Psalm 40:3

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.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(3) New song.—See Psalm 33:3. It seems natural to suppose that this new song is incorporated here; that we have at least the substance of it, if not the words. Possibly the very words are taken up in Psalm 40:4. And we are to find the “newness” in the magnificent vindication of spiritual above formal worship.

Shall see it and fear.—Comp. Psalm 52:6, where there is plainly a reminiscence of this passage.

Benson Commentary

Psalm 40:3. He hath put a new song into my mouth — Both by giving me new matter for a song, and by inspiring me with the very words of it. Many shall see it — Shall observe God’s wonderful mercies vouchsafed to me; and fear — Shall stand in awe of that God, whom they see to have so great power, either to save or to destroy; and shall trust in the Lord — Their fear shall not drive them from God, but draw them to him, and be attended with trusting in him.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

40:1-5 Doubts and fears about the eternal state, are a horrible pit and miry clay, and have been so to many a dear child of God. There is power enough in God to help the weakest, and grace enough to help the unworthiest of all that trust in him. The psalmist waited patiently; he continued believing, hoping, and praying. This is applicable to Christ. His agony, in the garden and on the cross, was a horrible pit and miry clay. But those that wait patiently for God do not wait in vain. Those that have been under religious melancholy, and by the grace of God have been relieved, may apply ver. 2 very feelingly to themselves; they are brought up out of a horrible pit. Christ is the Rock on which a poor soul can alone stand fast. Where God has given stedfast hope, he expects there should be a steady, regular walk and conduct. God filled the psalmist with joy, as well as peace in believing. Multitudes, by faith beholding the sufferings and glory of Christ, have learned to fear the justice and trust in the mercy of God through Him. Many are the benefits with which we are daily loaded, both by the providence and by the grace of God.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And he hath put a new song in my mouth - See the notes at Psalm 33:3. The idea is, that he had given a new or fresh "occasion" for praise. The deliverance was so marked, and was such an addition to former mercies, that a new expression of thanks was proper. It was an act of such surprising intervention on the part of God that the language used on former occasions, and which was adapted to express the mercies then received, would not be sufficient to convey the sense of gratitude felt for the present deliverance. As applied to the Messiah, and referring (as it was supposed in the notes at Psalm 40:2) to his being raised up to glory after the depth of his sorrows, it would mean that no language hitherto employed to express gratitude to God would be adequate to the occasion, but that the language of a new song of praise would be demanded to celebrate so great an event.

Even praise unto our God - "To our God;" identifying himself, as the Messiah does, with his people, and expressing the idea that the new song of praise was appropriate to them as well as to "himself," since they would be benefited by his work, and since God was their God as well as his. Compare John 20:17.

Many shall see it - Great numbers of the human race shall be made acquainted with the occasion which there was for such a song.

And fear - Learn to reverence, to worship, to honor God, as the result of what had been done.

And shall trust in the Lord - Shall confide in God; shall put their trust in him; shall become his true worshippers and friends:

(a) as the effect of this merciful interposition in behalf of him who had been thus in trouble or distress, and who was enabled to triumph;

(b) as the result of the work accomplished by him.

The effect of the Redeemer's sorrows, and of God's merciful help, would be that great numbers would learn to put their trust in God, or would become his true friends. No man, in fact, can compute the "numbers" of those who, in consequence of the work of the Messiah, will turn to God and become his true worshippers and friends.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

3. a new song—(See on [585]Ps 33:3).

fear, and … trust—revere with love and faith.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

He hath put a new song in my mouth; partly by giving me new matter or occasion for a song; and partly by inspiring me with the very words of it.

Shall see it, i.e. shall observe God’s wonderful mercies vouchsafed to me.

And fear, i.e. shall stand in awe of that God, who by this instance they see to have so great power, either to save or to destroy, and tremble at his judgments, and give him that reverence, and worship, and obedience which he requires. Yet their fear shall not drive them from God, or bring them into despair, but shall draw them to God, and be attended with trusting in God.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise to our God,.... Sung by him in the midst of the great congregation of angels and saints, upon his resurrection, ascension, and session at the right hand of God; see Psalm 22:22; when he went to his God and ours, to his Father and ours; and in which song he is joined by all his people above and below, Revelation 5:9;

