Psalm 40:12 - Printer Friendly

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.

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.

NASB: For evils beyond number have surrounded me; My guilty deeds have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see; They are more numerous than the hairs of my head, And my heart has failed me.

CSB: For troubles without number have surrounded me; my iniquities have overtaken me; I am unable to see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my courage leaves me.

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.

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.

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.

The Bible describes David as a man after God's heart (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22), but that does not mean he was perfect or sinless. David held no such illusions, either. Here he admits he is a sinful person. Rather than blaming God for difficulties in his life, David accepts that many hardships—but not all (John 9:1–3; 1 Peter 3:17)—are brought on by our own sin. These errors have caught up to David and surrounded him.

In dramatic terms, David claims he is so distressed by his own mistakes that he cannot see clearly. If David would try to count his sins, he would not be able to do so because they are too many to count. He confesses that they are more than the hairs on his head. He feels as though his heart has left him.

We cannot count our sins, because they are innumerable. Not only are we guilty of sins of commission but we are also guilty of sins of omission. We do what we should not do, and we do not do what we should do. James 4:17 says, "Whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin." David acknowledged his sins, and we should too. Confession is an essential step toward forgiveness.

Psalm 40:11–17 follows a passage focused mainly on David's thanksgiving for the Lord's past blessings. This section features his requests to God, based on the Lord's love and faithfulness. He asks the Lord to forgive his sins, rescue him from his enemies, and to fill God's people with praise when they recognize how David has been delivered. Psalm 38 contains similar themes to those of these closing verses of Psalm 40.

David waited on the Lord for quite some time to be delivered from his foes, and the Lord heard him. This remarkable deliverance would persuade many to trust in the Lord. David insists that no one can compare with the Lord. Verses 6–8 are messianic; Hebrews 10:5–9 applies them to Jesus. David shared this story with his fellow worshipers in the sanctuary. He was confident that the Lord would continue to show him His mercy, His steadfast love, and His faithfulness. David needed the Lord's help because he was conscious of his many sins, and he knew his enemies wanted to kill him. He concludes this psalm by humble acknowledging that the Lord thought about him and was his help and deliverer. He asks the Lord to come quickly to his defense.

In this psalm David offers praise to the Lord for meeting his needs. He may have composed this psalm during one of his exiles in the wilderness or during the infancy of his rule as Israel's king. Verses 1–5 may refer to his exile, and verses 6–10 may depict his dedication as king. Verses 11–17 tell of his prayer for forgiveness and his exaltation over his foes. Psalm 70 parallels Psalm 40:13–17. Hebrews 10:5–9 quotes Psalm 40:6–8, making the latter passage messianic.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.