Click
here to show/hide instructions.
Instructions on how to use the page:
The commentary for the selected verse is is displayed below.
All commentary was produced against the King James, so the same verse from that translation may appear as well. Hovering your mouse over a commentary's scripture reference attempts to show those verses.
Use the browser's back button to return to the previous page.
Or you can also select a feature from the Just Verses menu appearing at the top of the page.
Selected Verse: Psalms 40:12 - Strong Concordance
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Ps 40:12 |
Strong Concordance |
For innumerable [04557] evils [07451] have compassed [0661] me about: mine iniquities [05771] have taken hold [05381] upon me, so that I am not able [03201] to look up [07200]; they are more [06105] than the hairs [08185] of mine head [07218]: therefore my heart [03820] faileth [05800] me. |
| |
King James |
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. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
evils--inflicted by others.
iniquities--or penal afflictions, and sometimes calamities in the wide sense. This meaning of the word is very common (Psa 31:11; Psa 38:4; compare Gen 4:13, Cain's punishment; Gen 19:15, that of Sodom; Sa1 28:10, of the witch of En-dor; also Sa2 16:12; Job 19:29; Isa 5:18; Isa 53:11). This meaning of the word is also favored by the clause, "taken hold of me," which follows, which can be said appropriately of sufferings, but not of sins (compare Job 27:20; Psa 69:24). Thus, the difficulties in referring this Psalm to Christ, arising from the usual reading of this verse, are removed. Of the terrible afflictions, or sufferings, alluded to and endured for us, compare Luk 22:39-44, and the narrative of the scenes of Calvary.
my heart faileth me-- (Mat 26:38), "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death."
cannot look up--literally, "I cannot see," not denoting the depression of conscious guilt, as Luk 18:13, but exhaustion from suffering, as dimness of eyes (compare Psa 6:7; Psa 13:3; Psa 38:10). The whole context thus sustains the sense assigned to iniquities. |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
For innumerable evils have compassed me about - Have surrounded me, or have beset me on every side. The evils here referred to, understood as being those which came upon the Messiah, were sorrows that came upon him in consequence of his undertaking to do what could not be done by sacrifices and offerings Psa 40:6; that is, his undertaking to save men by his own "obedience unto death." The time referred to here, I apprehend, is that when the full effects of his having assumed the sins of the world to make expiation for them came upon him; when he was about to endure the agonies of Gethsemane and Calvary.
Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me - On this passage, as constituting one of the main objections, and the strongest objection, to the application of the psalm to the Messiah, and on the way in which such objection may be met, see introduction to this psalm (3b).
So that I am not able to look up - This is not the exact idea of the Hebrew word. That is simply, I am not able to see; and it refers to the dimness or failure of sight caused by distress, weakness, or old age. Sa1 3:2; Sa1 4:15; Kg1 14:4; compare Psa 6:7. The idea here is, not that he was unable to look up, but that the calamities which came upon him were so heavy and severe as to make his sight dim, or to deprive him of vision. Either by weeping, or by the mere pressure of suffering, he was so affected as almost to be deprived of the power of seeing.
They are more than the hairs of mine head - That is, the sorrows that come upon me in connection with sin. The idea is that they were innumerable - the hairs of the head, or the sands on the seashore; being employed in the Scriptures to denote what cannot be numbered. See Psa 69:4. Compare Gen 22:17; Gen 32:12; Jos 11:4; Sa2 17:11.
Therefore my heart faileth me - Margin, as in Hebrew: "forsaketh." The idea is that he sank under these sufferings; he could not sustain them. |
| Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78] |
| Now, in accordance with the true art of prayer, petition developes itself out of thanksgiving. The two כּלא, Psa 40:10 and here, stand in a reciprocal relation to one another: he refrained not his lips; therefore, on His part, let not Jahve withhold His tender mercies so that they should not be exercised towards him (ממּנּי). There is just the same correlation of mercy and truth in Psa 40:11 and here: he wishes continually to stand under the protection of these two saving powers, which he has gratefully proclaimed before all Israel. With כּי, Psa 40:13, he bases these desires upon his own urgent need. רעות are the evils, which come even upon the righteous (Psa 34:20) as trials or as chastenings. אפפוּ עלי is a more circumstantial form of expression instead of אפפוּני, Psa 18:5. His misdeeds have taken hold upon him, i.e., overtaken him in their consequences (השּׂיג, as in Deu 28:15, Deu 28:45; cf. לכד, Pro 5:22), inasmuch as they have changed into decrees of suffering. He cannot see, because he is closely encompassed on all sides, and a free and open view is thereby altogether taken from him (the expression is used elsewhere of loss of sight, Sa1 3:2; Sa1 4:15; Kg1 14:4). The interpretation adopted by Hupfeld and Hitzig: I am not able to survey, viz., their number, puts into the expression more than it really expresses in the common usage of the language. His heart, i.e., the power of vital consistence, has forsaken him he is disconcerted, dejected, as it were driven to despair (Psa 38:11). This feeling of the misery of sin is not opposed to the date of the Psalm being assigned to the time of Saul, vid., on Psa 31:11. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| Taken hold - Mens sins are figuratively said to take hold of them, as an officer takes hold of a man whom he arrests. To look - Unto God or men, with any comfort: I am ashamed and confounded. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
Innumerable evils have compassed me about - This part does not comport with the preceding; and either argues a former experience, or must be considered a part of another Psalm, written at a different time, and on another occasion, and, were we to prefix the two first verses of the seventieth Psalm to it we should find it to be a Psalm as complete in itself as that is.
