Waiting for the Lord

“I waited patiently for the Lord” (Psalm 40:1). These are the words of King David when he fled Jerusalem after his son Absalom usurped the throne of Judah. The psalm is composed of two parts: (1) his praise of God (vv. 1–10) and (2) his petition based on his affirmation of hope in God (vv. 11–17). The first part gives thanks to the Lord for His past faithfulness. The second is a personal lament of his present circumstances.

David recognized that His experiences of God’s deliverance were designed for testimony. Others needed to “see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord,” because “blessed [a condition of being in God’s favor] is the man who makes the Lord his trust” (vv. 3, 4). God multiplied His deeds and thoughts toward His saints in order for that grace to be proclaimed, however inadequately (v. 5). Our lives serve as a living model of God’s greatness (v. 16). Tragically, more often than not, our calamities cause us to fret, complain, and accuse God of His unfairness or lack of sympathy. This negative witness shows, not so much in what we say as how we act before others.

David recognized that his first obligation was delight-driven desire to do God’s will (vv. 7, 8). This desire flowed from God’s Torah (law—teaching or instruction) established in his life— “within [his] heart.” This passage is cited in Hebrews 10:5–7 concerning the work of Christ. Interestingly, Hebrews interprets the text to mean that doing the will of God is of far greater importance than mere ritual performance (v. 6). Hebrews cites the Septuagint reading, “a body have you prepared for me” whereas the Masoretic text reads, “my ears you have pierced.” English translations have “my ears you have opened,” missing the meaning. It is not that David was given understanding of divine revelation as in Isaiah 50:4 but that he was made a bond slave of divine purpose. Only David’s greater Son, Jesus, could fully satisfy the requirements of this coronation decree (Deuteronomy 17:14–20), becoming the sacrificial replacement necessary to redeem His people (Hebrews 10:8, 9).

The past faithfulness of his covenant Lord provided the foundation of David’s hope for deliverance in his present predicament. David’s trust rested on God’s mercy (racham, compassion) because of God’s loyal covenant love (hesed, steadfast love; v. 11) previously proven to him. He knew that the evils or bad things of life in this fallen world always surrounded him. He could not trust in his own resources. His fleshly tendencies continually tempted him to self-will (iniquities, v. 12) because of his lack of strength (poor) and resoluteness (needy). Thus, his desperate plea, “Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me!” (v. 13). Understand that this plea looked past David’s immediate personal need to the testimony of the Lord Himself and His covenantal oath (2 Samuel 7:8–16).

The powerful truth here is that all who are Christ’s are also served by this covenantal oath as fulfilled in Jesus Christ. It has nothing to do with personal failings but His faithfulness to His own will.