many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord; even all the elect of God, as many as are ordained to eternal life; the many whose sins Christ bore, for whom he became a ransom, whom he justifies and brings to glory: these all "see" him in the horrible pit and miry clay, in his state of humiliation, as bearing their sins, and the punishment due unto them; as wounded, bruised, and crucified; as rising again for their justification; and as on Mount Zion crowned with glory and honour; and a multitude of harpers with him, singing the new song; these see the salvation he has wrought out, the glory, fulness, and suitableness of it, and their interest in it; and they "fear" not with a fear of hell and damnation, which is inconsistent with the trust after mentioned; but with a godly and filial fear, which arises from and is encouraged by the grace and goodness of God, their faith in the sufferings, death, and resurrection of Christ Jesus, and which render him a proper object of trust and confidence; for he is so both as suffering, crucified, and slain, and as risen again, and exalted at the Father's right hand, Galatians 2:20.

Geneva Study Bible

And he hath put {c} a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.

(c) That is, a special opportunity to praise him, for God's benefits are so many opportunities for us to praise his Name.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

3. Such deliverance is a fresh theme of praise. Cp. Psalm 33:3. The plural pronoun, ‘our God,’ implies that others were interested in the Psalmist and his fortunes.

many shall see it] Omit it, which only weakens the expression. The contemplation of God’s mercy in the deliverance of His servant, and God’s power in the discomfiture of his enemies which that deliverance implies, will inspire a reverent a we, and lead to trust. Cp. Psalm 52:6; and generally, Psalm 22:22 ff.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 3. - And he hath put a new song in my mouth (see the comment on Psalm 33:3). Even praise unto our God. Mercy and praise are cause and effect. The deliverance recorded in ver. 2 produces the praise of vers. 3-5. The phrase, "our God," shows us how David instinctively identifies himself with his people. A mercy shown to him is one shown to them. Many shall see it, and fear (comp. Deuteronomy 13:11; Deuteronomy 17:13; Deuteronomy 19:20; Deuteronomy 21:21, where the phrase, "all Israel shall hear and fear," is used of the effect produced by the capital punishment of a high-handed transgressor of the Law). There may be an allusion here to Absalom's end, which was probably followed by a certain number of executions. And shall trust in the Lord; i.e. shall have their faith in God strengthened. Psalm 40:3

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

David, who, though not without some hesitation, we regard as the author, now finds himself in a situation in which, on the one hand, he has just been rescued from danger, and, on the other, is still exposed to peril. Under such circumstances praise rightly occupies the first place, as in general, according to Psalm 50:23, gratitude is the way to salvation. His hope, although תּוחלת ממשּׁכה (Proverbs 13:12), has not deceived him; he is rescued, and can now again sing a new song of thanksgiving, an example for others, strengthening their trust. קוּה קוּיתי, I waited with constancy and perseverance. יהוה is the accusative as in Psalm 25:5; Psalm 130:5, and not the vocative as in Psalm 39:8. אזנו is to be supplied in thought to ויּט, although after the analogy of Psalm 17:6; Psalm 31:3, one might have looked for the Hiph. wayaT instead of the Kal. בור שׁאון does not mean a pit of roaring (of water), since שׁאון standing alone (see, on the other hand, Psalm 65:8, Isaiah 17:12.) has not this meaning; and, moreover, "rushing, roaring" (Hengstenberg), tumultuous waters of a pit or a cistern does not furnish any idea that is true to nature; neither does it mean a pit of falling in, since שׁאה does not exhibit the signification deorsum labi; but the meaning is: a pit of devastation, of destruction, of ruin (Jeremiah 25:31; Jeremiah 46:17), vid., supra on Psalm 35:8. Another figure is "mire of the marsh" (יון found only here and in Psalm 69:3), i.e., water, in the miry bottom of which one can find no firm footing - a combination like מטר־גּשׁם, Zechariah 10:1, אדמת־עפר, Daniel 12:2, explained in the Mishna, Mikvaoth ix. 2, by טיט הבורות (mire of the cisterns). Taking them out of this, Jahve placed his feet upon a rock, established his footsteps, i.e., removed him from the danger which surrounded him, and gave him firm ground under his feet. The high rock and the firm footsteps are the opposites of the deep pit and the yielding miry bottom. This deliverance afforded him new matter for thanksgiving (cf. Psalm 33:3), and became in his mouth "praise to our God;" for the deliverance of the chosen king is an act of the God of Israel on behalf of His chosen people. The futures in Psalm 40:4 (with an alliteration similar to Psalm 52:8) indicate, by their being thus cumulative, that they are intended of the present and of that which still continues in the future.