Psalms 40 · Verse 14

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.
Psalms 40:14, King James Version

Psalms 40:14 in other translations

BSBMay those who seek my life be ashamed and confounded; may those who wish me harm be repelled and humiliated.
WEBLet them be disappointed and confounded together who seek after my soul to destroy it. Let them be turned backward and brought to dishonor who delight in my hurt.
ASVLet them be put to shame and confounded together That seek after my soul to destroy it: Let them be turned backward and brought to dishonor That delight in my hurt.
YLTThey are ashamed and confounded together, Who are seeking my soul to destroy it, They are turned backward, And are ashamed, who are desiring my evil.
DARBYLet them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be turned backward and confounded that take pleasure in mine adversity;
BBELet those who go after my soul for its destruction have shame and trouble together; let them be turned back and made foolish who take pleasure in my trouble.
WebsterLet 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.

What does Psalms 40:14 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 40:14-15
14-15. The language is not necessarily imprecatory, but rather a confident expectation (Psa 5:11), though the former sense is not inconsistent with Christ's prayer for the forgiveness of His murderers, inasmuch as their confusion and shame might be the very means to prepare them for humbly seeking forgiveness (compare Ac 2:37).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 40:11-17

The best saints see themselves undone, unless continually preserved by the grace of God. But see the frightful view the psalmist had of sin. This made the discovery of a Redeemer so welcome. In all his reflections upon each step of his life, he discovered something amiss. The sight and sense of our sins in their own colours, must distract us, if we have not at the same time some sight of a Saviour. If Christ has…

Read the full comment on Psalms 40:11-17 →

Psalms 40:14 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

יֵ֘בֹ֤שׁוּye.Vo.shumay they be ashamedH954
וְיַחְפְּר֨וּ\׀ve.yach.pe.Ruand they may be abashedH2659
יַחַד֮ya.ChadaltogetherH3162
מְבַקְשֵׁ֥יme.vak.Shei[those who] seekH1245
נַפְשִׁ֗יnaf.Shi<of> life myH5315
לִסְפּ֫וֹתָ֥הּlis.Po.Tahto snatch away itH5595
יִסֹּ֣גוּyi.So.gumay they be turned backH5472
אָ֭חוֹר'A.chorbackwardsH268
וְיִכָּלְמ֑וּve.yi.kal.Muand may they be humiliatedH3637
חֲ֝פֵצֵ֗יcha.fe.Tzei[the] [people] desirous ofH2655
רָעָתִֽי\׃ra.'a.Tiharm myH7451

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Psalms 40:14

  • Psalms 35:4

    Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.

  • Psalms 35:26

    Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me.

  • John 18:6

    As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.

  • Isaiah 45:24

    Surely, shall one say, in the Lord have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed.

  • Psalms 9:3

    When mine enemies are turned back, they shall fall and perish at thy presence.

  • Psalms 71:13

    Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered with reproach and dishonour that seek my hurt.

  • Psalms 31:17-18

    Let me not be ashamed, O Lord; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave. Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.

  • Psalms 70:2-3

    Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul: let them be turned backward, and put to confusion, that desire my hurt. Let them be turned back for a reward of their shame that say, Aha, aha.

  • Acts 12:23-24

    And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost. But the word of God grew and multiplied.

  • Matthew 21:38-41

    But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.

  • Acts 9:4-6

    And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

  • Isaiah 41:11

    Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
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.
31:17,18; 35:4,26; 70:2,3; 71:13; Isa 41:11; 45:24
that.
Mt 21:38-41
driven.
9:3; Joh 18:6; Ac 9:4-6; 12:23,24

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Psalms 40:13

    Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me: O Lord, make haste to help me.

  • 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.

  • Psalms 40:15

    Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame that say unto me, Aha, aha.

Read all of Psalms 40

Psalms 40:14 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Sean avergonzados y confusos á una los que buscan mi vida para cortarla: vuelvan atrás y avergüéncense los que mi mal desean.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Qu’il te plaise, ô Éternel! de me délivrer. Éternel! hâte-toi de me secourir.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Laß sie beschämt und mit Scham bedeckt werden allesamt, die nach meinem Leben trachten, es wegzuraffen; laß zurückweichen und zu Schanden werden, die Gefallen haben an meinem Unglück!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Benedictus Dominus Deus Israël a sæculo et usque in sæculum. Fiat, fiat.