Psalms 40:15 Meaning and Explanation
“Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame that say unto me, Aha, aha.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Those who mock and taunt the psalmist will experience desolation as judgment.
The Context of Psalms 40:15
Mockers who gloat over suffering will face desolation as their due reward.
What Does Psalms 40:15 Mean?
The 'Aha, aha' represents contemptuous mockery—the sneer of enemies who rejoice in suffering. These are not neutral parties but active adversaries who gloat over the psalmist's pain. The petition is that they face desolation—emptiness, loss, ruin—as just consequence.
The phrase 'for a reward of their shame' suggests a righteous reversal. Their mockery and malice bring them not honor but disgrace and ruin. The psalmist's confidence is that God sees this injustice and judges it. Justice will restore balance.
Psalms 40:15 in the Original Language
shamem (שׁמַם), 'desolate'—to be laid waste, devastated; can mean astonished or appalled, but here connotes utter ruin.
Frequently Asked Questions About Psalms 40:15
What does Psalms 40:15 mean?
Those who mock and taunt the psalmist will experience desolation as judgment.
What is the context of Psalms 40:15?
Mockers who gloat over suffering will face desolation as their due reward.