Psalm 40 (39):17Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The Prophet declares that those who earnestly seek, praise, and consistently love You should be filled with perpetual joy. As they remain firmly anchored in Your love, grant them enduring happiness; for I request joy not only for those who love, but for all who continually possess a love that is pleasing in Your sight.

Let all who seek You, O Lord, rejoice and be glad. This sentiment—of rejoicing—can be understood, dear reader, as synonymous with joy, and if you care to explore further, you will find its distinction elaborated in (Psalms 9:3), where the declaration "I will rejoice and be glad in You" emphasizes that joy represents the utmost form of gladness. The expression here pertains to You rather than simply faith in You (let those who seek You, O Lord, find delight). Additionally, let them proclaim, "Let those who cherish Your salvation praise the Lord; let those who love Your salvation extol You, O Lord, continually." Salvation could be interpreted as the Incarnation of Christ, who has brought redemption to humanity. Thus, it is fitting for those who have been privileged to receive Your assistance to declare, "Let the Lord be magnified," meaning let the Lord be esteemed in the eyes of all.

God wishes for everyone to recognize His mercy, not just humanity alone. This is why He often rescues one of His servants repeatedly and shows His kindness to all, so that the faithful can see that His care for one reflects His care for all; for God is consistently the same. This reasoning is frequently employed by the Prophet in various contexts—not because he needs to convince God with such arguments, but because they serve to bolster our own faith. The Prophet makes it clear that he does not request anything solely for himself that does not pertain to the entire church. He intercedes for God to bring joy to all His faithful, providing them with a shared cause for gratitude, so that, reassured of His assistance, they may turn to Him more willingly.