God’s Word Translation
Psalms 40:14
14Let all those who seek to end my life be confused and put to shame. Let those who want my downfall be turned back and disgraced.
Psalms 40:14 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil.
- New International Version (NIV)May all who want to take my life be put to shame and confusion; may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether who seek to snatch away my life; let those be turned back and brought to dishonor who delight in my hurt!
- New King James Version (NKJV)Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion Who seek to destroy my life; Let them be driven backward and brought to dishonor Who wish me evil.
Context of Psalms 40:14
12Countless evils have surrounded me. My sins have caught up with me so that I can no longer see. They outnumber the hairs on my head. I have lost heart. 13O Lord, please rescue me! Come quickly to help me, O Lord! Let all those who seek to end my life be confused and put to shame. Let those who want my downfall be turned back and disgraced. 15Let those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!” be stunned by their own shame. 16Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad because of you. Let those who love your salvation continually say, “The Lord is great!”
Read all of Psalms 40Psalms 40:14 word by word
יֵ֘בֹ֤שׁוּ וְיַחְפְּר֨וּ׀ יַחַד֮ מְבַקְשֵׁ֥י נַפְשִׁ֗י לִסְפּ֫וֹתָ֥הּ יִסֹּ֣גוּ אָ֭חוֹר וְיִכָּלְמ֑וּ חֲ֝פֵצֵ֗י רָעָתִֽי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Let them be ashamedבּוֹשׁbûsh · be ashamedH954
- and confoundedחָפֵרchâphêr · be ashamedH2659
- togetherיָחְדָּוyachad · togetherH3162
- that seekבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
- after my soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315
- to destroyסָפָהsâphâh · to snatchH5595
- it; let them be drivenסוּגsûg · to turnH5472
- backwardאָחוֹר'âchôr 'âchôr · backH268
- and put to shameכָּלַםkâlam · be humiliatedH3637
- that wishחָפֵץchâphêts · delightingH2655
- me evilרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: harmH7451
Cross-references for Psalms 40:14
- Psalms 31:17O Lord, I have called on you, so do not let me be put to shame. Let wicked people be put to shame. Let them be silent in the grave.
- Psalms 35:4Let those who seek my life be put to shame and disgraced. Let those who plan my downfall be turned back in confusion.
- Psalms 70:2Let those who seek my life be confused and put to shame. Let those who want my downfall be turned back and disgraced.
- Psalms 71:13Let those who accuse me come to a shameful end. Let those who want my downfall be covered with disgrace and humiliation.
- Isaiah 41:11“Everyone who is angry with you will be ashamed and disgraced. Those who oppose you will be reduced to nothing and disappear.
- Isaiah 45:24It will be said of me, “Certainly, righteousness and strength are found in the Lord alone.” All who are angry with him will come to him and be ashamed.
- Matthew 21:38“When the workers saw his son, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Let’s kill him and get his inheritance.’
- Psalms 9:3When my enemies retreat, they will stumble and die in your presence.
- John 18:6When Jesus told them, “I am he,” the crowd backed away and fell to the ground.
- Acts 9:4He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”
- Acts 12:23Immediately, an angel from the Lord killed Herod for not giving glory to God. Herod was eaten by maggots, and he died.
Commentaries on Psalms 40:14
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14Let them be ashamed and confounded together - See at Psalm 35:4, note; Psalm 35:26, note. This may be understood here rather as a confident expectation than a wish or desire. It implies the certainty that they would thus be ashamed and confounded; that is, that they would not be successful, or would be foiled in their purposes. But understood as a wish or prayer, it could not be improper. There is no sin in the wish that the wicked may not be successful…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-17Verses 11-17 The best saints see themselves undone, unless continually preserved by the grace of God. But see the frightful view the psalmist had of sin. This made the discovery of a Redeemer so welcome. In all his reflections upon each step of his life, he discovered something amiss. The sight and sense of our sins in their own colours, must distract us, if we have not at the same time some sight of a Saviour. If Christ has triumphed over our spiritual…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12-17The psalmist is troubled by both his adversities and his own sins and prays for rescue. This passage is almost the same as Psalm 70.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 14-1514-15. The language is not necessarily imprecatory, but rather a confident expectation (Psa 5:11), though the former sense is not inconsistent with Christ's prayer for the forgiveness of His murderers, inasmuch as their confusion and shame might be the very means to prepare them for humbly seeking forgiveness (compare Ac 2:37).Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 40:14
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Psalms 40
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- The Treasury of David
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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