Neville Goddard on Psalms 40:7

Executive Summary

Neville Goddard interprets the verse, “In the volume of the book, it is all about me,” as the key to understanding all of scripture. He teaches that the Bible is not a record of external, secular history concerning ancient peoples. Instead, it is a divine history, a personal biography or “family portrait” written entirely about you, the individual. This scriptural pattern is destined to unfold within your own consciousness as a series of profound, firsthand experiences.

Key Concepts

• The Bible is not secular history but is instead the divine history and personal biography of the individual.
• Every story and character in scripture, from Moses and the prophets to the Psalms, concerns a central character being formed within you.
• You are the true author of the book, having dictated its words before you fell asleep in consciousness.
• Understanding this truth is not an intellectual exercise but a direct, personal experience that unfolds within you.
• Once this pattern awakens in you, it creates an irresistible impulse to share this discovery with the world.

Detailed Explanation

Neville Goddard’s interpretation of Psalms 40:7 is that the entire Bible is about a single subject: you. He dismisses the conventional view of scripture as secular history, reframing it as a profound “divine history.” This means the whole book, from beginning to end, is your personal biography. The stories are not about external events or other people but are a symbolic portrait of a spiritual drama that takes place within the individual's own consciousness.

The central theme of this divine biography is the formation of a specific character within you. This character, identified as Jesus Christ, is the pattern that scripture is designed to fulfill in you. You are not merely a reader of this story; you are its author. The teaching suggests that you dictated the words of scripture and then fell asleep, forgetting your true identity. The book serves as the script for your eventual awakening to this identity through a series of mystical experiences, such as the revelation of the Father-Son relationship when David calls you Father.

This understanding is not meant to be a theory or speculation but a truth to be realized through direct experience. When the scriptural pattern finally unfolds within you, it is a climactic event that moves you from belief to knowing. This personal fulfillment of scripture is so profound that it generates an unrestrainable enthusiasm and an impulse to tell everyone the great secret: that the Bible is, and has always been, about them.

Important Quotes

He took everything from Scripture, and he said the Scripture is all about me, for “in the role of the Book, it is all about me”

— The Pattern Of Scripture Is Real

He says, “In the volume of the book – “which means the Bible – “it is written of me.” (Psalm 40:7, KJV2) For, from beginning to end, it’s all about that central character that is being formed in us.

— His Purpose

your biography is the Bible! Can you get any greater biography in the world than that? It’s all about you, written in the 40th Psalm.

— The Promise Fulfilled

“In the volume of the book, it is all about me. I delight to do Thy will, O My Lord,” [Psalm 40:7, 8]. It’s all about me: the Father and the Son.

— Who Is The Real Messiah

The “Family Portrait” is your portrait. It is all about you, as told you in the 40th Psalm: “In the volume of the book, it is all about me.”

— Family Portrait

Related Concepts

This interpretation directly connects to the teaching of The Promise. The source material explains that the scriptural pattern unfolding within you culminates in the experience of David calling you “Father.” This event is a central pillar of The Promise, confirming that the story written in the book is about your awakening to the reality of being God the Father.

Common Misunderstandings

The most common misunderstanding this interpretation corrects is the belief that the Bible is secular history. The source material explicitly states that the stories of Israel are divine history, a symbolic script about you, not a factual record of external events. Another correction is the idea that the characters in scripture are external historical figures; instead, the central character is a pattern being formed within your own consciousness.

Practical Applications

The primary application is to change how you read the Bible. Instead of reading it as a historical account of a people long ago, you are to read it as your own autobiography. See every story as a pattern that is destined to take place within you. The goal is not simply to understand this intellectually but to wait in faith for the script to come to life and unfold within you as a series of direct, personal experiences.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Neville teach that the Bible is a historical book?

No. Based on these passages, he teaches that the Bible is not secular history but 'divine history,' which is a symbolic story written entirely about you.

Who is the 'me' that the book is written about?

The 'me' is you, the individual reading the scripture. The book is your personal biography, detailing a spiritual pattern that is being formed within you.

What happens when someone realizes the Bible is about them?

When the scriptural pattern unfolds within you as a direct, personal experience, you move from theory to knowing. This realization brings an ecstatic feeling and an uncontrollable impulse to share this truth with others.