They are more than the hairs of mine head - This could not be said by any person who was exulting in the pardoning mercy of God, as David was at the time he penned the commencement of this Psalm. |
10 My heart [03820] panteth [05503], my strength [03581] faileth [05800] me: as for the light [0216] of mine eyes [05869], it [01992] also is gone [0369] from me.
3 Consider [05027] and hear [06030] me, O LORD [03068] my God [0430]: lighten [0215] mine eyes [05869], lest I sleep [03462] the sleep of death [04194];
7 Mine eye [05869] is consumed [06244] because of grief [03708]; it waxeth old [06275] because of all mine enemies [06887].
13 And [2532] the publican [5057], standing [2476] afar off [3113], would [2309] not [3756] lift up [1869] so much as [3761] his eyes [3788] unto [1519] heaven [3772], but [235] smote [5180] upon [1519] his [846] breast [4738], saying [3004], God [2316] be merciful [2433] to me [3427] a sinner [268].
38 Then [5119] saith he [3004] unto them [846], My [3450] soul [5590] is [2076] exceeding sorrowful [4036], even unto [2193] death [2288]: tarry ye [3306] here [5602], and [2532] watch [1127] with [3326] me [1700].
39 And [2532] he came out [1831], and went [4198], as [2596] he was wont [1485], to [1519] the mount [3735] of Olives [1636]; and [1161] his [846] disciples [3101] also [2532] followed [190] him [846].
40 And [1161] when he was [1096] at [1909] the place [5117], he said [2036] unto them [846], Pray [4336] that ye enter [1525] not [3361] into [1519] temptation [3986].
41 And [2532] he [846] was withdrawn [645] from [575] them [846] about [5616] a stone's [3037] cast [1000], and [2532] kneeled down [5087] [1119], and prayed [4336],
42 Saying [3004], Father [3962], if [1487] thou be willing [1014], remove [3911] [3911] this [5124] cup [4221] from [575] me [1700]: nevertheless [4133] not [3361] my [3450] will [2307], but [235] thine [4674], be done [1096].
43 And [1161] there appeared [3700] an angel [32] unto him [846] from [575] heaven [3772], strengthening [1765] him [846].
44 And [2532] being [1096] in [1722] an agony [74] he prayed [4336] more earnestly [1617]: and [1161] his [846] sweat [2402] was [1096] as it were [5616] great drops [2361] of blood [129] falling down [2597] to [1909] the ground [1093].
24 Pour out [08210] thine indignation [02195] upon them, and let thy wrathful [02740] anger [0639] take hold [05381] of them.
20 Terrors [01091] take hold [05381] on him as waters [04325], a tempest [05492] stealeth him away [01589] in the night [03915].
11 He shall see [07200] of the travail [05999] of his soul [05315], and shall be satisfied [07646]: by his knowledge [01847] shall my righteous [06662] servant [05650] justify [06663] many [07227]; for he shall bear [05445] their iniquities [05771].
18 Woe [01945] unto them that draw [04900] iniquity [05771] with cords [02256] of vanity [07723], and sin [02403] as it were with a cart [05699] rope [05688]:
29 Be ye afraid [01481] of the sword [02719]: for wrath [02534] bringeth the punishments [05771] of [06440] the sword [02719], that ye may know [03045] there is a judgment [01779] [01779].
12 It may be that the LORD [03068] will look [07200] on mine affliction [05869] [06040], and that the LORD [03068] will requite [07725] me good [02896] for his cursing [07045] this day [03117].
10 And Saul [07586] sware [07650] to her by the LORD [03068], saying [0559], As the LORD [03068] liveth [02416], there shall [0518] no punishment [05771] happen [07136] to thee for this thing [01697].
15 And when [03644] the morning [07837] arose [05927], then the angels [04397] hastened [0213] Lot [03876], saying [0559], Arise [06965], take [03947] thy wife [0802], and thy two [08147] daughters [01323], which are here [04672]; lest thou be consumed [05595] in the iniquity [05771] of the city [05892].
13 And Cain [07014] said [0559] unto the LORD [03068], My punishment [05771] is greater [01419] than I can bear [05375].
4 For mine iniquities [05771] are gone over [05674] mine head [07218]: as an heavy [03515] burden [04853] they are too heavy [03513] for me.
11 I was a reproach [02781] among all mine enemies [06887], but especially [03966] among my neighbours [07934], and a fear [06343] to mine acquaintance [03045]: they that did see [07200] me without [02351] fled [05074] from me.
