Reliance on and confidence in a person. Scripture affirms the total trustworthiness of God, especially in relation to his promises to his people. Christian faith is, essentially, trust in the person and character of God. While Scripture insists that believers should be able to trust one another, it also provides examples of false or misplaced trust.

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TRUSTING IN THE LORD

Psalm 40:1–16

I. Deliverance—vv. 1–5

A. Patience—v. 1. Waiting before God always brings an answer to our prayers. It may not be the answer we want, but it will be the right answer.

B. Pardon—v. 2. Praise God for pardon from sin. He will establish our feet upon the unmovable rock, which is God. If we are on the Rock (Christ Jesus), nothing can move us!

C. Praise—v. 3. He has put a song in our mouths, even praise to our God. After salvation comes praise!

D. Purity—v. 4. “Many blessings are given to those who trust the Lord, and have no confidence in those who are proud, or who trust in idols” (LB).

E. Past—v. 5. David remembers all of God’s blessings to Israel in the past, blessings beyond number.

II. Delight—vv. 6–10

A. Sacrifice—v. 6. God is uninterested in constant burnt offerings; He wants consistent Christian living!

B. Saviour—v. 7. Quoted by Christ in John 4:34.

C. Surrender—v. 8. Christ longed to do God’s will. In the garden He prayed, “Not my will, but thine be done.”

D. Speaking—v. 9. David told everyone about God’s goodness.

E. Sharing—v. 10. David shared all of God’s blessings: faithfulness, salvation, and loving kindness.

III. Desire—vv. 11–16

A. Prayer—v. 11. Asking God not to hold back His blessings.

B. Problems—v. 12. So many problems faced David. Without God’s help, he could not have faced them all.

C. Plea—v. 13. “Please, Lord, rescue me! Quick! Come and help me” (LB).

D. Punishment—vv. 14, 15. “Confuse them! Turn them around and send them sprawling—all these who are trying to destroy me. Disgrace these scoffers with their utter failure” (LB).

E. Pleasure—v. 16. Through helping David, God would be magnified. All Christians should magnify (praise) the Lord.

F. Personality—v. 17. Though David failed God, yet God would help him. God is patient and longsuffering!

15 GOD OUR REFUGE

Trust—to put one’s confidence in

A. Not to be placed in:

Weapons

Ps. 44:6

Wealth

Ps. 49:6, 7

Leaders

Ps. 146:3

Man

Jer. 17:5

Works

Jer. 48:7

One’s own righteousness

Ezek. 33:13

B. To be placed in:

God’s:

Name

Ps. 33:21

Word

Ps. 119:42

Christ

Matt. 12:17–21

C. Benefits of:

Joy

Ps. 5:11

Deliverance

Ps. 22:4, 5

Triumph

Ps. 25:2, 3

God’s goodness

Ps. 31:19

Mercy

Ps. 32:10

Provision

Ps. 37:3, 5

Blessedness

Ps. 40:4

Safety

Ps. 56:4, 11

Usefulness

Ps. 73:28

Guidance

Prov. 3:5, 6

Inheritance

Is. 57:13

Truth—that which agrees with final reality