Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 40:14

"Let them be put to shame and confounded together That seek after my soul to destroy it: Let them be turned backward and brought to dishonor That delight in my hurt." — Psalms 40:14 (ASV)

Let them be ashamed and confounded together - See the notes on Psalm 35:4 and Psalm 35:26. This phrase may be understood here more as a confident expectation than a wish or desire. It implies the certainty that they would indeed be ashamed and confounded; that is, they would not be successful, or would be thwarted in their purposes.

However, understood as a wish or prayer, it could not be improper. There is no sin in wishing that the wicked may not succeed in their plans and may not be allowed to injure us.

As the language of the Messiah, it was in every way an appropriate prayer that the purposes of those who would defeat His design in coming into the world might be thwarted—for on the execution of that design depended the salvation of a lost race.

That seek after my soul to destroy it - This means those who seek my life, who would destroy me. That is, they seek to kill me; they would take my life before the full time has come.

As understood of the Messiah, this would refer to the times when His life was in danger, as it often was, before the full period had arrived for Him to die (John 7:6; Matthew 26:18). The purpose of His enemies was to take His life, to prevent the spread of His doctrines, and to check Him in His work.

Taking His life at any time before the full period had arrived, or in any other way than that in which He had purposed to lay it down, would have been a defeat of His work. This is because, in the plan of salvation, it was contemplated that He should die at a certain time and in a certain manner—that He should die at the time predicted by the prophets and in such a way as to make an atonement for sin. All this would have been defeated if, before that time came, He had been put to death by stoning or in any of the numerous ways His life was threatened.

Let them be driven backward, and put to shame, that wish me evil - This means turned backward, as are those who are unsuccessful or defeated .