A New Song in My Mouth
Psalm 40:1-3
“New song” is a phrase elsewhere used in connection with deliverance and a new beginning.
God’s deliverance has brought the believer, the singer, to a new level of appreciation for the life they have. The song considers this significant because of the example and inspiriation this brings to the lives of others.
In our lives others can see the blessings that come from fearing and obeying God… and come from trusting God.
The next three sections of the Psalm outline what this new life, new song, or new outlook on life is all about.
Reliance and Trust
Psalm 40:4-5 reliance and trust in God and acknowledgement of His supreme power. There is special emphasis on God’s great focus on us. Which you could personalize as… God’s great focus on you. We can trust Him because He is all powerful, He is near, He does care.
Psalm 8:2-9 in all your trials, sufferings, and anxieties God’s eye is upon you… whatever your horrible pit, what ever mucky clay you are bogged down in. God is keenly interested and aware. Because you are a being of heavenly design… with an heavenly and eternal purpose… sheep, and fish, and all living things are beautiful… but you were born to glorious and honorable things within the universe.
That understanding are the lyrics of the new song that comes to your lips.
Obedience to God and His Law
Psalm 40:6-8 Christ said this of Himself and His sacrifice of His own life… which He did for you.
Just as Christ gave Himself as a sacrifice according to God’s will, you too sacrifice yourself to God. Your sacrifice takes the form of obedience to the will of the Father.
Romans 12:1-3 to give yourself up in a spirit of sacrifice is how you worship God… the wording indicates it is the only sensible and reasonable way to give form and substance to your worship.
Your reasonable service = logikos lateria = you logical service
He is making a comparison with the service of the priests of the Levitical priesthood who would minister and serve God in the tabernacle and temple. Romans 9:4, Hebrews 9:1,9.
They would administer the proper execution of the the daily, weekly, and other sacrifices. They would maintain the camp and the temple according to what is clean and unclean. They would give direction on what is holy and unholy. In doing this their lives would have to be given… their own will abandoned… they would conform to a pattern that was pleasing and acceptable before the supremely holy, righteous, and all-powerful God.
Is that Holy Pattern Wholly Contained within the Law?
We interpret this acceptable worship as change in our own lives… this conforming to a pattern of life… it is an act of service and worship before God. The way to be transformed is to change your life according to the pattern of moral behavior spelled out in God’s law… AND to change your entire thought process according to the pattern also spelled out in God’s word… the fruits of the spirit. Matters which are important but about which there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23
There is no law which says “thou shall be generous”… if there was such an attempt to write it into law… and then spell out just how generous you must be…. then people would simply follow the rules…. the result would be something that does not look like generosity…. instead it would loook like law keeping. The freewill offering is a great example of this. The tithe is a command, the offering is up to you.
There is no law which says “thou shall be patient”… then tries to spell out just how patient you must be. Matthew 18:21-22 Peter was looking for a way to turn forgiveness into a law. Jesus’ response tells him there was no legal definition of what the spirit of forgiveness looked like.
The pattern of life that is pleasing to God is built on the foundation of the obedience… but goes into matters about which there is no specific rules, because there can be no specific rules about them. Yet, they are matters bout which God considers as weighty matters. Matthew 23:23
Witness and Testimony
Psalm 40:9-10 a life directed (or redirected) toward a pattern of behavior and thought that is pleasing to God serves as a testimony. Proof of what God can do with people.
Knowing that God is at work in the lives of people should be inspiring to others.
That inspiration can be from watching another person turn their situation around according to a Godly pattern… and watch them experience the blessings of walking Go’s way.Maybe you have overcome a serious behavioral problem (An addiction for example)…. maybe you grew up with a solid foundation and have reaped the blessing of a stable and loving family.
But people are not always moved by seeing blessings. Sometimes they are moved by watching a Godly person face trial, or suffering.
Matthew 5:13-15 we like to mentally picture this as living a a long and peaceful Godly life in which God visibly blesses us a way that others can see. However, it is easy for people to see Godliness and blessing in others and take it for granted.
Another way you might serve as a light is in the form of how you hold to your understanding of God’s good purpose and His great promises in the face of adversity, suffering, or trial. But others might simply view your predicament as proof of the meaninglessness of life.
You cannot control how others respond… but you can offer yourself as a living sacrifice to the most holy God… He might use you to serve as a light and shine you into a place where the prospect of success is low. God makes His light a truth available to all sorts of people… most never respond. He might use you to shine into places where there will be great joy in finding that pearl of great price.
John 6:65 the success is not up to you. Your job is to serve as a testimony. In season and out of season.
Back In The Pit
Psalm 40:11-12 the psalm begins in the miry pit, bogged down in clay…. then receives a new life, a new song…. sings about reliance on God, serving God in obedience, witnessing to God’s faithfulness and salvation… but then ends back in the pit, crying out for deliverance.
What happened?
The psalmist recognizes that even with their reliance on God, their obedience, their service… it is only through God’s tender mercies, love and faithfulness that we are delivered. We never get to boast about how great we are.
Psalm 40:13-17 Faith, Godly living, great feats of evangelizing… all count for nothing without God’s love. But your confidence is not built upon your worthiness but upon God’s great love for you. You may be poor and needy but the mighty thinks about you, His eyes are upon you.
He will put a new song in your mouth. He will deliver you.
