John Calvin Commentary Psalms 40:4

"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)

Blessed is the man who hath set Jehovah for his confidence. David here relates what ground for good hope his deliverance would give to all the faithful; since, setting aside all the allurements of the world, they would by this be encouraged to commit themselves with confidence to the protection of God, persuaded not only that they are happy who trust in him alone, but that all other expectations at variance with this are deceitful and cursed.

This assurance is not natural to us but is derived partly from the word of God and partly from his works. However, as I have said before, the contemplation of God's works alone would not kindle this light within us, unless God, illuminating us by his word, shows us his benevolence.

After having promised to be gracious to us, and also manifesting his goodness by indubitable proofs, he confirms with his own hand what he had previously uttered with his lips. David, therefore, from the fact of his having been restored to life from the abyss of death, justly declares that the faithful are taught by this proof—what men are naturally so reluctant to believe—that they are happy who trust in God alone.

As the instability of our nature commonly tends to draw us downward, and as all of us, from our proneness to yield to delusions, are tempted by many wicked examples, David immediately adds that he is blessed who regardeth not the proud. Some, indeed, render רהבים, rehabim, the rich, or the great of this world, but improperly, in my opinion; because pride, and turning aside to lies, are two things David here joins together.

To regard the great of the earth, therefore, does not signify, as they suppose, to rely upon their power and riches, as if a man’s welfare depended on that, but it rather means to be carried away by their examples, to imitate their conduct. When we are everywhere constantly seeing men puffed up with pride, who despise God and place their highest happiness in ambition, in fraud, in extortion, in guile, a perverse desire to imitate them gradually steals upon us. Especially when everything turns out according to their wishes, a vain and delusive expectation tempts us to try the same course.

David, therefore, wisely, and not without good reason, warns us that in order to have our mind constantly fixed in simple reliance upon God alone, we must guard against those evil examples which always seek to allure us from all sides to apostatize from him. Moreover, when he says that the proud turn aside to lying, or vanity, in this way he describes briefly the foolish confidence of the flesh.

What else is the pride of those who put their own imaginations in the place of God but a vain illusion? Certainly, the man who, puffed up by the breath of vain conceit, arrogates anything in the slightest to himself, flatters himself to his own destruction. In short, pride and vanity are opposed to the holy confidence which relies upon God alone; for there is nothing more difficult for the flesh than to trust in God alone, and the world is always full of proud and haughty men who, soothing themselves with vain allurements, would soon corrupt the minds of the godly if this restraint were not placed upon them, to curb, as with a bridle, their erroneous and extravagant opinions.