Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 40:13
Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me: O LORD, make haste to help me.
13. Psa 40:13-17 recur as Psalms 70, with some verbal variations.
Be pleased ] An echo of ‘thy good pleasure’ (‘thy will’) in Psa 40:8. The word is omitted in Psalms 70, and in the first line, though not in the second, God is substituted for Lord, according to the usual rule in Book II See Introd., p. lv f.
make haste to hell me ] Cp. Psa 38:22; Psa 22:19.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me – That is, in these troubles and sorrows. See Mat 26:39. The prayer is that, if possible, the cup of sorrow might be taken away.
O Lord, make haste to help me – This is the same form of prayer, and referring, I suppose, to the same occasion as that which occurs in Psa 22:19. See the notes at that verse.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Deliver me from my sins, and the punishments due to them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
13. (Compare Ps22:19).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me,…. From the innumerable evils which compassed him about; from sinful men, and from devils, signified by the sword, dog, and lion, Ps 22:20; and from the power and dominion of death and the grave; all which was done when he was raised from the dead, and as the fruit and effect of God’s well pleasedness in him, and with what he did and suffered; see
Ps 22:8;
O Lord, make haste to help me; [See comments on Ps 22:19].
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
13. Be thou pleased, O Jehovah! to deliver me. The verb which David here makes use of, signifies to desire a thing from pure kindness and good-will. (96) He desires, therefore, to be delivered by the free mercy of God. As to his desire, that God would make haste, we have elsewhere spoken of it. Even when God delays to help us, it is our duty to contend against a feeling of weariness; but such is his goodness, that he permits us to use this form of prayer, That he would make haste according to our desires. Then, according to his usual practice, citing his enemies to the judgment-seat of God, he feels confident, that, on account of their cruelty, and unjust and wicked hatred, he shall obtain what he asks. We must maintain it as a fixed principle, that the more unjustly our enemies afflict us, and the more cruelly they wrong us, God is so much the more disposed to give us help. And it is no slight consolation that the mercy of God strives against their wickedness, so that the more fiercely our enemies pursue us to effect our hurt, the more ready is he to bring us help. We have already frequently spoken of the feelings with which David uttered these imprecations, and it is necessary here again to refresh our memories on the subject, lest any man, when giving loose reins to his passions, should allege the example of David in palliation or excuse. This wicked and counterfeit imitation on the part of those who follow the powerful impulse of the flesh, instead of being guided by the zeal of the Spirit, is always to be held up to condemnation.
(96) “ רצה, retse, be pleased From רצה, ratsah, he wished well, was pleased, accepted, excluding any merit as a ground for that acceptance.” — Bythner ’ s Lyra
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(13) Be pleased.From this verse onwards, with some trifling variations which will be noticed under that psalm, this passage occurs as Psalms 70, where see Notes.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 40:13 Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me: O LORD, make haste to help me.
Ver. 13. Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me ] Do it of thy free grace, and mere mercy of thy good will and gracious liking (as the word signifieth), beside the consideration of my woeful misery laid forth, Psa 40:12 , as an object of thy mercy.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Psa 40:13-17
13Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me;
Make haste, O Lord, to help me.
14Let those be ashamed and humiliated together
Who seek my life to destroy it;
Let those be turned back and dishonored
Who delight in my hurt.
15Let those be appalled because of their shame
Who say to me, Aha, aha!
16Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;
Let those who love Your salvation say continually,
The Lord be magnified!
17Since I am afflicted and needy,
Let the Lord be mindful of me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
Do not delay, O my God.
Psa 40:13-17 As usual the concluding strophe is a series of prayer requests (imperfects and jussives in synonymous parallelism). This is very similar to Psalms 70.
1. Be pleased (BDB 953, KB 1280, Qal imperative) to deliver me (BDB 664, KB 717, Hiphil infinitive construct). AB, p. 247, suggests a vowel change to the root for run, which parallels #2 better.
2. Make haste to help me BDB 301, KB 300, Qal imperative, cf. Psa 22:19; Psa 38:22; Psa 70:1; Psa 70:5; Psa 71:12; Psa 141:1
3. Let those who seek my life be ashamed BDB 101, KB 116, Qal imperfect used in a jussive sense, cf. Psa 35:4; Psa 35:26; Psa 70:2; Psa 83:17
4. Let those who seek my life be humiliated together BDB 344, KB 346, Qal imperfect used in a jussive sense
5. Let those who delight in my hurt be turned back BDB 690, KB 744, Niphal imperfect used in a jussive sense, cf. Psa 35:4; Psa 35:26; Psa 70:2 (this is military imagery)
6. Let those who delight in my hurt be dishonored BDB 483, KB 480, Niphal imperfect used in a jussive sense
7. Let those who say to me Aha, aha (cf. Psa 35:21; Psa 70:3) be appalled BDB 1030, KB 1563, Qal imperfect used in a jussive sense
At Psa 40:16 the prayers change from negative to positive.
