Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 40:12
For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me.
12. This verse is somewhat loosely attached to Psa 40:11 by for. The rendering of Psa 40:11 as a prayer makes the connexion appear closer and more natural than it is.
evils ] Afflictions (Psa 34:19), which are trials of faith or chastisements for sin.
have compassed me about ] The use of the word in 2Sa 22:5 suggests that the true meaning is ‘have overwhelmed me like a flood.’ Cp. Jon 2:5.
have taken hold uton me ] R.V. have overtaken me. Sin pursues the sinner like an avenging Nemesis, till it gets him into its power and punishes him. Cp. Psa 38:4; Deu 28:15; Job 8:4 (R.V.); Pro 5:22.
so that I am not able to look up] The only rendering justified by usage is, and I cannot see. In the extremity of terror and faintness sight fails him. Cp. Psa 38:10; Psa 69:3, and note that the next line contains parallels to both passages.
than the hairs of my head ] As in Psa 69:4. (A different word is used there for they art more: here it is the same as in Psa 40:5.)
therefore &c.] Lit. and my heart hath forsaken me. Courage utterly fails. Cp. Psa 38:10.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
12 17. The scene is changed. The sky is overclouded. Supplication for speedy help in time of danger takes the place of joyous thanksgiving.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
For innumerable evils have compassed me about – Have surrounded me, or have beset me on every side. The evils here referred to, understood as being those which came upon the Messiah, were sorrows that came upon him in consequence of his undertaking to do what could not be done by sacrifices and offerings Psa 40:6; that is, his undertaking to save men by his own obedience unto death. The time referred to here, I apprehend, is that when the full effects of his having assumed the sins of the world to make expiation for them came upon him; when he was about to endure the agonies of Gethsemane and Calvary.
Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me – On this passage, as constituting one of the main objections, and the strongest objection, to the application of the psalm to the Messiah, and on the way in which such objection may be met, see introduction to this psalm (3b).
So that I am not able to look up – This is not the exact idea of the Hebrew word. That is simply, I am not able to see; and it refers to the dimness or failure of sight caused by distress, weakness, or old age. 1Sa 3:2; 1Sa 4:15; 1Ki 14:4; compare Psa 6:7. The idea here is, not that he was unable to look up, but that the calamities which came upon him were so heavy and severe as to make his sight dim, or to deprive him of vision. Either by weeping, or by the mere pressure of suffering, he was so affected as almost to be deprived of the power of seeing.
They are more than the hairs of mine head – That is, the sorrows that come upon me in connection with sin. The idea is that they were innumerable – the hairs of the head, or the sands on the seashore; being employed in the Scriptures to denote what cannot be numbered. See Psa 69:4. Compare Gen 22:17; Gen 32:12; Jos 11:4; 2Sa 17:11.
Therefore my heart faileth me – Margin, as in Hebrew: forsaketh. The idea is that he sank under these sufferings; he could not sustain them.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 40:12-15
Innumerable evils have compassed me about.
Out of the depths
I. A soul beset.
1. He is made to see the countless number of his sins. It is wonderful what a ray of light will do; the sun suddenly shines into a room, and the whole air seems full of innumerable specks of dust, dancing up and down in the sunbeam. The light does not make the room full of dust; it only shows you what was always there, but which you did not see until the sun shone in; and if a beam of Gods true light were to shine into some of your hearts, you would think very differently of yourselves from what you have ever done. I question whether any one among us could bear to see himself as God sees him.
2. He is greatly perplexed by a sort of omnipresence of sin. When conscience wakes up the whole hive of our sins, we find ourselves compassed about with innumerable evils; sins at the board and sins on the bed, sins at the task and sins in the pew, sins in the street and sins in the shop, sins on land and sins at sea, sins of body, soul, and spirit, sins of eye, of lip, of hand, of foot, sins everywhere, every way sins.
3. He is so beset with sin that it seems to hold him in a terrible grip. If you have a number of sins which have once taken hold on you, you will be something like a stag when the whole pack of hounds has seized him, and his neck and his flanks and every bone in him seem to feel the hounds teeth gnawing at them.
II. A soul bewildered.
1. He did not dare to look his sins in the face.
2. He is unable to excuse himself.
3. He dare not look up to read Gods promises.
III. A soul fainting. Free grace and dying love–I delight to ring those charming bells; oil, that every ear would welcome their blessed music! Poor fainting heart, do thou specially hear the gladsome tidings of free grace and dying love, and catch at the message, and rejoice in Christ to-night! The Lord grant that it may be so!
