The Meaning of Psalms 40:5 Explained

Psalms 40:5

KJV: Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.

YLT: Much hast Thou done, Jehovah my God; Thy wonders and Thy thoughts toward us, There is none to arrange unto Thee, I declare and speak: They have been more than to be numbered.

Darby: Thou, O Jehovah my God, hast multiplied thy marvellous works, and thy thoughts toward us: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee; would I declare and speak them, they are more than can be numbered.

ASV: Many, O Jehovah my God, are the wonderful works which thou hast done, And thy thoughts which are to us-ward; They cannot be set in order unto thee; If I would declare and speak of them, They are more than can be numbered.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Many,  O LORD  my God,  [are] thy wonderful  works [which] thou hast done,  and thy thoughts  [which are] to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order  unto thee: [if] I would declare  and speak  [of them], they are more  than can be numbered. 

What does Psalms 40:5 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Lord"s wonderful acts for the righteous are too numerous to recount fully, much less His beneficent thoughts. No one can compare with Yahweh regarding His gracious plans to bless.

Context Summary

Psalms 40:1-10 - A Joyous Testimony
This psalm follows appropriately on the two former, in which the psalmist had been detailing his sufferings. Here he celebrates deliverance. But a Greater than David is here. Hebrews 10:5-7 puts Psalms 40:6-8 upon the lips of Christ, and we hear His voice speaking through these olden words.
In deep distress, Psalms 40:1-3, what can the soul do but wait patiently until the Lord inclines and hears? The horrible pit is a "pit of roaring;" that is, a ravine where the deep waters rush and roar. What Jeremiah experienced literally, Jeremiah 38:6, we pass through spiritually. But God will leave no child of His there; He will lift him to stand on the rock, his mouth filled with songs.
When we are delivered let us set our gladness to music and embody it in renewed consecration, Psalms 40:4-10. Let us not hide God's love in our hearts, but tell it out. The bored ear, Psalms 40:6, in reference to Exodus 21:6, means obedience forever, absolute consecration, the glad submission of the will. This is dearer to God than the most elaborate ceremonial or ritual. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 40

1  The benefit of confidence in God
6  Obedience is the best sacrifice
11  The sense of David's evils inflames his prayer

What do the individual words in Psalms 40:5 mean?

Many [are] which have done You Yahweh my God Your wonderful works and Your thoughts toward us [Can] not be recounted in order to You [If] I would declare and speak [of them] they are more than can be numbered
רַבּ֤וֹת עָשִׂ֨יתָ ׀ אַתָּ֤ה ׀ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהַי֮ נִֽפְלְאֹתֶ֥יךָ וּמַחְשְׁבֹתֶ֗יךָ אֵ֫לֵ֥ינוּ אֵ֤ין ׀ עֲרֹ֬ךְ אֵלֶ֗יךָ אַגִּ֥ידָה וַאֲדַבֵּ֑רָה עָ֝צְמ֗וּ מִסַּפֵּֽר

רַבּ֤וֹת  Many  [are] 
Parse: Adjective, feminine plural
Root: רַב 
Sense: much, many, great.
עָשִׂ֨יתָ ׀  which  have  done 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
יְהוָ֣ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהַי֮  my  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
נִֽפְלְאֹתֶ֥יךָ  Your  wonderful  works 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Participle, feminine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: פָּלָא  
Sense: to be marvellous, be wonderful, be surpassing, be extraordinary, separate by distinguishing action.
וּמַחְשְׁבֹתֶ֗יךָ  and  Your  thoughts 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: מַחֲשָׁבָה  
Sense: thought, device.
אֵ֫לֵ֥ינוּ  toward  us 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
אֵ֤ין ׀  [Can]  not 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
עֲרֹ֬ךְ  be  recounted  in  order 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: עָרַךְ  
Sense: to arrange, set or put or lay in order, set in array, prepare, order, ordain, handle, furnish, esteem, equal, direct, compare.
אֵלֶ֗יךָ  to  You 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
אַגִּ֥ידָה  [If]  I  would  declare 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect Cohortative, first person common singular
Root: נָגַד  
Sense: to be conspicuous, tell, make known.
וַאֲדַבֵּ֑רָה  and  speak  [of  them] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative, first person common singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
עָ֝צְמ֗וּ  they  are  more 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: עָצַם 
Sense: to be vast, be numerous, be mighty.
מִסַּפֵּֽר  than  can  be  numbered 
Parse: Preposition-m, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: סָפַר 
Sense: to count, recount, relate.