Psalm 40:13

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

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(13) Be pleased.—From this verse onwards, with some trifling variations which will be noticed under that psalm, this passage occurs as Psalms 70, where see Notes.

Benson Commentary

Psalm 40:13-16. Be pleased to deliver me — From my sins, and the punishment due to them. Let them be ashamed — For the disappointment of their hopes and designs. That seek after my soul — That is, my life. Let them be desolate — Or, They shall be desolate, or dismayed, or overthrown, as ישׁמו, jashommu, also signifies. For a reward of their shame — That is, Their sinful and shameful actions, as shame is put for a shameful idol, Hosea 9:10, and as fear is often put for the evil feared. Let such as love thy salvation — That great salvation of which the prophets inquired and searched diligently, and which the Redeemer undertook to work out, when he said, Psalm 40:7, Lo! I come. All that shall be saved love God’s salvation, which is not only a salvation from hell, but a salvation from sin. Say continually, The Lord be magnified — Let them have continual occasion to magnify Jehovah for his mercies vouchsafed to them.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

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 triumphed over our spiritual enemies, then we, through him, shall be more than conquerors. This may encourage all that seek God and love his salvation, to rejoice in him, and to praise him. No griefs nor poverty can render those miserable who fear the Lord. Their God, and all that he has or does, is the ground of their joy. The prayer of faith can unlock his fulness, which is adapted to all their wants. The promises are sure, the moment of fulfilment hastens forward. He who once came in great humility, shall come again in glorious majesty.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me - That is, in these troubles and sorrows. See Matthew 26:39. The prayer is that, if possible, the cup of sorrow might be taken away.

O Lord, make haste to help me - This is the same form of prayer, and referring, I suppose, to the same occasion as that which occurs in Psalm 22:19. See the notes at that verse.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

13. (Compare Ps 22:19).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Deliver me from my sins, and the punishments due to them.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me,.... From the innumerable evils which compassed him about; from sinful men, and from devils, signified by the sword, dog, and lion, Psalm 22:20; and from the power and dominion of death and the grave; all which was done when he was raised from the dead, and as the fruit and effect of God's well pleasedness in him, and with what he did and suffered; see Psalm 22:8;

O Lord, make haste to help me; See Gill on Psalm 22:19.

Geneva Study Bible

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

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

13. Psalm 40:13-17 recur as Psalms 70, with some verbal variations.

Be pleased] An echo of ‘thy good pleasure’ (‘thy will’) in Psalm 40:8. The word is omitted in Psalms 70, and in the first line, though not in the second, God is substituted for Lord, according to the usual rule in Book II See Introd., p. lv f.

make haste to hell me] Cp. Psalm 38:22; Psalm 22:19.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 13. - Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver us. Though one deliverance is just effected (ver. 2), it is not enough; something more is required. The psalmist's life is still threatened by enemies (ver. 14); he is still scoffed at and flouted (ver. 15). O Lord, make haste to help me; literally, Lord, make haste to my help (comp. Psalm 22:19; Psalm 31:2; Psalm 38:22). The Church follows the example set, when she says in her versicles, "O God, make speed to save us. O Lord, make haste to help us." Psalm 40:13

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Now, in accordance with the true art of prayer, petition developes itself out of thanksgiving. The two כּלא, Psalm 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 Psalm 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, Psalm 40:13, he bases these desires upon his own urgent need. רעות are the evils, which come even upon the righteous (Psalm 34:20) as trials or as chastenings. אפפוּ עלי is a more circumstantial form of expression instead of אפפוּני, Psalm 18:5. His misdeeds have taken hold upon him, i.e., overtaken him in their consequences (השּׂיג, as in Deuteronomy 28:15, Deuteronomy 28:45; cf. לכד, Proverbs 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, 1 Samuel 3:2; 1 Samuel 4:15; 1 Kings 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 (Psalm 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 Psalm 31:11.