Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 40:14
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.
14. The whole verse is a repetition, with variations, of Psa 35:4; Psa 35:26 (cp. Psa 38:12); and v. 5-17 recall v. 21, 25, 27, 10 of the same Psalm. Together and to destroy it are omitted in Psa 70:2.
let them be driven backward &c.] Render, as in Psalms 35;
Let them be turned back and brought to dishonour
That delight in my hurt.
Contrast Psa 35:27 with the last line.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Let them be ashamed and confounded together – See at Psa 35:4, note; Psa 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 in their plans, and may not be suffered to injure us. As the language of the Messiah it was in every way an appropriate prayer that the purposes of those who would defeat his design in coming into the world might be foiled – for on the execution of that design depended the salvation of a lost race.
That seek after my soul to destroy it – That seek after my life; that would destroy me. That is, they seek to kill me; they would take my life before the full time is come. As understood of the Messiah, this would refer to the times when his life was in danger, as it often was, before the full period had arrived for him to die: Joh 7:6; Mat 26:18. The purpose of his enemies was to take his life; to prevent the spread of his doctrines; to cheek him in his work. The taking of his life at any time before the full period had arrived, or in any other way than that in which he had purposed to lay it down, would have been a defeat of his work, since in the plan of salvation it was contemplated that he should die at a certain time, and in a certain manner – that he should die at the time which had been predicted by the prophets, and in such a mode as to make an atonement for sin. All this would have been defeated if, before that time came, he had been put to death by stoning, or in any of the numerous ways in which his life was threatened.
Let them be driven backward, and put to shame, that wish me evil – Turned backward, as they are who are unsuccessful, or are defeated. Compare Joh 18:6.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Let them be ashamed, for the disappointment of their hopes and designs.
My soul, i.e. my life, as Exo 4:9; 1Sa 20:1.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
14, 15. The language is notnecessarily imprecatory, but rather a confident expectation (Ps5:11), though the former sense is not inconsistent with Christ’sprayer for the forgiveness of His murderers, inasmuch as theirconfusion and shame might be the very means to prepare them forhumbly seeking forgiveness (compare Ac2:37).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Let them be ashamed and confounded together,…. As they will be at the last day, when they shall see him whom they have pierced come in the clouds of heaven, in his own and his Father’s glory, and in the glory of the holy angels;
that seek after my soul to destroy it; that is, his life, as did Herod in his infancy, and the Scribes and Pharisees, chief priests and elders of the people of the Jews, frequently, and at last accomplished what they sought after;
let them be driven backward; as those were who came with Judas into the garden to apprehend him, Joh 18:6;
and put to shame that wish me evil: as did the Jews, who sought all opportunities to ensnare him, and that they might have to accuse him to the Roman governor; and who earnestly desired his crucifixion, and vehemently wished his death; see Ps 41:5.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
In the midst of such sufferings, which, the longer they last, discover him all the more to himself as a sinner, he prays for speedy help. The cry for help in Psa 40:14 turns with towards the will of God; for this is the root of all things. As to the rest, it resembles Psa 22:20 (38:23). The persecuted one wishes that the purpose of his deadly foes may as it were rebound against the protection of God and miserably miscarry. , ad abripiendam eam (with Dagesh in the according to Ges. 45, 2, Ew. 245, a, and not as Gesenius, Thesaurus, p. 1235, states, aspirated),
(Note: After the aspirate usually disappears, as here and in Psa 118:13; but there are exceptions, as , Jer 1:10, and frequently, , ib. Psa 57:4. After and it usually remains, as in Psa 87:6, Job 4:13; Job 33:15; 2Sa 3:34; 1Ki 1:21; Ecc 5:10; but again there are exceptions, as , Gen 35:22, , Jer 17:2. In Gen 23:2 it is pointed according to the rule, and in my Comment. S. 423 it is to be read “with a Dagesh.”)
is added to by way of explanation and definiteness. , from , to become torpid, here used of outward and inward paralysis, which is the result of overpowering and as it were bewitching surprise or fright, and is called by the Arabs rob or rab (paralysis through terror) cf. Job, note at Psa 18:12. An following upon looks at first sight as though it introduced the object and reason of this fright; it is therefore not: as a reward, in consequence of their infamy, which would not be , but merely the accusative (Isa 5:23, Arabic qiba ), it is rather: on account of the reward (Psa 19:12) of their disgrace (cf. as belonging to the same period, Psa 109:29; Psa 35:26), i.e., of the reward which consists in their being put to shame (Hitzig). as in Psa 3:3; Psa 41:6: with reference to me. (Aquila, , , as Eusebius says, ) is an exclamation of sarcastic delight, which finds its satisfaction in another’s misfortune (Psa 35:25).
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
14. My soul “Soul” is here taken in the sense of life.
Wish me evil Will or purpose “evil” to me. It is translated desire, Psa 70:2, and sometimes delight, but generally signifies either will, or that disposition of mind which induces will or choice.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
See, Reader, with what confidence Jesus beholds the travail of his soul. His enemies, and the enemies of his church, must be destroyed. This is in the covenant. I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him, Psa 89:23 . And, Reader, never fail to connect with this victory of Jesus, the sure conquest of his people over all their enemies. Read two promises only, out of numbers which might be brought, in Mar 16:17-18 , and Rom 16:20 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 40:14 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.
Ver. 14. Let them be ashamed and confounded together, &c. ] These and the like imprecations must be looked upon as prophecies. Besides, David looked upon them not as his enemies only, but God’s as well; and such also as were desperate and irrecoverable. So Paul prayed against the coppersmith, the Church against Julian, &c.
Let them be driven backward, &c.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
soul. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Let them be ashamed: The verbs in the preceding verse, in which the psalmist simply prays for deliverance, are in the imperative; but here, and in the following verses, they are in the future tense, and naturally express the language of lively faith and hope, rather than that of wishing the destruction foreseen and predicted. Psa 31:17, Psa 31:18, Psa 35:4, Psa 35:26, Psa 70:2, Psa 70:3, Psa 71:13, Isa 41:11, Isa 45:24
that: Mat 21:38-41
driven: Psa 9:3, Joh 18:6, Act 9:4-6, Act 12:23, Act 12:24
Reciprocal: Psa 6:10 – Let all Psa 25:3 – let Psa 44:7 – put them Psa 53:5 – thou hast Psa 63:9 – seek Psa 83:17 – General Psa 109:20 – Let this Jer 14:3 – they were Jer 17:18 – confounded Jer 20:11 – everlasting Eze 39:2 – I will Luk 13:17 – all his Joh 8:9 – went out 1Pe 2:6 – shall
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
40:14 Let them be {l} 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.
(l) He desires that God’s mercy may contend for him against the rage of his enemies.