and promised never to
remember them again (also fulfilling God’s promises concerning the new
covenant/basis of relationship discussed in 8:6-13).
Our author therefore boldly announces that by this will (God’s wishes), we have
been “sanctified” (made holy) and “perfected” forever (10:10, 14). These are
priestly terms taken from the consecration of Aaron and his sons. By the offering
of Jesus’ body we also have been consecrated as priests, to bring offerings of
praise and good works (Hebrews 13:15-16).
Fudge, Edward, Hebrews: Ancient Encouragement for Believers Today (Leafwood Publishers
2009).

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The English Standard Version has cast this passage into a proclamation of
confidence in how God will proceed. That is a good read of the Hebrew; however,
the Psalm contains a bit more than the translators can put into a simple English
sentence. This verse can also read as a request or prayer: “You, O LORD,
withhold not your mercies from me.” Similarly, the next line can be translated,
“May your steadfast love and your faithfulness always preserve me.”
The Psalmist knows that God has always been faithful. Toward that end, the
Psalmist has not restrained (ekla) his lips from praising the LORD. In the same
way, he prays that God will not restrain (tikla) his mercies from helping the
Psalmist.
The “steadfast love and faithfulness” of the LORD are traits that God himself
revealed to Moses. When the LORD passed before Moses on Sinai, the LORD
proclaimed himself, “a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding
in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Ex. 34:6). It is to this trait the Psalmist
appeals.
12: A description of distress
This section continues:
12For evils have encompassed me beyond number;
my iniquities have overtaken me, and I cannot see;
they are more than the hairs of my head; my heart fails me.

“For evils have encompassed me beyond number.” “Encompassed,” a great way
to translate the Hebrew (ef’fu). It means, “surrounded” or “covered.” The poor
Psalmist was not concerned about something bad around the corner; he was fully
submerged in troubles! The troubles themselves merit the term, “innumerable
evils.” There was too much for the Psalmist to even break out and identify.
The problems run so deep that they have overtaken him5 and blinded him. They
outnumber the hairs on his head, and make his heart terrified.
I must admit that many times I have approached this Psalm in solitude before the
Lord when I am not in a place of distress. The Psalm is not wasted, however,
because I always know someone who is going through difficulties. It is a
wonderful way to pray for others in distress. Taking this Psalm and appropriating
                                                        
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The Psalmist writes of his “iniquities” overtaking him. Our temptation is to think of this as sin.
That is not really what the Psalmist means, however. “Iniquities” can reference a physical
malady as well as the problems themselves. See the discussion at Hakham, Amos, The Bible
Psalms with the Jerusalem Commentary (Jerusalem: Mosad Harav Kook 2003), Vol. 1 at 318.

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parts of it to those in my life that are hurting, is a personal way to privately help
those in pain. It is even more apparent as we consider the prayer/plea for God’s
hand to work in the next few verses.
13-17: Plea for deliverance
The Psalm concludes:
Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me!
LORD, make haste to help me!
14 Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether
who seek to snatch away my life;
let those be turned back and brought to dishonor
who delight in my hurt!
15Let those be appalled because of their shame
who say to me, "Aha, Aha!"
16But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation say continually, "Great is the LORD!"
17As for me, I am poor and needy, but the LORD takes thought for me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
do not delay, O my God!
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This is my favorite part of the Psalm!!! Remember the Psalmist who started out
with “I waited patiently…?” Now he says, “Hurry up and help!” This makes this
Psalm so real to me.
“Be pleased O LORD to deliver me! LORD, make haste to help me!” Isn’t it
reassuring to know that in the Holy Psalms, God has preserved us the heart and
words of one who knows the right thing to do is to wait patiently, yet is in a
personal hurry to get out of distress immediately!
The Psalmist prays that God’s will might be the shame and disappointment of
those seeking his ruin. He wants their plans to fail, their efforts to bring dishonor
upon them, and their delight in his misery to end. He wants them to experience a
bit of the distress they are inflicting on him.
In contrast to this fate he wishes on the evildoers, he prays again for God not to
tarry in delivering him and anyone else who calls on the name of the Lord.
CONCLUSION
This Psalm always appeals to me on many levels. It is a Psalm that speaks of
physical problems – poverty, physical distress, and physical enemies. It is also a
Psalm that speaks on a spiritual level. It cries out for humility, an obedient heart, a

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thankful spirit, and a devoted mind. It forcefully reminds of the faithfulness of
God and confidently seeks God’s future help.
This is a wonderful Psalm for personal study, both to enrich our own prayer times,
and to provide us a reference point for praying for others. I cannot read it without
thinking of the times God’s faithfulness has rescued me. I also cannot read it
without wondering how it fits into the life of U2! (and YOU TOO!)
POINTS FOR HOME
1.

“I waited patiently for the LORD” (Ps. 40:1).
Truth be told, I am not too sure I have ever waited patiently on the LORD. I
would like to, but I am not too sure I have or will anytime soon. That said,
I would readily concede that I ought to! For surely God’s timing is the
right timing. I know there are lessons he teaches in times of distress that
cannot be learned elsewhere. I know that as the refiner uses fire to melt
away impurities, God is at work in purifying my heart and life in times of
heat and distress. So, I will hurry up and try to be more patient!

2.

“I have not hidden your deliverance” (Ps. 40:9).
I am going to learn this lesson from the Psalmist. LORD, may I not shrink
from telling people of your steadfast love and the difference it has made in
my life. How dare I keep that quiet!

3.

“Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me!” (1 Cor. 15:49).
My deliverer is coming. I know it, and you can know it too. It matters not
how deep your misery and how loud you destruction. There is a deliverer,
and he will come to those who call him. It may not be in your timing, but
he is most assuredly coming. I strongly recommend anyone who is in need
of encouragement on this, go to iTunes (or wherever you buy your music)
and get “My Deliverer” by Rich Mullins (I prefer the full version done by
artists after Rich died as opposed to the demo version by Rich himself).
Listen to it and absorb it. Make it your own song.
My Deliverer is coming - my Deliverer is standing by
I will never doubt His promise though I doubt my heart, I doubt my
eyes My Deliverer is coming - my Deliverer is standing by
My Deliverer is coming - my Deliverer is standing by
My Deliverer is coming - my Deliverer is standing by
He will never break His promise
though the stars should break faith with the sky
My Deliverer is coming - my Deliverer is standing by.
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