IV. A soul pleading.
1. It is a prayer distinctly to God.
2. It is an appeal to the good pleasure of God. Divine sovereignty is not to be denied. No man has any right to Gods grace; if it be given to any one, it is given by the free favour of God, as He pleases, and to whom He pleases. But do thou, as a suppliant, take this lowly ground: Be pleased, O Jehovah, to deliver me, for Thy mercys sake, for Thy goodness sake! Universal Ruler as Thou art, and able to save whom Thou wilt, for the rights of life and death are in the hands of the King of kings, be pleased, O Lord, to deliver reel That is the way to plead with God. And then you may, if you like, use that last sentence: Make haste, O Jehovah, to deliver me! You may plead urgency; you may say, Lord, if Thou dost not help me soon, I shall die. I am driven to such distress by my sin that, if thou dost not hear me soon, it will be too late. O Lord, help me now! (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 12. Innumerable evils have compassed me about] This part does not comport with the preceding; and either argues a former experience, or must be considered a part of another Psalm, written at a different time, and on another occasion, and, were we to prefix the two first verses of the seventieth Psalm to it we should find it to be a Psalm as complete in itself as that is.
They are more than the hairs of mine head] This could not be said by any person who was exulting in the pardoning mercy of God, as David was at the time he penned the commencement of this Psalm.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Mine iniquities; either,
1. The punishment of mine iniquities, as Gen 4:13; 1Sa 28:10; Psa 31:10. Or,
2. The iniquities themselves. This phrase cannot be understood of Christ. For although our sins are said to be laid upon Christ, Isa 53, and upon that account he is said to be made sin for us, 2Co 5:21; yet the Scripture every where represents him as one that never knew nor did any sin, as in that place, and 1Pe 2:22, and elsewhere; and even when his punishment is described, yet it is expressly noted, that he did not suffer for himself, or for his own sins, but only for us, and for our sins, as Isa 53:4,5; Da 9:26; 1Pe 2:24. And therefore it is not probable that the Holy Ghost would use such an expression concerning the sinless Christ of God, as is never used in Scripture, but either of a mans own sins, or of the punishment deserved by his own sins.
Have taken hold upon me: mens sins are figuratively said to follow them, 1Ti 5:24, and to find them out, Num 32:23, and here to take hold of them, as a serjeant takes hold of a man whom he arrests.
To look up unto God or men, with any comfort and confidence; I am ashamed and confounded, by reason of my numberless sins. Or, so that I was not able to see; either because he was as it were drowned or overwhelmed with his sins; or because his eyes did fail or were consumed through grief, as he complains, Psa 6:7; 38:10. Or he means that he could not foresee them; the simple verb being put for the compound, as it is frequently among the Hebrews. They came upon him unawares, and therefore were the more grievous to him. They, to wit, mine iniquities here mentioned, properly so called; for Gods people are more apt to aggravate their sins than the punishments of them. See Ezr 9:13,14.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
12. evilsinflicted by others.
iniquitiesor penalafflictions, and sometimes calamities in the wide sense. Thismeaning of the word is very common (Psa 31:11;Psa 38:4; compare Ge4:13, Cain’s punishment; Ge19:15, that of Sodom; 1Sa28:10, of the witch of En-dor; also 2Sa 16:12;Job 19:29; Isa 5:18;Isa 53:11). This meaning of theword is also favored by the clause, “taken hold of me,”which follows, which can be said appropriately of sufferings,but not of sins (compare Job 27:20;Psa 69:24). Thus, thedifficulties in referring this Psalm to Christ, arising from theusual reading of this verse, are removed. Of the terribleafflictions, or sufferings, alluded to and endured for us,compare Lu 22:39-44,and the narrative of the scenes of Calvary.
my heart faileth me(Mt 26:38), “My soul isexceeding sorrowful, even unto death.”
cannot look upliterally,”I cannot see,” not denoting the depression of consciousguilt, as Lu 18:13, butexhaustion from suffering, as dimness of eyes (compare Psa 6:7;Psa 13:3; Psa 38:10).The whole context thus sustains the sense assigned to iniquities.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For innumerable evils have compassed me about,…. Like floods of water all around him; see Ps 18:4; these are the evils of punishment inflicted on him, as the surety and Saviour of his people; such as the sorrows and griefs he bore all his days; the cruel mockings and scourges he endured; his being buffeted and spit upon; his head crowned with thorns, and his hands and feet pierced with nails; insulted by men and devils; crucified between two thieves, and so died the shameful and painful death of the cross;
mine iniquities have taken hold upon me; not any committed by him; he was conceived, born, and lived without sin, knew none, nor did he any; but the sins of his people, which were imputed to him, laid upon him, and which he voluntarily took and bore; and which he reckoned as his own and was responsible for them; these, when he hung upon the cross, came upon him from all quarters, and he bore them in his own body upon the tree;
so that I am not able to look up; or “cannot see” p; either the end of these iniquities, they being so numerous, as is after related; or he could not bear to look upon them, they were so filthy and nauseous, and he so pure and holy; or he could not behold his Father’s countenance, which these sins that were upon him separated him from, and caused to be hid from him; or, like one pressed down with the guilt of sin, as the poor publican was, could not so much as lift up his eyes to heaven,
Lu 18:13;
they are more than the hairs of mine head; as they must needs be, since they were the iniquities of all the elect of God, of the whole general assembly ad church of the firstborn, written in heaven, Isa 53:6;
therefore my heart faileth me; as man; see Ps 22:14; though being supported by his divine nature, and by his divine Father and eternal Spirit, he failed not, nor was he discouraged, Isa 42:4; this is said to show the truth of the human nature, the greatness of men’s sins, the strictness of divine justice, and what strength was necessary to accomplish man’s salvation.
