Psalms 40
40
PSALM 40
Common Meter: 8,6,8,6
1I waited for the Lord my God,
and patiently did bear;
At length to me he did incline
my voice and cry to hear.
2He took me from a fearful pit,
and from the miry clay,
And on a rock he set my feet,
establishing my way.
3He put a new song in my mouth,
our God to magnify:
Many shall see it, and shall fear,
and on the Lord rely.
4O blessed is the man whose trust
upon the Lord relies;
Respecting not the proud, nor such
as turn aside to lies.
5O Lord my God, full many are
the wonders thou hast done;
Thy gracious thoughts to us-ward far
above all thoughts are gone:
In order none can reckon them
to thee: if them declare,
And speak of them I would, they more
than can be number'd are.
6No sacrifice nor offering
didst thou at all desire;
Mine ears thou bor'd: sin-off 'ring thou
and burnt didst not require:
7Then to the Lord these were my words,
I come, behold and see;
Within the volume of the book
it written is of me:
8To do thy will I take delight,
O thou my God that art;
Yea, that most holy law of thine
I have within my heart.
9Within the congregation great
I righteousness did preach:
Lo, thou dost know, O Lord, that I
refrained not my speech.
10I never did within my heart
conceal thy righteousness;
I thy salvation have declar'd,
and shown thy faithfulness:
Thy kindness, which most loving is,
concealed have not I,
Nor from the congregation great
have hid thy verity.
11Thy tender mercies, Lord, from me
O do thou not restrain;
Thy loving-kindness, and thy truth,
let them me still maintain.
12For ills past reck'ning compass me,
and mine iniquities
Such hold upon me taken have,
I cannot lift mine eyes:
They more than hairs are on mine head,
thence is my heart dismay'd.
13Be pleased, Lord, to rescue me;
Lord, hasten to mine aid.
14Sham'd and confounded be they all
that seek my soul to kill;
Yea, let them backward driven be,
and sham'd, that wish me ill.
15For a reward of this their shame
confounded let them be.
That in this manner scoffing say,
Aha, aha! to me.
16In thee let all be glad, and joy,
who seeking thee abide;
Who thy salvation love, say still,
The Lord be magnify'd.
17I'm poor and needy, yet the Lord
of me a care doth take:
Thou art my help and saviour,
my God, no tarrying make.
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Psalms 40: MP1650
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maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society
Psalms 40
40
Gratitude and Prayer for Help
1For the leader. A psalm of David.
A
2Surely, I wait for the Lord;
who bends down to me and hears my cry,#Lam 3:25.
3Draws me up from the pit of destruction,
out of the muddy clay,#Ps 28:1; 30:4; 69:3, 15–16; 88:5; Prv 1:12; Jon 2:7.
Sets my feet upon rock,
steadies my steps,
4And puts a new song#A new song: a song in response to the new action of God (cf. Ps 33:3; 96:1; 144:9; 149:1; Is 42:10). Giving thanks is not purely a human response but is itself a divine gift. in my mouth,#Ps 33:3.
a hymn to our God.
Many shall look on in fear
and they shall trust in the Lord.
5Blessed the man who sets
his security in the Lord,
who turns not to the arrogant
or to those who stray after falsehood.#Ps 1:1; Prv 16:20; Jer 17:7.
6You, yes you, O Lord, my God,
have done many wondrous deeds!
And in your plans for us
there is none to equal you.#Ps 35:10.
Should I wish to declare or tell them,
too many are they to recount.#Ps 71:15; 139:17–18.
7#Obedience is better than sacrifice (cf. 1 Sm 15:22; Is 1:10–20; Hos 6:6; Am 5:22–25; Mi 6:6–8; Acts 7:42–43 [quoting Am 5:25–26]). Heb 10:5–9 quotes the somewhat different Greek version and interprets it as Christ’s self-oblation.Sacrifice and offering you do not want;#Heb 10:5–7; Ps 51:18–19; Am 5:22; Hos 6:6; Is 1:11–15.
you opened my ears.
Holocaust and sin-offering you do not request;
8so I said, “See; I come
with an inscribed scroll written upon me.
9I delight to do your will, my God;
your law is in my inner being!”#Ps 37:31.
10When I sing of your righteousness
in a great assembly,
See, I do not restrain my lips;
as you, Lord, know.#Ps 22:23; 26:12; 35:18; 149:1.
11I do not conceal your righteousness
within my heart;
I speak of your loyalty and your salvation.
I do not hide your mercy or faithfulness from a great assembly.
12Lord, may you not withhold
your compassion from me;
May your mercy and your faithfulness
continually protect me.#Ps 89:34.
B
13But evils surround me
until they cannot be counted.
My sins overtake me,
so that I can no longer see.
They are more numerous than the hairs of my head;
my courage fails me.#Ps 38:5, 11; Ezr 9:6.
14Lord, graciously rescue me!#Ps 70:2–6; 71:12.
Come quickly to help me, Lord!
15May those who seek to destroy my life
be shamed and confounded.
Turn back in disgrace
those who desire my ruin.#Ps 35:4, 26.
16Let those who say to me “Aha!”#Ps 35:21, 25.
Be made desolate on account of their shame.
17While those who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you.
May those who long for your salvation
always say, “The Lord is great.”#Ps 35:27.
18Though I am afflicted and poor,
my Lord keeps me in mind.
You are my help and deliverer;
my God, do not delay!
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