Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame that say unto me, Aha, aha.
Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame ... Let all those that seek thee rejoice ... let such as love thy salvation say continually, The Lord be magnified. There are here two pairs, with the same petitions, in reverse order respectively. Psalms 40:13-14, 'Deliver me ... shame them that seek after my soul;' Psalms 40:14-15, 'Shame them ... let all those that seek thee rejoice, and magnify thee for thy salvation.' These petitions constitute the main body of the second part, and are introduced by Psalms 40:11-12, and concluded by Psalms 40:17. "Those that seek thee" form a beautiful contrast to "them that seek after my soul." "Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame" - i:e., for a reward of the shame with which they tried to load me. As their conduct to me is a shame, so let shame and desolation be their "reward" (cf. Psalms 70:3). The Hebrew х `al (H5921) `eqeb (H6118)] of "for a reward" is idiomatic, meaning on account of. L. de Dieu, after Septuagint, Vulgate, and Syriac, explains "shame" to be passive not active-the shame with which they are overwhelmed, 'Let them bear (i:e., be desolated with) their shame forthwith' (literally, upon the heel, as the Latin 'e vestigio'). I prefer the former view.
That say unto me, Aha, aha! - (Psalms 22:7-8; Psalms 35:21-22.) That say unto me, Aha, aha! - (Psalms 22:7-8; Psalms 35:21-22.)
Let all those that seek thee rejoice ... say continually, The Lord be magnified - (Psalms 35:27.)