Psalms 40:17

17 Forsooth I am a beggar and poor; the Lord is busy of me (But I am a poor and needy man, yea, a beggar; Lord, help thou me). Thou art mine helper and my defender; my God, tarry thou not.

Psalms 40:17 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 40:17

But I [am] poor and needy
As Christ was literally, ( 2 Corinthians 8:9 ) ; and in a spiritual sense, when deserted by his Father, forsaken by his disciples, and surrounded by his enemies; and had the sins of his people, the curse of the law, and the wrath of God upon him;

[yet] the Lord thinketh upon me;
thinketh good for me, as the Targum; or thinks highly of me; has me in great esteem though despised of men, and in such a suffering state;

thou [art] my help and my deliverer;
he believed he should have what he prayed for, ( Psalms 40:13 ) ; see ( Isaiah 50:7-9 ) ;

make no tarrying, O my God;
which is a repetition of the request in ( Psalms 40:13 ) .

Psalms 40:17 In-Context

15 Bear they their confusion anon; that say to me, Well! well! in scorn. (Bear they their own shame at once/Be they ashamed at once; who scornfully say to me, Well! well!)
16 All men that seek thee, be fully joyful, and be glad in thee; and say they, that love thine health, The Lord be magnified ever[more]. (But let all those who seek thee, be very joyful, and be glad in thee; and let those who love thy salvation, or thy deliverance, say forevermore, The Lord be magnified.)
17 Forsooth I am a beggar and poor; the Lord is busy of me (But I am a poor and needy man, yea, a beggar; Lord, help thou me). Thou art mine helper and my defender; my God, tarry thou not.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.