PSALM 40, VERSE 1 ...
This "sermon" was posted
Tuesday morning, March 16, 2004, from Myrtle, Mississippi.
Psalm 40 opens with these words:
"I waited patiently for the LORD;
and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry."
psalm 40:1
David is the human writer here. Of course the
Psalm is inspired by the Holy Spirit of God ... Who is solely
responsible for its contents.
The opening verb "waited patiently" is
interesting. It is a Hebrew expression "qavah." In the Hebrew
sentence one finds "qavah qavah!" It is doubled! It literally
would be rendered: I waiting, waited patiently!
The verb "qavah" comes from a stem that means
to look eagerly for! The word picture behind it is that of a
person binding together (perhaps by twisting) some things. (Like
braiding hair or weaving a basket!) It implies something that
takes time and patience! To be doing something while waiting is
also pictured here! The stem of both verbals is "Piel." That
means the action is intensive! (What he is doing ... he is doing
fervently!)
He (the Psalmist, King David) is waiting for
"Jehovah" God! Waiting for the God Who IS! Waiting for the great
I AM! (This is like a second waiting for a year ... or a decade
... or a century!)
The context here demands that we interpret
this waiting as more than just consuming time. This waiting is
to be construed as trusting, exercising faith ... or maybe even
praying!
Why do I say that?
Because of the rest of the verse.
God ANSWERS David’s "waiting!"
Look at what the Lord did!
He "inclined" unto the Psalmist!
Has He ever "inclined" to you?
He has (again and again)!
Let me show you what I mean.
The verb "inclined" means to stretch out, to
extend, to bend or to offer! The "time" sense of this verb is
that of continual action! The more you wait ... the more God
stretches out to you in your need! Hebrew = "natah" One text
even says that it means "to deliver."
The first Bible use of the verb (Genesis
12:8) is when Abraham "PITCHED" his tent as he traveled in
obedience to God! (To pitch = to stretch out, to extend)
I got to thinking. How did God bend down to
meet our needs? Also by pitching a Tent. And that Tent was
Jesus! (John 1 :14 says that Jesus "dwelt" among us. That verb
"dwelt" is the Grek verb for "pitching a tent" ot "being a
tabernacle!")
God also "heard" David’s cry! That little
verb "hear" (Hebrew = shama) means to listen with attention or
interest! Another lexicon says it means to hear intelligently.
Again the verb action is on-going, habitual listening!
The first use of this verb is in Genesis 3:8
where Adam and Eve, having sinned, HEARD the voice of the Lord
God ... and feared Him and hid themsleves! Because of sin ...
man did not want to hear God! But THANK THE LORD, also because
of our low down sin ... God devised a plan to HEAR man! The only
hope for a dying sinner is for God to HEAR his cry!
The noun "cry" ("shavah" in Hebrew) is
unusual. It’s only used 11 times in Scripture! It means a cry
for help! (A spiritual 911 call!)
Exodus 2:23 uses the verb first in all of
Scripture. It’s when the Jews in Egypt cried unto God in their
bondage ... and God heard them and delivered them!
Psalm 34:15 also uses the word: "The eyes of
the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open
unto their CRY."
As does Psalm 145:19 --- "He will fulfil the
desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and
will save them."
What a series of great words we’ve had here
today!
I’m so thankful for the Bible! What a Book to
encourage us day by day!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
PSALM 40, VERSE 2a ...
This "sermon" was
posted Wednesday morning, March 17, 2004, from Myrtle,
Mississippi. It is the second in a short series from Psalm
40:1-5. Our focus here is the first half of verse 2. Lord
willing, we plan to study the second half tomorrow.
"He brought me up also out of an horrible pit,
out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and
established my goings." Psalm 40:2
That first
verb is exciting! He "brought me up!" In Hebrew it’s "alah" and
means to set up, to establish or to fix! It is a Hiphil stem
... meaning "causative active." There is a CAUSE behind God’s
saving us! The cause is His grace! And His love!
The "time"
sense here is also of note. It’s an "imperfect" verb ...
suggesting that God is still bringing us up! (I’d say He sure
is!)
From where is
He bringing me?
From a
"horrible pit!"
"Horrible" is
"shalon" in Hebrew. It means crashing, roaring, tumultuous,
rushing and horrible! In Psalm 65:7 our word is translated as
the NOISE of the waves! And in Isaiah 5:14 we are told:
"Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and
opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their
multitude, and their
pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it."
Here, associated with hell, our word is translated
"pomp!"
And "pit"
comes from a word that means "to bore" a hole in the ground. It
is a cistern or well or dungeon. This expression occurs only
here in Scripture. It sounds like David had considered himself
dangerously close to the pits of hell before God rescued him! (A
brand plucked from the burning! Zechariah 3:2)
And look at
the synonymous term: "the miry clay."
"Miry" is in
Hebrew "yaven" meaning the "dregs" of anything. (Especially of
wine which is "yayin" in Hebrew.) And this term well may refer
to intoxicating wine! God found some folks when they were
absolute drunkards ... and lifted them out of that background
and placed them IN the Grace of God!
