"I have preached righteousness in the great congregation" There can be no doubt in our mind who is speaking these words. The proceeding verses declare plainly that our Lord Jesus Christ is coming to accomplish God’s will in the matter of our salvation. The book of Hebrews quotes these words and applies them to our Saviour Jesus Christ (Heb. 10:5-10). Truly, Jesus Christ is the only sacrifice for sin (Heb. 9:12) and the only Mediator between God and sinners (1 Tim. 2:5). But never forget that He is also God’s Prophet to reveal unto us the only way of salvation (Matt. 11:27). Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the promise God made unto Moses in Deut. 18:18, "I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him."
When our Lord came to Nazareth to worship He read from Isaiah chapter 61, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord." When He finished reading He sat down and said, "this day is the scripture fulfilled in your ears" (Luke 4:21).
In this scripture (Psalm 40:10) we are told what the Lord Jesus Christ has preached unto His Church, "I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation." The Lord has faithfully and ably declared these five things:
1). God’s righteousness. He proclaimed the holiness of God and the righteousness He provided for His church (Phil. 3:9: Rom. 4:6; Rom. 10:1-4).
2). God’s faithfulness. Our God is faithful to His covenant, His Word, and His people (Jos. 23:14; 1 Cor.1:9; Rom 4:21).
3). God’s salvation. Christ said on the cross, "it is finished" (John 19:30). All the sin of God’s people was atoned for at Calvary and God’s justice was satisfied and His mercy honored to enable God to be a Just God and Saviour (Rom. 3:26).
4). God’s lovingkindness. Our Lord gave Himself for our sins to demonstrate this love God has toward His people (1 John 4:10).
5). God’s truth. Jesus Christ is the truth in salvation (John 14:6). Christ is the truth that sets us free from sin, death and judgment (John 8:32).