The Meaning of Psalms 40:14 Explained

Psalms 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.

YLT: They 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.

Darby: Let 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;

ASV: Let 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Psalms 40:14 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 40:11-17 - A Cry For Deliverance
To the end of life we shall continually need God's lovingkindness, to deal mercifully with our failures and sins, and His truth, that is, His faithfulness. The Covenant, ordered in all things and sure, and that which binds him irrevocably, is the rock of our comfort, whether we are compassed by innumerable evils or overtaken by iniquities, Psalms 40:12.
Our sense of sin grows with our increasing knowledge of the holiness and love of God. They who are nearest to the heart of God are least able to forgive themselves, though they know that they are forgiven. But while we think hard thoughts against ourselves, and confess ourselves to be poor and needy, we may take great comfort in God's thoughts for us, Psalms 40:17. They are tender and loving, Jeremiah 29:11. Poverty and need are never reasons for despair. These things do not alienate God's interest. They rather attract Him; just as a sick child will get more of the mother's care than the healthy members of the home-circle. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 40

1  The benefit of confidence in God
6  Obedience is the best sacrifice
11  The sense of David's evils inflames his prayer

What do the individual words in Psalms 40:14 mean?

Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion mutual who seek my life to destroy let them be driven backward and brought to dishonor who wish me evil
יֵ֘בֹ֤שׁוּ וְיַחְפְּר֨וּ ׀ יַחַד֮ מְבַקְשֵׁ֥י נַפְשִׁ֗י לִסְפּ֫וֹתָ֥הּ יִסֹּ֣גוּ אָ֭חוֹר וְיִכָּלְמ֑וּ חֲ֝פֵצֵ֗י רָעָתִֽי

יֵ֘בֹ֤שׁוּ  Let  them  be  ashamed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בֹּושׁ 
Sense: to put to shame, be ashamed, be disconcerted, be disappointed.
וְיַחְפְּר֨וּ ׀  and  brought  to  confusion 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: חָפַר  
Sense: to be ashamed, be confounded, be abashed, feel abashed.
יַחַד֮  mutual 
Parse: Adverb
Root: יַחַד 
Sense: union, unitedness adv.
מְבַקְשֵׁ֥י  who  seek 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: בָּקַשׁ  
Sense: to seek, require, desire, exact, request.
נַפְשִׁ֗י  my  life 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
לִסְפּ֫וֹתָ֥הּ  to  destroy 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person feminine singular
Root: סָפָה  
Sense: to sweep or snatch away, catch up, destroy, consume.
יִסֹּ֣גוּ  let  them  be  driven 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: סוּג  
Sense: to move, go, turn back, move away, backslide.
אָ֭חוֹר  backward 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָחֹור  
Sense: the back side, the rear.
וְיִכָּלְמ֑וּ  and  brought  to  dishonor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: כָּלַם  
Sense: to insult, shame, humiliate, blush, be ashamed, be put to shame, be reproached, be put to confusion, be humiliated.
חֲ֝פֵצֵ֗י  who  wish 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural construct
Root: חָפֵץ  
Sense: desiring, delighting in, having pleasure in.
רָעָתִֽי  me  evil 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.