Charles Ellicott Commentary Psalms 40
Charles Ellicott Commentary
Psalms 40
Charles Ellicott Commentary
Psalms 40
"I waited patiently for Jehovah; And he inclined unto me, and heard my cry." — Psalms 40:1 (ASV)
I waited patiently. —As the margin shows, this is expressed by the common Hebrew idiom the infinitive absolute with the preterite. We may nearly express it by repetition: I waited and waited.
Inclined ... —Either intransitive , or with ellipse of the word “ear,” which usually is found with the verb in this conjugation. (Psalms 31:2.)
"He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay; And he set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings." — Psalms 40:2 (ASV)
Horrible pit. — The rendering in the margin, “pit of noise,” takes shaôn in its primary sense, as in Isaiah 17:12, Psalms 65:7, and the idea of a noise of rushing water suits this passage. Most commentators, however, take it here in the sense the cognate bears in Psalms 35:8, “destruction.” The Septuagint and Vulgate have “misery.”
Miry clay. — The word translated “clay” is from a root meaning to boil up, or ferment. (One of its derivatives means “wine.”) Hence “froth,” or “slime.” Septuagint, ilus; Vulgate, fœx. A verse of R. Browning’s perhaps expresses the poet’s image:—
“It frothed by,
A black eddy, spattered with flakes and fumes.”
Rock. — The common image of security (Psalms 18:2; Psalms 27:5), the occurrence of which makes it probable that the “pit” and “clay” are also not realities, but emblems of confusion and danger.
"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 Jehovah." — Psalms 40:3 (ASV)
New song. —See Psalms 33:3. It seems natural to suppose that this new song is incorporated here; that we have at least the substance of it, if not the words. Possibly the very words are taken up in Psalms 40:4. And we are to find the newness in the magnificent vindication of spiritual above formal worship.
Shall see it and fear. —Compare to Psalms 52:6, where there is plainly a reminiscence of this passage.
"Blessed is the man that maketh Jehovah his trust, And respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies." — Psalms 40:4 (ASV)
Respecteth not. —Better, turns not towards proud men and false apostates. The words are, however, somewhat obscure. The Septuagint and Vulgate have “vanities and false madnesses.” The words we have rendered false apostates are by some translated “turners after idols.” Idolatry is doubtless implied, but not expressed.
"Many, O Jehovah my God, are the wonderful works which thou hast done, And thy thoughts which are to us-ward; They cannot be set in order unto thee; If I would declare and speak of them, They are more than can be numbered." — Psalms 40:5 (ASV)
Many, O Lord. —Better,
“In numbers hast Thou made, Thou Jehovah my God,
Wonderful deeds and purposes for us.
There is nothing comparable to Thee ....
Would I declare, would I speak,
They are too many to number.”
For the third clause, “There is nothing comparable with Thee,” which is the rendering of the Septuagint, Vulgate, and Syriac, compare to Isaiah 40:17.
Jump to: