Psalm 40:4-5
The Message
4-5
Blessed are you who give yourselves over to God,
turn your backs on the world’s “sure thing,”
ignore what the world worships;
The world’s a huge stockpile
of God-wonders and God-thoughts.
Nothing and no one
compares to you!
Psalm 40:4, NIV: “Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods.”
Psalm 40:4, ESV: “Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie!”
Blessed is he that lives life one hour by hour in uncertainty having all faith put in the Lord making him his trust, who does not turn to the proud and one in center of attention but make their Lord center of attention they do not follow false God’s or idolize people but have the soul faith focused on God
Psalm 40:4-5–Godly optimism

David begins this song by telling us of the fruits of undying patience. I termed these God gifts: helping, leading, humming, drawing. David goes on in the next 2 verses to tell of God’s wonders. We see that David is an optimist when it comes to God. Godly optimism is a great thing to learn.
4 Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie! 5 You have multiplied, O LORD my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told. (Psalm 40:4-5–ESV)
Blessed, happy, is the man who makes the Lord his trust.

God works
David is not starting a new theme from scratch in verse 4. The result of God’s doing is blessedness. Happy is the man who makes the Lord his trust. David waited patiently for the Lord and the Lord came. Once God arrived the whole tenor changed. The influence of God upon David’s life and the life of those around him was changed forever. We want things that work. Well, God “works.” God’s works are of his doing, but they are of the first rate. Nothing excels them.
David points out that other men may look around for other things to trust in. Some turn away from God and to other men (the proud). Some turn away to deceit, lies, idols as the New International Version calls them. Idols are but false gods.
David says trust and wait. There is blessedness. Don’t turn from the only hope to other men or to other sort-of deities.
Good things, praise, honor given to God.
David does not here turn to us the reader to tell us a list of things God has done in an effort to convince us to live like David lived. David, rather, turns to God who has done these things and praises him. David tells God that God’s involvement has been a multiplication of good deeds, excellent things and help.
David, having seen and known an abundance of good deeds knows there are more to come. The will and mind of God can never be fully known. No one can tell God of what his plans for Israel were. This, too, is a trust statement. Good things having come must mean that this faucet will not run dry. What God has done he will do. His character is benevolent for me and you. Past performance predicts future results when it comes to God. The ways and means of the good will not be foretold, but the style and character is and can be.
What about us?

Me?
Where have you and I turned? What have you and I made our trust? Have we turned to our money, our job, our family, our things? Do we place our trust in a political party? Do we put our trust in a pastor? What about an election? What if you are in Britain and have just seen the “brexit” vote to leave the European Union? Were you trusting in the EU and now are worried? Or, are you trusting in the sovereignty of Britain and now are hopeful? None of these are sufficient forever. None of these will be true in an everlasting way. None of these will give that current of happiness that does not run dry.
Have you thought of the good things God has done for you? Do you recognize the good in your life as a thing from God? Have you learned the arithmetic of God which is about multiplication not just addition? God multiplies good things not just adds good things.
Have you gone the next step and made optimism toward God your outlook? A pessimist toward God may grudgingly admit a good thing here or there, but expect a bad thing next. Well, fresh and salt water don’t flow from the same spring. Blessing and curses do not come from the same God. Humanity may treat us in this manner as James writes in his New Testament letter, but God does not.
What’s in God’s faucet? (good things)

Good on tap
We need to move away from the “Yes, but…” lifestyle to a “Yes, and…” lifestyle. We need to stop wringing our mental hands saying, “Yes, but will it stay ok? Will life stay good? Will the good things run out?” We need to fold our mental hands, think of the good things we have, give credit to God for them, and then say, “Yes, God has done so many excellent things, and he does them because he is good. He plans good things for us. He has not changed. He will continue to do those things he knows are for our good.” That is godly optimism. If that is not natural for you don’t be surprised. I am not a godly optimist, but passages like this God uses to help me see that it is a reasonable and important pattern of thought. He can help me assimilate this into my consciousness and unconsciousness. He can do the same for you.
What does Psalm 40:4 mean?
Many Scriptures declare that happiness is most likely when a person trusts and obeys God (Proverbs 1:7; Psalm 37:5–9). Trials and hardships will come, even to those who honor God (John 16:33), but those who love the Lord are guaranteed eventual victory (Romans 8:28–30).
David had learned in the wilderness to rely on the Lord for safety, and he was not disappointed. His trust in God brought him great happiness. The person who puts their faith in the Lord doesn’t take advice from arrogant, worldly people. Nor does he imitate those who follow lies, false ideas, or foolishness (1 Corinthians 2:12; Romans 12:1–2; Proverbs 5:22–23).
When Satan tempted Eve in the garden of Eden, he lied to her. He told her she would not die for eating the forbidden fruit, although God had said clearly, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Genesis 2:16–17). Those who spread lies against David were following the evil pattern established by Satan (John 8:44).
Context Summary
Psalm 40:1–10 delivers a steady stream of thanksgiving, as David recounts the Lord’s deliverance of him from his enemies. He is grateful for giving him a new lease on life. He commits himself to doing the Lord’s will and to telling others about how the Lord delivered him from his enemies. Psalm 37:1–7 emphasizes the fact that the Lord delivers those who wait on Him and commit themselves to His will. Hebrews 10:5–9 quotes the Greek version of Psalm 40:6–8 and applies the passage to Jesus the Messiah.
Chapter Summary
David waited on the Lord for quite some time to be delivered from his foes, and the Lord heard him. This remarkable deliverance would persuade many to trust in the Lord. David insists that no one can compare with the Lord. Verses 6–8 are messianic; Hebrews 10:5–9 applies them to Jesus. David shared this story with his fellow worshipers in the sanctuary. He was confident that the Lord would continue to show him His mercy, His steadfast love, and His faithfulness. David needed the Lord’s help because he was conscious of his many sins, and he knew his enemies wanted to kill him. He concludes this psalm by humble acknowledging that the Lord thought about him and was his help and deliverer. He asks the Lord to come quickly to his defense.
WHEN LIFE IS THE PITS I…
1) Wait Patiently For The Lord.
I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry.
Psalm 40:1 (NLT)
WHEN I WAIT ON THE LORD…
1) He Hears My Cry
I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry.
Psalm 40:1 (NLT)
2) He Lifts Me Up
He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire.
Psalm 40:2 (NLT)
“…and call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”
Psalm 50:15 (NIV)
3) He Steadies My Steps
He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.
Psalm 40:2b (NIV)
The Scriptures provide precedent: Look! I’m setting a stone in Zion, a cornerstone in the place of honor. Whoever trusts in this stone as a foundation will never have cause to regret it.
1 Peter 2:6 (MESS)
The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.
Psalm 18:2 (NLT)
4) He Gives Me A New Song
He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.
Psalm 40:3 (NIV)
Psalm 40
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