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May those be appalled because of their shame Who say to me, “Aha, aha!”
Psalms 40:15 · New American Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB Let them be desolate by reason of their shame that tell me, “Aha! Aha!”
  • KJV Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame that say unto me, Aha, aha.
  • BSB May those who say to me, “Aha, aha!” be appalled at their own shame.
  • NKJV Let them be confounded because of their shame, Who say to me, “Aha, aha!”
  • NLT Let them be horrified by their shame, for they said, “Aha! We’ve got him now!”

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

He prays that mockers who jeer 'Aha!' be appalled at their own shame. Those who scorn the righteous will themselves be confounded.

Overview

David desires that his enemies' derision recoil upon them in disgrace. The taunt 'Aha! Aha!' captures their cruel mockery. Leaving such mockers to God's judgment, the psalmist trusts the Lord to reverse their scorn.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 8

  • Ps 35:21Yes, they opened their mouth wide against me. They said, “Aha! Aha! Our eye has seen it!”
  • Ps 35:25Don’t let them say in their heart, “Aha! That’s the way we want it!” Don’t let them say, “We have swallowed him up!”
  • Ps 69:24–25Pour out your indignation on them. Let the fierceness of your anger overtake them.
  • Luke 19:43–44For the days will come on you, when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you, surround you, hem you in on every side,
  • Ps 73:19How they are suddenly destroyed! They are completely swept away with terrors.
  • Ps 70:3–4Let them be turned because of their shame Who say, “Aha! Aha!”
  • Luke 21:23–24Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who nurse infants in those days! For there will be great distress in the land, and wrath to this people.
  • Ps 109:6–20Set a wicked man over him. Let an adversary stand at his right hand.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (1)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Psalms videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Psalms 40:15YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on PsalmsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.

How Psalms 40:15 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.