What is the meaning of Psalm 40:15? May those David begins with a direct appeal to God: “May those…”. He is not taking vengeance into his own hands but entrusting justice to the Lord, just as Romans 12:19 urges believers to “leave room for God’s wrath.” Similar prayers appear in Psalm 35:4–6 and Psalm 109:1–5, revealing a consistent biblical pattern: God’s people call on Him to act against persistent, unrepentant enemies. who say to me The hostility is personal. “Those who say to me” shows the attack is aimed directly at David, much like the mockers surrounding Jesus in Luke 23:35. Scripture repeatedly affirms that God notices individual suffering (Psalm 56:8) and will vindicate His servants (Isaiah 54:17). "Aha, aha!" This taunt is the sneer of contempt. The same derisive cry appears in Psalm 35:21 (“They open their mouths wide against me and say, ‘Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen!’”) and in Mark 15:29 at the cross. It exposes a heart that rejoices in the apparent downfall of the righteous—something God explicitly condemns (Proverbs 24:17–18; Ezekiel 25:3). be appalled at their own shame David’s request is that the mockers “be appalled at their own shame”. Rather than asking for personal triumph, he seeks that their disgrace become obvious—forcing them to confront the evil they celebrated. Psalm 35:26 and Psalm 70:3 voice the same desire. New Testament writers echo the principle: opposition to God’s people ultimately backfires (1 Peter 3:16; Philippians 1:28). The prayer assumes God will reverse the situation, turning ridicule into regret and vindicating His child. summary Psalm 40:15 is a faithful believer’s cry for God to overturn mockery. David appeals to the Lord to deal decisively with scoffers, confident that those who gloat over righteousness will one day be stunned by their own disgrace. The verse reminds us that God hears, God sees, and God will set everything right—turning every “Aha!” of scorn into astonishment at His justice. |