Many, O Lord my God, [are] thy wonderful works [which] thou
hast done
This is the "new song", as Aben Ezra rightly observes, which is said in ( Psalms 40:3 ) , to be put in the mouth of the Messiah; who sometimes speaks in the plural number, being the representative of his people, and sometimes in the singular; for it is the same person that speaks here who is continued speaking in ( Psalms 40:6 ) , and following; and which are applied to Christ, ( Hebrews 10:5 ) ; the "works" here said to be done, and to be "many" and "wonderful", are not the creation of the world, the dividing of the sea, and feeding the people of Israel forty years in the wilderness, as Jarchi interprets them; but the incarnation of Christ, redemption by him, the resurrection of him from the dead; regeneration and conversion, and the preservation of the saints from the evil of the world, safe to the kingdom and glory of God; all which, as they are many and various, and display the manifold wisdom and grace of God, so they are marvellous, and will be the subject of the wonder of saints to all eternity;
and thy thoughts [which are] to us-ward;
that is, the decrees of God, as Aben Ezra truly explains them; the purposes, counsels, and intentions of God; which, though mentioned last, are before his works, and are the spring of them: these were in the mind of God from everlasting, were unknown till revealed, were thoughts of peace, and not of evil, and are unfrustrable, and ever fulfilled, and are manifold, precious, and amazing, ( Psalms 139:17 ) ; and these were concerning all the elect of God as considered in Christ, and members of his; and therefore he says to us-ward; and all the works before mentioned were done to them, or for them, and on their account; and so Jarchi and Aben Ezra interpret the phrase, "because of us", or "for our sakes"; even the incarnation, sufferings, death, and resurrection of Christ, and the thoughts of them, were for them;
they cannot be reckoned up in order to thee;
or "there is none can order them unto thee" F12; there is no power in man to do it, as Aben Ezra observes; or "there is none like unto thee", as Jarchi and the Oriental versions; see ( Exodus 15:11 ) ( Psalms 89:7 ) ( Isaiah 40:18 Isaiah 40:25 ) ; though this sense seems to break in upon the account of the wonderful works and thoughts of God, which are still designed in the following clause;
[if] I could declare and speak [of them], they are more than can be
numbered;
that is, by men: from this general account of, the many and wonderful works and thoughts of God, the Messiah passes on to take notice of one particular design and work of the Lord, the redemption of his people by the sacrifice of himself.