What does Psalms Chapter 40 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

The psalm blesses understanding of the poor and asks preservation and help. The speaker reports enemies’ words, whispered plans and a trusted companion’s betrayal. Mercy and raising are sought, with future nonrejoicing and a concluding blessing.

Chapter breakdown

The Latin incipit is Beatus qui intelligit. The separate heading interprets belief in Christ despite humble poverty, enemies' malice and Judas's treachery. The inscription is unto the end, for David himself. The poem blesses understanding concerning the needy and poor and promises delivery in the evil day. It asks the Lord to preserve, give life and earthly blessing and not surrender him to enemies, and help on the sorrowful bed, saying God turned his couch in sickness. These wishes remain distinct from a guarantee of a particular patient's recovery.

The speaker asks soul healing because he sinned against God. Enemies speak evil, asking when he will die and his name perish. If one came to see him, he spoke vanity, gathered iniquity inwardly and went out speaking to the same purpose. Enemies whispered and devised evils, determining an unjust word and asking whether the sleeping person will rise no more. The trusted man of peace who ate his bread greatly supplanted him; the text does not establish that this companion and the earlier visitor are identical.

He asks mercy and raising again and says he will requite them. He knows goodwill because his enemy shall not rejoice, a future expression. God upheld him through innocence and established him in His sight forever. The conclusion blesses Israel's God from eternity to eternity with two 'So be it' affirmations. No particular medical treatment, time to relief, or deepest-emotional-wound ranking is supplied.

The story inside

Opening: The psalm blesses understanding of the poor and asks preservation and help. Development: The speaker reports enemies’ words, whispered plans and a trusted companion’s betrayal. Conclusion: Mercy and raising are sought, with future nonrejoicing and a concluding blessing.

Lessons worth keeping

1
The psalm blesses understanding of the poor and asks preservation and help.
2
The speaker reports enemies’ words, whispered plans and a trusted companion’s betrayal.
3
Mercy and raising are sought, with future nonrejoicing and a concluding blessing.

Test your recall

Which images and requests does the speaker use, and what does the chapter leave unresolved?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 60106–60107
40:2. Blessed is he that understandeth concerning the needy and the poor: the Lord will deliver him in the evil day.
Lines 60131–60132
40:10. For even the man of my peace, in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, hath greatly supplanted me.
Lines 60143–60144
40:14. Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel from eternity to eternity. So be it. So be it.