Psalms 40 · Verse 17

Psalms 40:17

But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.
Psalms 40:17, King James Version

Psalms 40:17 in other translations

BSBBut I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my helper and deliverer; O my God, do not delay.
WEBBut I am poor and needy. May the Lord think about me. You are my help and my deliverer. Don’t delay, my God.
ASVBut I am poor and needy; Yet the Lord thinketh upon me: Thou art my help and my deliverer; Make no tarrying, O my God.
YLTAnd I am poor and needy, The Lord doth devise for me. My help and my deliverer art Thou, O my God, tarry Thou not.
DARBYBut I am afflicted and needy: the Lord thinketh upon me. Thou art my help and my deliverer: my God, make no delay.
BBEThough I am poor and in need, the Lord has me in mind; you are my help and my saviour; let there be no waiting, O my God.
WebsterBut I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no delay, O my God.

What does Psalms 40:17 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
17. A summary of his condition and hopes. thinketh upon--or provides for me. "He was heard," "when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears, unto Him that was able to save him from death" [He 5:7].

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 17 But I am poor - עני ani, afflicted, greatly depressed. And needy - אביון ebyon, a beggar. One utterly destitute, and seeking help. The Lord thinketh upon me - The words are very emphatic; אדני Adonai, my prop, my support, thinketh, יחשב yachshab, meditateth, upon me. On which he concludes: "Thou art my help and deliverer." Seeing that my miserable state occupies thy heart, it will soon employ thy hand. Thou, who meditatest upon me, wilt deliver me. Make no tarrying - Seeing thou art disposed to help, and I am in such great necessity, delay not, but come speedily to my assistance. The old Psalter speaks to this effect: "Let us not be so long under distress and misery that we lose our patience, or our love to thee."

Adam Clarke, 1831 · 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 40:17 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.

וַאֲנִ֤י\׀va.'a.Niand IH589
עָנִ֣י'a.Ni[am] poorH6041
וְאֶבְיוֹן֮ve.'ev.yOnand needyH34
אֲדֹנָ֪י'a.do.Nai[the] LordH136
יַחֲשָׁ֫בya.cha.Shavmay he thinkH2803
לִ֥יlito me
עֶזְרָתִ֣י'ez.ra.Ti[are] help myH5833
וּמְפַלְטִ֣יu.me.fal.Tiand deliverer myH6403
אַ֑תָּה'A.tahyouH859
אֱ֝לֹהַ֗י'e.lo.HaiO God myH430
אַל\־'al-may notH408
תְּאַחַֽר\׃te.'a.Charyou delayH309

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

Cross references for Psalms 40:17

  • Psalms 70:5

    But I am poor and needy: make haste unto me, O God: thou art my help and my deliverer; O Lord, make no tarrying.

  • Hebrews 13:6

    So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

  • Isaiah 41:17

    When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.

  • Psalms 34:6

    This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.

  • 1 Peter 5:7

    Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

  • Psalms 86:1

    A Prayer of David. Bow down thine ear, O Lord, hear me: for I am poor and needy.

  • Psalms 54:4

    Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul.

  • 1 Peter 2:23

    Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

  • Psalms 40:5

    Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.

  • Isaiah 50:7-9

    For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me. Behold, the Lord God will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.

  • Psalms 143:7-8

    Hear me speedily, O Lord: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit. Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.

  • James 2:5

    Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
I am poor.
5; 34:6; 69:33; 70:5; Isa 41:17; Mt 8:20; 2Co 8:9; Jas 2:5
the Lord.
1Pe 2:23; 5:7
help.
54:4; Isa 50:7-9; Heb 13:6
make.
143:7,8; Re 22:20

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

Context

  • Psalms 40:16

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

  • Psalms 40:17

    But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.

Read all of Psalms 40

Psalms 40:17 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Aunque afligido yo y necesitado, Jehová pensará de mí: mi ayuda y mi libertador eres tú; Dios mío, no te tardes.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Que tous ceux qui te cherchent s’égaient et se réjouissent en toi; que ceux qui aiment ton salut disent continuellement: Magnifié soit l’ Éternel!
German
Elberfelder 1871		Ich aber bin elend und arm, der Herr denkt an mich. Meine Hülfe und mein Erretter bist du; mein Gott, zögere nicht!