"Clay" is "tiyt,"
meaning mud or wet dirt! 2 Samuel 22:43 talks about the "mire"
(filth) of the street! That’s what we were when He found us!
I think we
shall just finish this verse tomorrow, Lord willing.
We have plenty
enough to think about right here!
Where He
brought us FROM!
Let’s all say
GLORY! GLORY TO GOD! PRAISE HIS DEAR NAME FOR SAVING LOST SOULS!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
PSALM 40,
VERSE 2b ...
Written and
placed here on Thursday, March 18, 2004, from Myrtle,
Mississippi. We are this week looking at Psalm 40:1-5. Today
we look at what God did for us when He saved us!
"HE ... SET MY
FEET UPON A ROCK, AND ESTABLISHED MY GOINGS." Psalm
40:2b
This is picturesque language.
The verb "to set" is spelled "qum" in Hebrew
and means to arise or to stand up. God literally did the acting
here. He placed my feet on the Rock! It is a Hiphil verb ...
indicating that "causative action" is used. There is a CAUSE
behind God's lifting us up! That Cause is the saving Grace of
God! (And the "time" sense of the word is that of on-going
action. God is still setting our feet in sure places!)
The noun "feet" ("regel") is from a root verb
that means to walk. God placed our feet on the Rock ... for a
purpose. He wants us to walk (not idly stand around) in His
Way!
The word rock is in Hebrew "sela." Once in
Scripture it is translated "strong hold!" It speaks of a great
firm strong rock. (Of course we all know Who that Rock is!
It's Jesus! 1 Corinthians 10:4 proves so.
"And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of
that spiritual Rock that followed them:
and that Rock was Christ.")
One lexicon says the word "sela" means fortress!
But that's not all He did for us!
He "established" our goings!
The verb established is from the Hebrew
"kun." It means to make firm! And this verb is a "perfect" one
... indicating that the action is completed! If you're saved
... He has established you in Christ!
In Psalm 9:7 our word "kun" is translated
"prepared." "But the LORD shall endure
for ever: he hath prepared his throne for judgment."
Believers are as "established" as God's Throne is "prepared!"
Watch our same verb "established in
Proverbs 3:19 --- "The LORD by
wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he
established the heavens." Believers are as firm as the
heavens!
Glory to God! We certainly should sense our
security in Christ Jesus!
Lastly, what are our "goings?"
"Ashur" is the word for "goings." It's only
used 9 times in the Bible. Six of those times it is rendered
"steps." (And three times = "goings.") It comes from the word
"ashar" that means straight! That alone tells us how God wants
us to walk! Straight!
God did all these things for us ... so that
we might live for Him!
Wow!
Lord willing, verse 3 tomorrow.
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
PSALM 40, VERSE 3 ...
Friday, March 19,
2004 at 8:00 PM from Cumming, Georgia (This is a Bible study
from Psalm 40:1-5)
"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 the LORD." Psalm 40:3
The little verb "hath put" translates the
Hebrew word "nathan." It means to give! The verb here reveals
incomplete action. That means God is still giving this "new
song!"
The adjective "new" is once translated
"fresh" in the King James Bible! See Job 29:20.
And the noun "song" comes from a verb that
means to travel! It presents the idea of someone who is so
joyful that they sing everywhere they go!
But what does this song involve? It's
explained right here in the second part of our verse. This is a
song of "praise!"
The word for praise is derived from a source
that means "to be clear!" It also means "to shine!" (This is
praise that flows from the heart to the face! It breaks out all
over!)
The Name for God here is Elohiym. It's God's
Title that refers to His STRENGTH! It also is in the plural
form ... signifying the Trinity I believe. (Did you ever just
sit down and praise each Member of the Godhead? That alone can
be a thrilling worship time!)
Many shall see it! The "many" here refer to
great numbers ... but also to people of great prominence. (It's
translated in such ways as: mighty, captain and great!)
The verb see ("raah" = to look at, to
inspect, to perceive) indicates ongoing action! They just keep
on beholding that man with the new song!
To "fear" ("yare") here means to reverence,
to adore, to augustly respect (as well as to tremble in
terror)! I think it describes Holy Spirit conviction!
And the final verb "trust" (Hebrew = "batach")
means "to hide for refuge!" (Again, it's continuous action!)
I believe that this is Old Testament language
that says the man got saved through the testimony of one who was
brought out of miry clay and an horrible pit!
The last Name for God here is LORD, and is
the Name Jehovah.
David is just firmly convinced that the
living sincere testimony of a godly man or woman is a powerful
soul-winning tool! For example read what he said in Psalm 51:13
--- "Then
will I teach transgressors thy ways; and
sinners shall be converted unto thee."
This little self-contained verse is quite
powerful!
Lord willing, more tomorrow!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
PSALM 40, VERSE 4 ...
Monday, March 22,
2004, at 9:15 AM from Cumming, Georgia (This is a Bible study
article on Psalm 40:4.)
