Psalm 40:12 For troubles without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails within me.

◄ Psalm 40:12 ►

Parallel Verses

New International Version
For troubles without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails within me.

English Standard Version
For evils have encompassed me beyond number; my iniquities have overtaken me, and I cannot see; they are more than the hairs of my head; my heart fails me.

New American Standard Bible
For evils beyond number have surrounded me; My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see; They are more numerous than the hairs of my head, And my heart has failed me.

King James Bible
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.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For troubles without number have surrounded me; my sins have overtaken me; I am unable to see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my courage leaves me.

International Standard Version
Innumerable evils have surrounded me; my iniquities have overtaken me so that I cannot see. They are more in number than the hair on my head, and my courage has forsaken me.

American Standard Version
For innumerable evils have compassed me about; Mine iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up; They are more than the hairs of my head; And my heart hath failed me.

Douay-Rheims Bible
For evils without number have surrounded me; my iniquities have overtaken me, and I was not able to see. They are multiplied above the hairs of my head : and my heart hath forsaken me.

Darby Bible Translation
For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I cannot see; they are more than the hairs of my head: and my heart hath failed me.

Young's Literal Translation
For compassed me have evils innumerable, Overtaken me have mine iniquities, And I have not been able to see; They have been more than the hairs of my head, And my heart hath forsaken me.

Cross References

Luke 21:20
And when you shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is near.

Psalm 18:5
The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.

Psalm 19:12
Who can understand his errors? cleanse you me from secret faults.

Psalm 25:17
The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring you me out of my distresses.

Psalm 38:4
For my iniquities are gone over my head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.

Psalm 65:3
Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, you shall purge them away.

Psalm 69:4
They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head: they that would destroy me, being my enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.

Psalm 73:26
My flesh and my heart fails: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

Psalm 116:3
The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell got hold on me: I found trouble and sorrow.

Proverbs 5:22
His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be held with the cords of his sins.

Jump to Previous

Able Bent Compassed Encompassed Evils Failed Faileth Fails Hairs Head Heart Hold Iniquities Innumerable Look Numerous Overtaken Round Sins Strength Surround Surrounded Troubles Unnumbered Weight Within

Jump to Next

Commentaries

Matthew Henry's 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.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

12. evils—inflicted by others.

iniquities—or penal afflictions, and sometimes calamities in the wide sense. This meaning of the word is very common (Ps 31:11; 38:4; compare Ge 4:13, Cain's punishment; Ge 19:15, that of Sodom; 1Sa 28:10, of the witch of En-dor; also 2Sa 16:12; Job 19:29; Isa 5:18; 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; Ps 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 Lu 22:39-44, and the narrative of the scenes of Calvary.

my heart faileth me—(Mt 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 Lu 18:13, but exhaustion from suffering, as dimness of eyes (compare Ps 6:7; 13:3; 38:10). The whole context thus sustains the sense assigned to iniquities.