The Songs of Jesus: A Year of Daily Devotions in the Psalms

by Timothy J. Keller

The first part of Psalm 40 is a great thanksgiving for God’s help, together with powerful testimony about the changes of character that patient waiting brings. Verses 11–17 show, however, that situations that require waiting on God will always return, sometimes with startling suddenness. David is back under pressure, but this time he has a deeper sense of God’s unmerited grace (verses 16–17). The final verses also give us an abiding spiritual principle. “To compare what I am [verse 17] with what You are [verse 17] is a steadying thing; but to pray for God’s glory [The LORD be exalted, verse 16] is a liberation, the way of victory, and, as John 12:27f. shows, the way of Christ himself.”37