Psalm 40 14

Psalm 40:14 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.

Psalm 40:14 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.

Psalm 40:14 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.

Psalm 40:14 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!

Psalm 40:14 nlt

May those who try to destroy me
be humiliated and put to shame.
May those who take delight in my trouble
be turned back in disgrace.

Psalm 40 verses

Psalm 40 14 Meaning

Psalm 40:14 is a prayer for divine justice against those who actively seek to harm the psalmist. It expresses a fervent desire for his adversaries to be publicly disgraced and defeated in their wicked intentions, particularly those who delight in his misfortune and seek his very life. It's a plea for God to intervene and bring their evil plots to naught, turning their desired outcome back upon them as shame.

Psalm 40 14 Context

Psalm 40 is a "mixed psalm" containing both thanksgiving for past deliverance (vv. 1-10) and petition for future help (vv. 11-17). After praising God for lifting him out of a dire situation and declaring his willingness to do God's will through sacrifice, the psalmist then turns to renewed lament and plea for deliverance from current troubles. Verse 14 initiates an urgent appeal against wicked enemies who relentlessly pursue his destruction. Historically, this aligns with the experiences of King David, facing numerous adversaries who plotted against him (e.g., Saul, Absalom), or it can represent the righteous individual facing oppression from the ungodly in any age. The shift from praise to petition highlights the ongoing nature of spiritual conflict and the continuous need for God's intervention.

Psalm 40 14 Word analysis

• "Let them be ashamed" (יֵבֹ֖שׁוּ, yēvōšū from בוש, bōš): To be disappointed, put to shame, disgraced. In ancient cultures, shame was a deeply feared state, often public. This implies not just personal chagrin but public humiliation, as their evil schemes are exposed as failures.

• "and confounded" (וְיַחְפְּר֥וּ, vəyaḥpərū from חפר, ḥāp̄ar): To be abashed, blush, or suffer ignominy. This reinforces the idea of deep personal and public disgrace, especially when plans fail. It's often used interchangeably with bōš.

• "together" (יַחַד, yaḥaḏ): Emphasizes that the shame should be comprehensive, encompassing all his adversaries as a united group.

• "that seek after my soul" (מְבַקְשֵׁ֣י נַפְשִׁ֑י, məḇaqšê nap̄šî): Literally "those who seek my life." Napeš (soul/life) here denotes the totality of the psalmist's being, meaning they aim for his utter destruction or death.

• "to destroy it" (לְסָפוֹ, ləsāp̄ōw from אסף, ’āsap̄): To gather, bring to an end, or utterly consume. This expresses the absolute nature of their malevolent intent: they want to sweep him away completely.

• "let them be driven backward" (יִסֹּ֣גוּ אָח֑וֹר, yissōḡū ’āḥôr): To draw back, retreat, or turn away. This signifies the complete failure of their attack or pursuit. They will be forced to abandon their evil objective and retreat in defeat.

• "and put to shame" (וְיִכָּֽלְמוּ, vəyikkālĕmū from כלם, kālām): To be humiliated, insulted, or made to blush. This reiterates the profound dishonor and defeat desired upon his enemies. It’s another powerful word emphasizing disgrace.

• "that wish me evil" (חֲפֵצֵ֖י רָעָתִ֥י, ḥāfṣê raʿātî): Those who take pleasure in or delight in his harm/misfortune. This reveals the malicious and deeply malevolent intent of the enemies – they desire his suffering purely for evil delight, not for just cause.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "Let them be ashamed and confounded together": This powerful pairing underscores a desire for total public and personal humiliation. It highlights the expected consequence for those whose malevolent plans utterly fail.
  • "that seek after my soul to destroy it": This identifies the precise nature of the enemy's intent – a targeted, fatal assault on the psalmist's very existence. It speaks of a deep-seated enmity.
  • "let them be driven backward and put to shame": This forms a perfect parallel to the first half, reinforcing the prayer for the enemies' complete failure and public disgrace. The backward movement symbolizes their inability to succeed.
  • "that wish me evil": This final phrase distinguishes the enemies not just by their actions, but by their inherent desire for the psalmist's suffering, indicating their depraved delight in his distress.

Psalm 40 14 Bonus section

The strong parallelism in Psalm 40:14 emphasizes the intensity of the psalmist's plea and the expected outcome for his enemies. The two lines effectively echo each other, strengthening the petition for total humiliation and defeat of his adversaries. The term "shame" (בושׁ, bōš) in the Hebrew Scriptures carries a broader meaning than modern English. It signifies public humiliation and the thwarting of one's goals, particularly those involving wicked intent. When God "shames" enemies, He demonstrates His justice and power, reversing the intended outcome. This psalm and others like it (such as Ps 70, which is almost identical to Ps 40:13-17) are vital for understanding the righteous person's struggle in a world full of ungodly opposition and their consistent reliance on God as their ultimate defender and judge.

Psalm 40 14 Commentary

Psalm 40:14 is an imprecatory prayer, an earnest plea for divine judgment. It is not an expression of personal revenge but a request for God, the righteous judge, to intervene. The psalmist appeals to God's character as the one who upholds justice and vindicates the innocent. The repeated emphasis on "shame" and "being confounded" reflects the public nature of honor and disgrace in the ancient Near East; the psalmist desires that his enemies' wickedness be exposed and their plans fail conspicuously. This prayer serves to:

1. Acknowledge God's sovereignty: Vengeance belongs to the Lord (Rom 12:19), and thus, the psalmist commits the matter into God's hands.
2. Affirm God's justice: It expresses confidence that God will ultimately repay evil and protect His devoted ones.
3. Find comfort in distress: In the face of intense persecution, such a prayer brings solace by directing the pain and plea to God.This verse resonates deeply with the experience of Christ, whose adversaries sought to destroy Him, but were ultimately confounded and shamed by His resurrection, proving their counsel void. Believers today, facing opposition or unjust persecution, can echo this sentiment, trusting that God will bring ultimate justice and their adversaries will not prevail against His purposes. For example, when facing relentless workplace bullying or false accusations, one can commit the situation to God, trusting Him to expose injustice and turn back the plots of those who wish harm, without seeking personal revenge.