Psalms 40:16

May all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; may those who love Your salvation always say, “The LORD be magnified!”

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — The psalmist addresses God, transitioning from personal distress to a communal prayer. This utterance occurs immediately after invoking shame upon his mockers and directly before pleading for divine attention to his own poverty and need.

The words — The Hebrew יָשִׂישׂוּ (ya.sisu) and יִשְׂמְחוּ (yis.me.chu) literally render as "may they exult" and "may they rejoice." These verbs establish the psalmist's explicit wish for those who seek God to experience public celebration.

The thread — The psalmist's prayer parallels Psalms 35:27, where vindicated believers shout for joy and magnify the Lord, and Psalms 68:3, where the righteous celebrate before God. It shares the salvation motif with Psalms 119:123, which describes eyes failing from looking for God's deliverance.

Why it lands — The text states that those who seek God must publicly declare His greatness and continually pursue His salvation. It requires the reader to direct their speech toward magnifying the Lord and to maintain active, unceasing pursuit of divine deliverance.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

יָ֘שִׂ֤ישׂוּya.Si.sumay they exult וְיִשְׂמְח֨וּ׀ve./yis.me.Chuand/ they may rejoiceבְּךָ֗be./Khain/ youכָּֽל־kal-all מְבַ֫קְשֶׁ֥יךָme.Vak.Shei./cha[those who] seek/ you יֹאמְר֣וּyo.me.Rumay they say תָ֭מִידTa.midcontinually יִגְדַּ֣לyig.Dalhe is great יְהוָ֑הYah.wehYahweh אֹֽ֝הֲבֵ֗י'o.ha.Vei[those who] love תְּשׁוּעָתֶֽךָ׃te.shu.'a.Te./kha<of> salvation/ your

King James Version

Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The Lord be magnified.

Cross-references

Psalms 35:27 May those who favor my vindication shout for joy and gladness; may they always say, “Exalted be the LORD who delights in His servant’s well-being.”
Psalms 68:3 But the righteous will be glad and rejoice before God; they will celebrate with joy.
Psalms 119:123 My eyes fail, looking for Your salvation, and for Your righteous promise.
Acts 19:17 This became known to all the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, and fear came over all of them. So the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor.
Psalms 22:26 The poor will eat and be satisfied; those who seek the LORD will praise Him. May your hearts live forever!
Psalms 105:3 Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
Isaiah 65:13 Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: “My servants will eat, but you will go hungry; My servants will drink, but you will go thirsty; My servants will rejoice, but you will be put to shame.
Luke 1:46 Then Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord,
Philippians 3:7 But whatever was gain to me I count as loss for the sake of Christ.
Psalms 119:111 Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart.