Psalm 40 and David’s Walk with God Opened and Expounded

Psalm 40 and David’s Walk with God Opened and Expounded [Print Document]

Psalm 40:10

“I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.”

In Psalm 40, David is going through some difficult times. He speaks of how “innumerable evils have compassed” him about. But, David calls upon God, knowing that God will surely deliver him from his troubles and concerns. In verse 5, David speaks of God’s thoughts, which are “to us-ward”. God’s thoughts are in our favor.

Instead of concealing God’s love and faithfulness, David said in Psalm 40:10 that: “...I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation...” He is literally speaking the truth of Who God is and what God has done for him.

I felt God, my Abba Father, showing me that I need to declare the truth I have read and heard about Who God is and about what He has done for me. That helps to open My heart to Him.

God has provided me a place to live; food; family; guidance and direction; peace (when I look to Him); hope for now and for the future; joy that can only come from Him; and all My needs met. He gives me eternal life. That is huge. That great sacrifice Jesus did on the cross about 2,000 years ago was not in vain. Millions have come to Him for salvation around the world, and from every tribe and country. No one could give such life. No one, but Jesus, could satisfy you when you are feeling sad, or depressed, or empty.

I have felt His presence and His peace when I was struggling with fear. Only He can give such peace, and hope, and comfort. Only Jesus can satisfy our deepest needs. The internet with all its entertainment; video games; TV shows; movies; hobbies; a spouse, etc. could never satisfy our deepest needs.

Set Apart for Abba God

God set apart the 12 tribes of Israel for Himself. He chose them to come out of the land of Egypt (which was full of idols and false gods, such as Ra and Horus). Likewise, God has called us to come out from the sinful pleasures of this world and its idols, so that we may have true, intimate fellowship with this Great, Awesome Spirit, Who is God.

David spoke of God’s lovingkindness (love and kindness together). In Psalm 36, David wrote:

Psalm 36:7-10

“[7] How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.

8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.

9 For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.

10 O continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee; and thy righteousness to the upright in heart.” [End quote]

God does continue His lovingkindness to those who are His sheep (who want to follow Him, or eventually want to follow Him). God loves us with excellent lovingkindness. This lovingkindness excels what people have to offer.

Psalm 40 Opened Up

But, getting back to Psalm 40, we have great hope in God. Every place where David asks something of God, you can be sure God did answer it. God answers our prayers if we pray in agreement with His Nature (John 14:12-14). Let’s look at Psalm 40 again.

Psalm 40:9-12

“[9] I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.

10 I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.

11 Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.

12 For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me.” [End quote]

God’s lovingkindness does continually preserve us. What does it preserve us from? Sin, deception, and pride. How does God’s lovingkindness preserve us? God showed me that it happens by opening our hearts up to Him and receiving it. It is the same principle as in Romans 10:9-10. (It mainly speaks of salvation through Jesus, but it also speaks of something else, which we will look at after this quote.)

Romans 10:8-11

“[8] But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; [9] That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. [10] For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. [11] For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.” [End quote]

If We Believe...

If we believe the truth in our heart, and confess (or speak) the truth with our mouth, it brings deliverance from lies the enemy puts into our minds and hearts. But, how do we believe the truth of God’s Word, the Bible, in our heart? Let’s look at Psalm 1.

Psalm 1:2-3

“[2] But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

[3] And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”

Before we look at verse 3, we need to talk about the law of the LORD. (Note: We are not being legalistic.) The entire Bible is based off of the Ten Commandments, from Exodus 20. Jesus reiterated the Ten Commandments in the Gospel accounts. The Psalms speaks of God’s righteous law. The Ten Commandments even existed back in Genesis 4, and before that. In Genesis 4, Cain broke at least three of the Ten Commandments.

Abel had God’s blessing for offering a sacrificial lamb, whereas Cain had missed a blessing because he refused to offer a lamb, and offered up fruit instead. Seeing God bless Abel, Cain became jealous (covetous). That is one commandment broken. Then, Cain murdered Abel. That is another holy rule broken. When God confronted Cain, Cain lied to God. A third holy rule was broken.

Without the Ten Commandments in place, there would be no Bible, and there would be no civilization. Without morals on which to live, society decays and collapses, just like ancient Rome. But, God is not about dos and don’ts. He wants to have personal relationships with His children. The Greek word for fellowship is koinónia. Communion is a synonym of fellowship. God doesn’t just want believers to have that with each other. Abba Father God wants to have that with each of His children, too.

Returning to Psalm 1:2 and 3

Looking back at Psalm 1:2-3, we see that by delighting and meditating on God’s Word (which is founded on His Ten Commandments), we can greatly grow and produce good fruit. And, whatever we do will prosper. We will not wither away because God’s life will continually remain in us. (See the Endnote on meditating.)

What is the purpose of forsaking sin and the world? 1 John 1 gives the answer. (I love this passage.)

1 John 1:5-7

“[5] This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. [6] If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: [7] But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”

We forsake sin (looking to Abba God for help) so that we can have fellowship with God. Abba God has fellowship with us, and we have fellowship with God if we choose to walk in the light, as God is in the light (because God is the Light). If we are walking in worldliness or sin, how could we be walking in the Light of God and His Word? Therefore, coming out from the world and from sin is necessary to have fellowship with God.

God did not give us grace so that we can continue living in sin.

A related point to make is that God did not give us grace so that we can continue living in sin (Romans 6). Abba God gave us grace so that we can forsake sin, and live in fellowship with Him. Living in sin is not freedom. It is bondage. It is darkness. It is very dark. I thank Jesus Christ for salvation. He delivered me from depression and desiring to commit suicide. He delivered me from temptations when I looked to Him.

I want to speak to you, my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. If you enjoy Hollywood movies or worldly TV shows (I used to very much), please listen. Can we justify all the carnal and worldly things that we see and hear coming to us from the TV, or from the computer monitor, or from the theater screen? Is this walking in the light to watch and read worldly things? Is it walking in the light to listen to music that you are not sure God would be pleased with? Is it walking in the light to live with someone who is not your first wife? Jesus Christ said truth that is hard to hear, but some truth is hard to hear. Please stay with me. Jesus said:

[Matthew 5:31-32]

“[31] It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: [32] But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.” [End quote]

I know that there are many Christians that got a divorce at one point in their life, and remarried some time later. A pastor performed the ceremony to seal the deal, but did God approve of this second marriage? Is this relationship in agreement with God’s Word? Again, Jesus said: “[32 a.] But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery:...”

It is not an easy road to walk on when we are trying to do it by our fleshly wisdom and our strength. But, Paul wrote: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” [Philippians 4:13]. Only through Christ Jesus can we overcome temptations and snares of the devil. I can tell you that without a close walk with Jesus you will feel lonely. If you have been divorced from your wife or husband, don’t seek another spouse. The Bible is clear that you can only remarry if your first spouse actually committed adultery against you by going after someone else while you were still married.

The loneliness you may feel will be overcome by looking to Jesus (and Abba Father God) to be your all-in-all. There is no hope apart from Christ. But, we have the greatest Hope of all — Abba Father and Jesus. (See Romans 15:13 and Philippians 2:1-2 and John 17).

Conclusion

To sum it up, let us speak the truth from God’s Word that we have meditated on. Let us desire to fellowship with God, by looking to Him, and resting in His embrace. Let us cease striving (working for God to love us), and rest in the fact that God loves us with everlasting love. (See Endnote on Hebrews 4:9-10).

Jeremiah 31:3 says: “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”

If you are coming here as a non-Christian, I encourage you to read this. God desires to have fellowship with you, as you make Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior.

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Endnote:

— Hebrews 4:9-10. “[9] There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. [10] For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.”

— Meditating. Meditating is seeking God, talking to Him, and listening to Him. It is doing this while you read the Bible. If we don't know what something means, we can ask God to show us, and He will.

In Jeremiah 33:3 God says to us: “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”

Jesus said in John 14:

John 14:15-17

“[15] If ye love me, keep my commandments. [16] And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; [17] Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”

John 14:26

“[26] But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

Jesus said this in John 16:

John 16:13

“[13] Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. [14] He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.”