Psalm 40:16 - Printer Friendly

ESV: But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, “Great is the LORD!”

NIV: But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who long for your saving help always say, 'The LORD is great!'

NASB: May all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; May those who love Your salvation continually say, 'The Lord be exalted!'

CSB: Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; let those who love your salvation continually say, "The Lord is great! "

NLT: But may all who search for you be filled with joy and gladness in you. May those who love your salvation repeatedly shout, 'The Lord is great!'

KJV: Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified.

NKJV: Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; Let such as love Your salvation say continually, “The Lord be magnified!”

More than desiring the defeat and disgrace of his enemies, David wanted the Lord's people to celebrate His love and give Him praise. Rather than focusing on worldliness, revenge, or self-pity, God's truth leads people to joy (Psalm 33:1; 118:24). It has been said that religion which wears graveclothes should be buried. The Lord's people should be the most joyful people on earth. The Lord has given us good reason to rejoice and be glad in Him. For those who accept Him (John 3:16–18), He has forgiven our sins, set us free from slavery to sin, promised to be with us always, and has assured us of a home in heaven (Romans 8:18).

An awareness of all that the Lord has done for us, is doing for us, and will yet do for us should cause us to proclaim, as David did, "Great is the Lord!" We should follow Mary's example when she exclaimed during her visit with Elizabeth, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior" (Luke 1:46–47).

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.

Accessed 5/3/2024 5:40:24 PM