Psalm 40 12

Psalm 40:12 kjv

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.

Psalm 40:12 nkjv

For innumerable evils have surrounded me; My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up; They are more than the hairs of my head; Therefore my heart fails me.

Psalm 40:12 niv

For troubles without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails within me.

Psalm 40:12 esv

For evils have encompassed me beyond number; my iniquities have overtaken me, and I cannot see; they are more than the hairs of my head; my heart fails me.

Psalm 40:12 nlt

For troubles surround me ?
too many to count!
My sins pile up so high
I can't see my way out.
They outnumber the hairs on my head.
I have lost all courage.

Psalm 40 verses

Psalm 40 12 Meaning

Psalm 40:12 is a heartfelt cry of a man overwhelmed by the cumulative weight of his own misdeeds and their oppressive consequences. The verse expresses a profound sense of despair, spiritual blindness, and inner collapse brought about by his iniquities, which are described as being innumerable and suffocating. It signifies a point of complete human helplessness, where the psalmist's inner strength and perception have failed him, compelling a desperate plea for divine intervention.

Psalm 40 12 Context

Psalm 40 opens with the psalmist, David, praising the Lord for having delivered him from a pit of despair and establishing his steps (vv. 1-5). This sets a tone of trust and gratitude. Following this, the psalm transitions to a declaration of the psalmist's commitment to obedience over ritual sacrifice, indicating a deep understanding of genuine worship (vv. 6-10). However, beginning from verse 11, the psalm takes a turn towards a renewed lament and petition. David recounts the overwhelming nature of his current troubles, directly attributing his distressed state in verse 12 to his own iniquities. This context highlights the stark reality of human sin even in the life of a devoted believer and serves as the profound basis for his plea for continued divine intervention and salvation in the subsequent verses (vv. 13-17). The verse reveals David's internal struggle and recognition that some of his external tribulations are a direct consequence of his internal moral failures, underscoring the deep connection between sin, suffering, and the need for God's grace.

Psalm 40 12 Word analysis

• For evils encompass me beyond number:

  • Evils (רָעוֹת - ra'ot): This Hebrew plural noun can refer to both moral "wickednesses" or "sins" and the "calamities," "misfortunes," or "troubles" that often result from them. In this context, it carries both connotations, signifying the oppressive consequences stemming from his moral failings. It suggests not just a generalized state of suffering but specifically the ramifications that have accumulated due to his own actions.
  • Encompass me (סְבָבוּנִי - sāvavūni): Derived from the verb "to surround" or "to go around." This implies being completely enclosed, besieged, or hemmed in by the troubles, suggesting a lack of escape or personal power to break free.
  • Beyond number (לְאֵין מִסְפָּר - le'ên mispār): Literally, "to no number" or "without number." This is an idiom indicating an overwhelming, innumerable quantity, emphasizing the vastness and impossible-to-manage extent of his distress.

• my iniquities have overtaken me, so that I cannot see:

  • My iniquities (עֲווֹנוֹתַי - ʻawōnōṯay): From ʻawon, meaning "perversity," "guilt," "punishment for iniquity." It denotes not merely specific sins but the twistedness of one's nature, the guilt that arises from transgression, and even the just recompense for that sin. This word highlights personal responsibility for the distressed state.
  • Have overtaken me (הִגִּיעוּנִי - higīʻūnī): Literally, "have reached me" or "have caught up with me." This implies an inevitable consequence, a divine judgment or natural result that has finally confronted him, indicating that past actions are now demanding their toll.
  • So that I cannot see (וְלֹא יֻכַל לִרְאוֹת - wəlo' yukhal lir'ot): Literally, "and it is not possible to see." This speaks of more than just physical blindness. It denotes a spiritual and psychological state where the individual cannot perceive the truth, cannot see a way forward, or is utterly deprived of clarity, hope, or light due to the overwhelming darkness of guilt and despair. It's a blindness to God's hand, a loss of perspective, or even an inability to see his path or his escape.

• they are more than the hairs of my head; my heart fails me.

  • They are more than the hairs of my head (רָאשִׁי עָלוּ מִמִּסְפָּר שְׂעָרֹת - rā'šī ʻalū mimmis'pār śeʻārōt): An intensifying idiomatic expression, similar to "beyond number." It vividly conveys an immense, countless multitude, specifically referring to his iniquities or the consequences thereof. This hyperbole emphasizes the truly unmanageable and oppressive quantity.
  • My heart fails me (לִבִּי עֲזָבַנִי - lībbī ʻăzavanī): Literally, "and my heart has forsaken me" or "abandoned me." This powerful image portrays a complete collapse of courage, strength, resolve, or hope from within. The "heart" in Hebrew thought is the seat of the will, emotions, intellect, and courage. For the heart to abandon one implies utter despair, paralysis, and loss of inner vitality or purpose.

Psalm 40 12 Bonus section

The juxtaposition in Psalm 40 between the initial song of deliverance and this desperate cry highlights the cyclical nature of human struggle with sin, even for those who have experienced God's salvation. It emphasizes that salvation is not a one-time event that permanently eradicates the capacity to sin, but rather an ongoing need for divine mercy and intervention. The intense hyperbole used ("beyond number," "more than the hairs of my head") is a common biblical literary device to communicate profound distress or vastness, aiming to evoke empathy and a true sense of the psalmist's brokenness. This passage functions as a stark contrast to the perfect, sinless sacrifice spoken of earlier in the psalm (vv. 6-8, a messianic prophecy), which points to Jesus Christ as the only true solution for humanity's deep-seated problem of sin and guilt that Psalm 40:12 so eloquently describes. David, through his despair, inadvertently highlights the need for a savior whose own righteousness is "more than number," and whose heart never fails.

Psalm 40 12 Commentary

Psalm 40:12 is a profound expression of human depravity and its crippling effects. David's candid confession reveals not only the external troubles that besiege him but traces them directly to his own extensive moral failures. The overwhelming "evils" are directly linked to his "iniquities," signifying that suffering often serves as a painful consequence of sin. This verse captures a state of existential despair where sin becomes so burdensome it causes spiritual blindness, hindering one's ability to see clearly or find a way out. The quantitative hyperbole, "beyond number" and "more than the hairs of my head," underscore the crushing magnitude of his guilt and distress, while the poignant phrase "my heart fails me" speaks to the ultimate loss of courage, hope, and internal vitality. It paints a picture of utter helplessness, making a powerful case for the absolute necessity of God's grace and intervention for redemption from such a debilitating condition. This verse vividly reminds us that sin's primary assault is often internal, leading to spiritual paralysis and the crushing of the human spirit.