"Blessed is that man
that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud,
nor such as turn aside to lies." Psalm 40:4
The word "blessed" is in Hebrew "esher" and
means happy! (It's translated "happy" 18 times in the King
James Version. And it's rendered "blessed" 27 times!) But
here's the strange thing. It comes from a root word that means
"to be straight!" In God's eyes to be happy ... is to be
straight! (Right, justified by the Grace of God through the
Blood of Jesus!)
The word used for "man" here specifically
means a man who is valiant or a warrior or a strong person!
(This is a real man!)
"Maketh" is the verb ("sum") that means to
place, to put, to appoint, to set or to ordain! There's a
definite decision and commitment made here to trust the Lord!
It refers to a move made in the past (completed action) when
this man got saved!
"Lord" is Jehovah.
"Trust" is a noun that means refuge! (Verb
form = to hide for refuge!) The Lord is our "Hiding Place!" He
is called this twice in Scripture! (Psalm 32:7 and Psalm
119:114)
"Respecteth" is (Hebrew = "panah") a verb
that means to turn so as to face something! To look at
deliberately and carefully!
"Proud" is from the Hebrew term "rahab" and
means to act insolently! This person is a "smart aleck" ... and
I checked the dictionary for this word! It's there! It may
also be associated with one of their words for "strength."
To "turn aside" is to swerve. This is the
opposite of walking on a straight and narrow path!
And "lies" is their word for falsehoods. It
means anything deceptive.
Our verse proves that if one keeps the Lord
as his focus ... other things will become peripheral (the outer
field of vision). Soon they will be out of sight.
The Lord willing tomorrow we shall complete
this little series.
It's sure been worth our time. Of course
that's true of all Scripture.
What a testimony this Passage is!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
PSALM 40, VERSE 5 ...
March 23, 2004 (From a
motel room in Newport, Tennessee, at 5:30 AM)
We have the past few days been studying the
opening paragraph of Psalm 40. In it David gives his testimony.
But, be sure of this, our Lord Jesus also read, memorized and
said these words too!
"Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful
works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to
us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I
would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be
numbered." Psalm 40:5
David is first discussing God’s "wonderful
works!" One Hebrew word is used for this term, "pala." It means
marvelous, surpassing, unique (from a root that means
"different!")! To separate, to distinguish! Hard things! Hidden
Things! Marvelous Things! The first use of the word in any form
is in Genesis 18:14 where the question is asked, "Is anything
TOO HARD for the Lord?" And in Exodus 3:20 the plagues on Egypt
are called God’s WONDERS! Plus verses like Exodus 15:11 ---
"Who is like unto thee, O LORD,
among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness,
fearful in praises, doing wonders?"
"Many" is an adjective that means ("rab")
abundant in quantity, size, number, rank or quality! (1st use =
Genesis 6:5 where man’s wickedness has become GREAT!) If sin is
great ... God is greater! It’s like Romans 5:20 says:
"But where sin abounded, grace did much
more abound."
And the verb "done" is "asah," meaning to
fashion or to accomplish. It here is in the form that pictures
completed action!
Also David tells us that God’s thoughts to us
are many!
This noun "thoughts" (Hebrew = "machashabah")
comes from a verb that means to plat, to interpenetrate, to
weave or to fabricate. It here means a plan or an intention.
(It’s the "all things" of Romans 8:28!) Our word is used in
Psalm 92:5 --- "O LORD, how great are thy
works! and thy THOUGHTS are very deep." (Again,
the first use of the noun is in Genesis 6:5 in reference to
wickedness!) Wicked thoughts outweighed by God’s good thoughts!
"To us-ward" translates the little Hebrew
preposition "el," which means "motion towards!" It also can have
the meanings: with, near or among!
"To be reckoned up in order" is one little
Hebrew verb, "arak." It means to set in a row, to arrange! (1st
use = Genesis 14:8 = "joined battle!") The second use: Genesis
22:9 at the sacrifice of Isaac where Abraham "laid the wood in
order" on the altar! Think about that one! I'm amazed at the
thoughts God sent us-ward when He planned the Cross of Calvary!
The verb "declare" means to expound! (To make
conspicuous, to announce!)
The companion verb "speak" ("dabar") means to
arrange words so as to make sense. (Similar to the Greek word
"logos" in that regard)
"They are more than" translates Hebrew "atzsam."
It means vast, mighty or numerous. It’s a Qal stem verb and is
"perfect" in its sense of time. (Completed action)
"Numbered" is "to take acount of, or to
carefully consider." It seems to be an accountant’s term meaning
to mark or to ascribe ... to tally or record a number. (It also
can mean to then celebrate the number!)
This ending of our verse (and paragraph)
reminds me of Psalm 139:17 which says:
"How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is
the sum of them!"
This Passage has given us David's view of
this subject: What God has done for us! Paul best explains this
concept in the New Testament! For example, see the first three
chapters of Ephesians! BUT ... it is a balanced truth! The last
three chapters of Ephesians tell what we are to do for God (by
His Grace)!
You could also call our text (Psalm 40:1-5):
David’s Testimony! Of course, it should be ours too!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
