Focused Passage

Psalms 40:11-17

Waiting for the LORD, Delighting to Do His Will, and Pleading for Help

Psalm 40 moves from remembered deliverance to public witness, from public witness to obedient delight in God's will, and from obedient proclamation to renewed lament that asks the LORD to help without delay.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

11 O LORD, do not withhold Your mercy from me; Your loving devotion and faithfulness will always guard me.

12 For evils without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, so that I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart has failed within me.

13 Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me; hurry, O LORD, to help me.

14 May those who seek my life be ashamed and confounded; may those who wish me harm be repelled and humiliated.

15 May those who say to me, “Aha, aha!” be appalled at their own shame.

16 May all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; may those who love Your salvation always say, “The LORD be magnified!”

17 But I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my helper and deliverer; O my God, do not delay.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 11

Cross-references

Psalms 57:3 Classic cross-references Psalms 23:6 Classic cross-references Psalms 25:10 Classic cross-references Psalms 43:3 Classic cross-references Psalms 51:1 Classic cross-references

Original words

- אַתָּ֤ה H859 Pronoun - second person masculine singular O LORD יְהוָ֗ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular do not לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle withhold תִכְלָ֣א H3607 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular Your mercy רַחֲמֶ֣יךָ H7356 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular from me מִמֶּ֑נִּי H4480 Preposition | first person common singular Your loving devotion חַסְדְּךָ֥ H2617 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular and faithfulness וַ֝אֲמִתְּךָ֗ H571 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular will always תָּמִ֥יד H8548 Adverb guard me יִצְּרֽוּנִי׃ H5341 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | first person common singular

Verse 12

Cross-references

Psalms 38:4 Classic cross-references Psalms 73:26 Classic cross-references Psalms 19:12 Classic cross-references Psalms 69:4 Classic cross-references Psalms 51:3 Classic cross-references

Original words

For כִּ֤י H3588 Conjunction evils רָע֡וֹת H7451 Noun - feminine plural . . . עַד־ H5704 Preposition without אֵ֬ין H369 Adverb number מִסְפָּ֗ר H4557 Noun - masculine singular surround me אָפְפ֥וּ־ H661 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural . . . עָלַ֨י׀ H5921 Preposition | first person common singular my sins עֲ֭וֺנֹתַי H5771 Noun - common plural construct | first person common singular have overtaken me הִשִּׂיג֣וּנִי H5381 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural | first person common singular so that I cannot וְלֹא־ H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle . . . יָכֹ֣לְתִּי H3201 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular see לִרְא֑וֹת H7200 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct They are more עָצְמ֥וּ H6105 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural than the hairs מִשַּֽׂעֲר֥וֹת H8185 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine plural construct of my head רֹ֝אשִׁ֗י H7218 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular and my heart וְלִבִּ֥י H3820 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular has failed within me עֲזָבָֽנִי׃ H5800 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singular

Verse 13

Cross-references

Psalms 70:1 Classic cross-references Psalms 38:22 Classic cross-references Psalms 141:1 Classic cross-references Psalms 22:19 Classic cross-references Psalms 25:17 Classic cross-references

Original words

Be pleased רְצֵ֣ה H7521 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular O LORD יְ֭הוָה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular to deliver me לְהַצִּילֵ֑נִי H5337 Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct | first person common singular hurry חֽוּשָׁה׃ H2363 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singular O LORD יְ֝הוָ֗ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular to help me לְעֶזְרָ֥תִי H5833 Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular

Verse 14

Cross-references

Jeremiah 20:11 Classic cross-references Psalms 25:3 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 17:18 Classic cross-references Psalms 63:9 Classic cross-references Psalms 35:26 Classic cross-references

Original words

May those who seek מְבַקְשֵׁ֥י H1245 Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural construct vvv לִסְפּ֫וֹתָ֥הּ H5595 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person feminine singular my life נַפְשִׁ֗י H5315 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular be ashamed יֵ֘בֹ֤שׁוּ H954 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural and confounded וְיַחְפְּר֨וּ׀ H2659 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural . . . יַחַד֮ H3162 Adverb may those who wish me חֲ֝פֵצֵ֗י H2655 Adjective - masculine plural construct harm רָעָתִֽי׃ H7451 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular be repelled יִסֹּ֣גוּ H5472 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural . . . אָ֭חוֹר H268 Noun - masculine singular and humiliated וְיִכָּלְמ֑וּ H3637 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural

Verse 15

Cross-references

Psalms 70:3 Classic cross-references Psalms 35:21 Classic cross-references Psalms 35:25 Classic cross-references Psalms 69:24 Classic cross-references Genesis 9:22 Classic cross-references

Original words

May those who say הָאֹמְרִ֥ים H559 Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural to me לִ֝֗י Preposition | first person common singular Aha הֶ֘אָ֥ח׀ H1889 Interjection aha הֶאָֽח׃ H1889 Interjection be appalled יָ֭שֹׁמּוּ H8074 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural at עַל־ H5921 Preposition . . . עֵ֣קֶב H6118 Conjunction their own shame בָּשְׁתָּ֑ם H1322 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural

Verse 16

Cross-references

Psalms 34:3 Classic cross-references Psalms 5:11 Classic cross-references Psalms 35:27 Classic cross-references Psalms 70:4 Classic cross-references Psalms 22:26 Classic cross-references

Original words

May all כָּֽל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct who seek You מְבַ֫קְשֶׁ֥יךָ H1245 Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular rejoice יָ֘שִׂ֤ישׂוּ H7797 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural and be glad וְיִשְׂמְח֨וּ׀ H8055 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural in You בְּךָ֗ Preposition | second person masculine singular may those who love אֹֽ֝הֲבֵ֗י H157 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct Your salvation תְּשׁוּעָתֶֽךָ׃ H8668 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular always תָ֭מִיד H8548 Adverb say יֹאמְר֣וּ H559 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural The LORD יְהוָ֑ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular be magnified יִגְדַּ֣ל H1431 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular

Verse 17

Cross-references

Hebrews 13:6 Classic cross-references Psalms 70:5 Classic cross-references Isaiah 41:17 Classic cross-references 1 Peter 5:7 Classic cross-references Psalms 34:6 Classic cross-references

Original words

But I [am] וַאֲנִ֤י׀ H589 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singular poor עָנִ֣י H6041 Adjective - masculine singular and needy וְאֶבְיוֹן֮ H34 Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singular may the Lord אֲדֹנָ֪י H136 Noun - proper - masculine singular think יַחֲשָׁ֫ב H2803 Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular of me לִ֥י Preposition | first person common singular You אַ֑תָּה H859 Pronoun - second person masculine singular are my helper עֶזְרָתִ֣י H5833 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular and deliverer וּמְפַלְטִ֣י H6403 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular construct | first person common singular O my God אֱ֝לֹהַ֗י H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular do not אַל־ H408 Adverb delay תְּאַחַֽר׃ H309 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular

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