8. Let all those who seek You rejoice BDB 965, KB 1314, Qal imperfect used in a jussive sense (notice that the wicked seek his life [BDB 134, KB 152] but the psalmist seeks YHWH, cf. Psa 40:16)
9. Let all those who seek You be glad BDB 970, KB 1333, Qal imperfect used in a jussive sense
10. Let those who love Your salvation say. . . BDB 55, KB 65, Qal imperfect used in a jussive sense (faithful followers love YHWH by being obedient to His revealed will and way, cf. Deu 6:5; Deu 10:12; Deu 11:1; Deu 11:13; Deu 11:22; Deu 19:9; Deu 30:15-16; Deu 30:19-20)
11. . . .YHWH be magnified BDB 152, KB 178, Qal imperfect used in a jussive sense (this is in contrast to what the wicked say in Psa 40:15)
12. Let YHWH be mindful of me BDB 362, KB 359, Qal jussive
13. Do not delay BDB 29, KB 34, Piel imperfect used in a jussive sense, cf. Psa 70:5; this forms an inclusio with make haste of Psa 40:13
Psa 40:17 Notice how the psalmist characterizes himself and YHWH.
1. himself
a. afflicted (BDB 776)
b. needy (BDB 2)
(these are often used of faithful followers, cf. Psa 70:5; Psa 86:1; Psa 109:22; in this sense they are metaphorical of a sense of spiritual need, cf. Mat 5:3-6)
2. YHWH (MT has Adon but some Hebrew MSS have YHWH)
a. his help (BDB 740 I)
b. his deliverer (BDB 812, KB 930, Piel participle)
O my God In this Psalm YHWH and Elohim are used often and combined in Psa 40:5.
1. YHWH, Psa 40:1; Psa 40:3-4; Psa 40:9; Psa 40:11; Psa 40:13 (twice),16
2. Elohim, Psa 40:3; Psa 40:5; Psa 40:8; Psa 40:17
See SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY for a detailed discussion of how the OT writers used these designations/titles/names for Deity to assert different aspects of His character and actions.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.
These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.
1. Describe the mood of Psa 40:1-10; and then Psa 40:11-17. What has changed?
2. List and explain the attributes of YHWH in Psa 40:10-11.
3. How is the imagery of walking used to describe the life of faith?
4. Does Psa 40:5 allude to Genesis or Exodus, or both? Why?
5. How can the LXX translation of Psa 40:6 b (cf. Heb 10:5-7) be so different from the MT?
6. Is this a Messianic Psalm?
7. What book or scroll is Psa 40:7 b talking about?
8. Explain why Psa 40:13-17 reappears in Psalms 70.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Be: Psa 25:17, Psa 25:18, Mat 26:36-44
make: Psa 38:22, Psa 70:1-5
Reciprocal: Psa 22:19 – O my Psa 69:17 – hear me speedily Psa 102:2 – in the day Psa 116:4 – O Lord Psa 141:1 – make haste Psa 143:7 – Hear me
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 40:13-16. Be pleased to deliver me From my sins, and the punishment due to them. Let them be ashamed For the disappointment of their hopes and designs. That seek after my soul That is, my life. Let them be desolate Or, They shall be desolate, or dismayed, or overthrown, as , jashommu, also signifies. For a reward of their shame That is, Their sinful and shameful actions, as shame is put for a shameful idol, Hos 9:10, and as fear is often put for the evil feared. Let such as love thy salvation That great salvation of which the prophets inquired and searched diligently, and which the Redeemer undertook to work out, when he said, Psa 40:7, Lo! I come. All that shall be saved love Gods salvation, which is not only a salvation from hell, but a salvation from sin. Say continually, The Lord be magnified Let them have continual occasion to magnify Jehovah for his mercies vouchsafed to them.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
David cried out for quick deliverance (cf. Psa 35:4). As the Lord’s anointed who was serving Him sacrificially with a pure heart, the psalmist could make such a request boldly.
"It must be remembered that the enemies were probably not known personally. They were Israel’s national enemies who hated Israel, David, and Yahweh, the God of Israel. The psalmist no doubt knew the admonition to love one’s enemies (cf. Pro 25:21; Mat 5:44), but these enemies destabilized the rule of God on earth! As long as the kingdom of God suffers persecution and harassment, we pray for God’s kingdom to come, which includes the petition that the Lord will come to vindicate his own and avenge his enemies (cf. 2Th 1:5-10). The enemies liked taking potshots at God’s people, shouting contemptibly, ’Aha! Aha!’ (Psa 40:15; Psa 35:21; Psa 35:25). The psalmist prays that the Lord will quickly and suddenly change their fortunes so that they will know who is God (Psa 40:14; cf. Psa 35:4; cf. Psa 35:26 . . ." [Note: Ibid., p. 324.]