11 Therefore I counsel [03289] that all Israel [03478] be generally [0622] gathered [0622] unto thee, from Dan [01835] even to Beersheba [0884], as the sand [02344] that is by the sea [03220] for multitude [07230]; and that thou go [01980] to battle [07128] in thine own person [06440].
4 And they went out [03318], they and all their hosts [04264] with them, much [07227] people [05971], even as the sand [02344] that is upon the sea [03220] shore [08193] in multitude [07230], with horses [05483] and chariots [07393] very [03966] many [07227].
12 And thou saidst [0559], I will surely [03190] do thee good [03190], and make [07760] thy seed [02233] as the sand [02344] of the sea [03220], which cannot be numbered [05608] for multitude [07230].
17 That in blessing [01288] I will bless [01288] thee, and in multiplying [07235] I will multiply [07235] thy seed [02233] as the stars [03556] of the heaven [08064], and as the sand [02344] which is upon the sea [03220] shore [08193]; and thy seed [02233] shall possess [03423] the gate [08179] of his enemies [0341];
4 They that hate [08130] me without a cause [02600] are more [07231] than the hairs [08185] of mine head [07218]: they that would destroy [06789] me, being mine enemies [0341] wrongfully [08267], are mighty [06105]: then I restored [07725] that which I took not away [01497].
7 Mine eye [05869] is consumed [06244] because of grief [03708]; it waxeth old [06275] because of all mine enemies [06887].
4 And Jeroboam's [03379] wife [0802] did so [06213], and arose [06965], and went [03212] to Shiloh [07887], and came [0935] to the house [01004] of Ahijah [0281]. But Ahijah [0281] could [03201] not see [07200]; for his eyes [05869] were set [06965] by reason of his age [07869].
15 Now Eli [05941] was ninety [08673] and eight [08083] years [08141] old [01121]; and his eyes [05869] were dim [06965], that he could [03201] not see [07200].
2 And it came to pass at that time [03117], when Eli [05941] was laid down [07901] in his place [04725], and his eyes [05869] began [02490] to wax dim [03544], that he could [03201] not see [07200];
6 Sacrifice [02077] and offering [04503] thou didst not desire [02654]; mine ears [0241] hast thou opened [03738]: burnt offering [05930] and sin offering [02401] hast thou not required [07592].
11 I was a reproach [02781] among all mine enemies [06887], but especially [03966] among my neighbours [07934], and a fear [06343] to mine acquaintance [03045]: they that did see [07200] me without [02351] fled [05074] from me.
11 My lovers [0157] and my friends [07453] stand [05975] aloof from [05048] my sore [05061]; and my kinsmen [07138] stand [05975] afar off [07350].
4 And Jeroboam's [03379] wife [0802] did so [06213], and arose [06965], and went [03212] to Shiloh [07887], and came [0935] to the house [01004] of Ahijah [0281]. But Ahijah [0281] could [03201] not see [07200]; for his eyes [05869] were set [06965] by reason of his age [07869].
15 Now Eli [05941] was ninety [08673] and eight [08083] years [08141] old [01121]; and his eyes [05869] were dim [06965], that he could [03201] not see [07200].
2 And it came to pass at that time [03117], when Eli [05941] was laid down [07901] in his place [04725], and his eyes [05869] began [02490] to wax dim [03544], that he could [03201] not see [07200];
22 His own iniquities [05771] shall take [03920] the wicked [07563] himself, and he shall be holden [08551] with the cords [02256] of his sins [02403].
45 Moreover all these curses [07045] shall come [0935] upon thee, and shall pursue [07291] thee, and overtake [05381] thee, till thou be destroyed [08045]; because thou hearkenedst [08085] not unto the voice [06963] of the LORD [03068] thy God [0430], to keep [08104] his commandments [04687] and his statutes [02708] which he commanded [06680] thee:
15 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken [08085] unto the voice [06963] of the LORD [03068] thy God [0430], to observe [08104] to do [06213] all his commandments [04687] and his statutes [02708] which I command [06680] thee this day [03117]; that all these curses [07045] shall come [0935] upon thee, and overtake [05381] thee:
5 The sorrows [02256] of hell [07585] compassed me about [05437]: the snares [04170] of death [04194] prevented [06923] me.
20 He keepeth [08104] all his bones [06106]: not one [0259] of them [02007] is broken [07665].
13 Be pleased [07521], O LORD [03068], to deliver [05337] me: O LORD [03068], make haste [02363] to help [05833] me.
11 Withhold [03607] not thou thy tender mercies [07356] from me, O LORD [03068]: let thy lovingkindness [02617] and thy truth [0571] continually [08548] preserve [05341] me.
10 I have not hid [03680] thy righteousness [06666] within [08432] my heart [03820]; I have declared [0559] thy faithfulness [0530] and thy salvation [08668]: I have not concealed [03582] thy lovingkindness [02617] and thy truth [0571] from the great [07227] congregation [06951].