p “non potai videre”, Pagninus, Montanus, Musculus; “cernere”, Cocceius; “intueri”, Gejerus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Now, in accordance with the true art of prayer, petition developes itself out of thanksgiving. The two , Psa 40:10 and here, stand in a reciprocal relation to one another: he refrained not his lips; therefore, on His part, let not Jahve withhold His tender mercies so that they should not be exercised towards him ( ). There is just the same correlation of mercy and truth in Psa 40:11 and here: he wishes continually to stand under the protection of these two saving powers, which he has gratefully proclaimed before all Israel. With , Psa 40:13, he bases these desires upon his own urgent need. are the evils, which come even upon the righteous (Psa 34:20) as trials or as chastenings. is a more circumstantial form of expression instead of , Psa 18:5. His misdeeds have taken hold upon him, i.e., overtaken him in their consequences ( , as in Deu 28:15, Deu 28:45; cf. , Pro 5:22), inasmuch as they have changed into decrees of suffering. He cannot see, because he is closely encompassed on all sides, and a free and open view is thereby altogether taken from him (the expression is used elsewhere of loss of sight, 1Sa 3:2; 1Sa 4:15; 1Ki 14:4). The interpretation adopted by Hupfeld and Hitzig: I am not able to survey, viz., their number, puts into the expression more than it really expresses in the common usage of the language. His heart, i.e., the power of vital consistence, has forsaken him he is disconcerted, dejected, as it were driven to despair (Psa 38:11). This feeling of the misery of sin is not opposed to the date of the Psalm being assigned to the time of Saul, vid., on Psa 31:11.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
12. For innumerable evils have compassed me on all sides This phrase, in the original, denotes more than can be expressed in an English translation; for he says, עלי alay, upon me, meaning by this, that he was not only beset on all sides, but that also an accumulation of evils pressed upon his head. He, however, does not now complain of being punished unjustly, or above his desert, but rather confesses plainly that it is the just recompense of his sins which is rendered to him. For although the word עון, avon, which we have rendered iniquity, signifies also the punishment of iniquity, (as we have elsewhere seen more than once;) yet we must take into consideration the derivation of the word. (95) Accordingly, since David calls the afflictions which he endures the fruit or effect of his transgressions, there is implied in this a humble confession, from which we may ascertain with what reverence and meekness he submitted to the judgments of God, seeing that, when overwhelmed with an accumulation of miseries, he sets forth his sins in all their magnitude and aggravation, lest he should suspect God of undue severity. When we see David treated so severely, let us also learn, when we are oppressed with extreme afflictions, and are groaning under them, humbly to implore the grace and mercy of our Judge. Nor is it his design to show that he had been stupid or hardened, when he says that his heart failed or forsook him. His language means, that he was not only broken-hearted, but that he lay as if he had been dead. We must, however, understand this fainting or failing of the heart as referring to the sense of the flesh; for his perseverance in prayer is a certain proof that his faith was never altogether extinguished. But since he was, in so far as man was concerned, destitute of counsel, and was altogether without strength, it is not without cause that he says that his heart failed him.
(95) The word עוז, avon, is derived from עוה, avah, he was crooked, oblique; and hence the noun signifies iniquity, depravity, perverseness; but it is also put for the punishment due to iniquity. See volume 1, p. 507, note.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
12. Innumerable evils The complaint is an echo of Psa 31:9-13.
Iniquities The word is sometimes used for sin, and sometimes for punishment of sin. In the Messianic sense Christ was “made sin for us,” or answerable for our sins, that is, for making satisfaction to the law for us, by giving his life as an indemnity to government that no injury should result to its authority where sin should be forgiven on gospel terms.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 40:12 For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me.
