Poor and Needy- Psalm 40

 Poor and Needy- Psalm 40

May 15, 2025

Our pastor was teaching on Psalm 40 last night. This has always been one of my favorite psalms but he was able to bring out some new thoughts on it. One is the difficulty in translating the original languages into modern English. He was using the New Living Translation, which flows more smoothly with contemporary language, but which can miss some of the subtle meaning of the original Hebrew. A case in point is found in the final verses of the psalm.

Psalm 40:16-17 NLT

16 But may all who search for you

be filled with joy and gladness in you.

May those who love your salvation repeatedly shout, “The LORD is great!”

17 As for me, since I am poor ^h6041 and needy ^h0034 , let the Lord keep me in his thoughts.

You are my helper and my savior.

O my God, do not delay.

A comparison with the New American Standard Bible is helpful:

Psalms 40:16-17 NASB

16 Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;

Let those who love Your salvation say continually,

“The LORD be magnified!”

17 Since I am afflicted and needy,

Let the Lord be mindful of me.

You are my help and my deliverer;

Do not delay, O my God.

The difficulty is the use of “poor and needy” in verse 17. King David was never financially poor. Even as a child, he was a shepherd, but the flocks belonged to his father, then as an adult he became king. So in what respects was he “poor and needy”? The NASB is a bit better as it translates this as “afflicted and needy”. The Hebrew words are “ani”and “ebyon”:

h6041. עָנִי ani; from 6031a; poor, afflicted, humble:--

h0034. אֶבְיוֹן ebyon; from 14; in want, needy, poor:--

This is similar to “poor in spirit” used in the beatitudes:

Mt 5:3- blessed are the poor g4434 in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

g4434. πτωχός ptōchos ; adj. from πτώσσω ptōssō (to crouch, cower); (of one who crouches and cowers, hence) beggarly, poor:--

The sense here is that even in the midst of trials and tribulations, be should have a humble attitude and rejoice in the Lord who will deliver you. No matter the problem, our Lord is able to save. We need to say continually “The Lord be magnified”, regardless of the circumstances of life. An attitude of gratitude will help raise us up out of that pit of miry clay (verse 2) and set our feet on the Rock where we can proclaim the Lord’s goodness to all who will hear. Like Paul and Silas singing hymns while in prison, praise and thanksgiving will lift up our spirit and break the chains that bind us. Who knows what that can mean to those around us who hear us praising God in dire circumstances. In the case of Paul and Silas the jailer and all his family got saved. So don’t look down at your circumstances, but look up to the Lord and praise the One who is your help and your deliverer.