John Calvin Commentary Psalms 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 Jehovah." — Psalms 40:3 (ASV)

And he hath put into my mouth a new song. In the first clause of the verse, he concludes the description of what God had done for him. By God’s putting a new song into his mouth, he denotes the consummation of his deliverance. In whatever way God is pleased to help us, He asks nothing else from us in return but that we should be thankful for and remember it.

As often, therefore, as He bestows benefits on us, so often does He open our mouths to praise His name. Since God, by acting liberally towards us, encourages us to sing His praises, David with good reason concludes that, having been so wonderfully delivered, the material for a new song had been provided for him.

He uses the word new in the sense of exquisite and not ordinary, just as the manner of his deliverance was exceptional and worthy of everlasting remembrance. It is true that there is no benefit of God so small that it should not call forth our highest praises; but the more mightily He stretches out His hand to help us, the more it is fitting for us to stir ourselves up to fervent zeal in this holy exercise, so that our songs may correspond to the greatness of the favor which has been conferred on us.

Many shall see it. Here the Psalmist extends still further the fruit of the aid which he had experienced, telling us that it will serve as instruction common to all.

And certainly, it is the will of God that the benefits He bestows on any individual of the faithful should be proofs of the goodness He constantly exercises toward all of them. In this way, one person, instructed by the example of another, should not doubt that the same grace will be manifested toward himself.

The terms fear, and hope, or trust, do not seem at first glance to harmonize. However, David has rightly joined them together, for no one will ever entertain the hope of God's favor unless his mind is first imbued with the fear of God.

I understand fear generally to mean the feeling of piety produced in us by the knowledge of God's power, equity, and mercy.

The judgment God executed against David's enemies served, it is true, to inspire all people with fear. But, in my opinion, David rather means that by the deliverance he had obtained, many would be induced to yield themselves to God's service and to submit with all reverence to His authority, because they would know Him to be the Judge of the world.

Now, whoever submits wholeheartedly to God's will will necessarily join hope with fear. This is especially true when the evidence of grace—by which God commonly allures all people to Himself—is presented to him. For, as I have already said, God is presented to us as merciful and kind to others, so that we may be assured that He will be the same toward us.

As to the word see, which David uses, we should understand it as referring not only to the eyes, but chiefly to the mind's perception. Everyone without distinction saw what had happened, but it never occurred to many of them to recognize David's deliverance as God's work.

Since, then, so many are blind regarding God's works, let us learn this lesson: only those are considered to see clearly to whom the Spirit of understanding has been given. This Spirit enables them not to occupy their minds merely dwelling on the events that take place, but rather to discern in them by faith God's secret hand.