Ver. 12. For innumerable evils have compassed me ] Heb. have mustered upon me. Many (or millions) are the troubles of the righteous; none out of hell ever suffered more than they: an elegant exaggeration of their afflictions we have in this verse, and such as cannot well be understood by any but those that have been wellbeaten porters to the cross of Christ.
Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me
Therefore my heart faileth me
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
evils = calamities. Hebrew. ra’a’. App-44.
iniquities. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), App-6, for their punishment. Hebrew. ‘aven. App-44. Laid on Him as the substituted sacrifice.
am not able = was not able.
are more = were more.
heart. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), App-6, for courage.
faileth me = failed me.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Psa 40:12-14
Psa 40:12-14
“For innumerable evils have compassed me about;
Mine iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up;
They are more than the hairs of my head;
And my heart hath failed me.
Be pleased, O Jehovah to deliver me:
Make haste to help me, O Jehovah.
Let them be put to shame and confounded together
That seek after my soul to destroy it:
Let them be turned backward and brought to dishonor
That delighteth in my hurt.”
“Mine iniquities have overtaken me” (Psa 40:12). There are two ways of looking at this. (1) Applied to David, it means that the sorrows from which he pleads for deliverance are the result of his own sins. (2) Applied to Messiah, the meaning is that, “The consequences of `mine iniquities’ (meaning the sins of all men that God has laid upon Christ) have begun to catch up with him. All the terrible sufferings of Passion Week, the arrest, the arraignment, the mockery, the six trials, the scourging of Pilate, etc. – it was all of these things, even the crucifixion, which were in the process of coming upon the Saviour.
Jamieson pointed out that `iniquities’ here is frequently used in the Psalms as a synonym for `calamities,’ in a general sense, adding that, “The difficulty in referring this psalm to Christ, due to the common reading of this verse, is removed. Barnes also agreed with this and stated that, “The Messiah may be understood here to say that the awful calamities and woes coming upon him because of the sins of mankind which he had taken upon himself were so closely connected that it was proper to refer to them as `iniquities.’
“My heart failed me” (Psa 40:12). It is a fact that Christ died from a failure of the heart, a disaster that never happened to David; and, although some interpret this as merely a failure of courage, such an interpretation does not fit the text. The crucifixion did not cause Jesus’ death, as proved by the fact that when the soldiers came to break his legs, he had already deceased.
“Deliver me … make haste to help me, O Jehovah” (Psa 40:13). Notice also that the psalmist here does not pray for the forgiveness of his sins, but only for “help,” and “deliverance.” This might very well mean either of two things. (1) As applied to David, it could refer to deliverance from the guilt incurred by his sins. (2) As applied to Christ, it might very well mean `help’ and `deliverance’ from the horrors and sufferings of that last tragic week. Did not Our Lord pray, “Father, if it be thy will, let this cup pass from me?”
“Let them be ashamed and confounded” (Psa 40:14). This is the basis of another objection, raised by some, to the referral of these verses to the Messiah. It is alleged that Messiah would not have uttered such imprecations. Barnes replied to this as follows:
“Such imprecations are just as proper in the mouth of Messiah as they are in the mouth of David; and are improper in neither. There is no evidence of any malignancy here; and it is proper that He who will pronounce the sentence of condemnation at the Judgment should apprise men ahead of time of what is sure to come upon them then.
Also, as Leupold noted, “In this prayer directed against enemies, his intention is in no sense the destruction of his enemies, but rather that they may meet with such experiences as may bring them to their senses.
E.M. Zerr:
Psa 40:12. Evils and iniquities are used in the same sense, referring to the afflictions that David was suffering. They had been caused by his enemies and were severe enough to “break his heart.”
Psa 40:13. David feared he would be overwhelmed by his trouble unless the Lord gave him speedy assistance.
Psa 40:14. Ashamed and confounded means to be humiliated and defeated.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
innumerable: Psa 22:11-19, Heb 4:15
mine: Psa 38:4, Isa 53:6, Luk 18:13, Luk 18:14, 1Pe 3:18
they are: Psa 19:12, Psa 69:4
heart: Psa 73:26, Gen 42:28, Luk 21:26
faileth: Heb. forsaketh
Reciprocal: Job 9:3 – he cannot Job 22:5 – thine Job 30:16 – have taken hold Psa 51:3 – my sin Psa 65:3 – prevail Psa 71:15 – I know Psa 109:26 – Help Psa 116:4 – O Lord Psa 139:18 – they are more Psa 143:7 – my spirit Mat 18:24 – ten thousand Rom 7:9 – but Rom 7:21 – evil
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
40:12 For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart {k} faileth me.
(k) Concerning the judgment of the flesh, I was utterly destitute of all counsel, yet faith inwardly moved my heart to pray.