Faith Persevering in Trial(A)

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

40 I (B)waited patiently for the Lord;
And He inclined to me,
And heard my cry.
He also brought me up out of a horrible pit,
Out of (C)the miry clay,
And (D)set my feet upon a rock,
And established my steps.
(E)He has put a new song in my mouth—
Praise to our God;
Many will see it and fear,
And will trust in the Lord.

(F)Blessed is that man who makes the Lord his trust,
And does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
(G)Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works
Which You have done;
(H)And Your thoughts toward us
Cannot be recounted to You in order;
If I would declare and speak of them,
They are more than can be numbered.

(I)Sacrifice and offering You did not desire;
My ears You have opened.
Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require.
Then I said, “Behold, I come;
In the scroll of the book it is written of me.
(J)I delight to do Your will, O my God,
And Your law is (K)within my heart.”

(L)I have proclaimed the good news of righteousness
In the great assembly;
Indeed, (M)I do not restrain my lips,
O Lord, You Yourself know.
10 (N)I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart;
I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation;
I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth
From the great assembly.

11 Do not withhold Your tender mercies from me, O Lord;
(O)Let Your lovingkindness and Your truth continually preserve me.
12 For innumerable evils have surrounded me;
(P)My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up;
They are more than the hairs of my head;
Therefore my heart fails me.

13 (Q)Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me;
O Lord, make haste to help me!
14 (R)Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion
Who seek to destroy my [a]life;
Let them be driven backward and brought to dishonor
Who wish me evil.
15 Let them be (S)confounded because of their shame,
Who say to me, “Aha, aha!”

16 (T)Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;
Let such as love Your salvation (U)say continually,
“The Lord be magnified!”
17 (V)But I am poor and needy;
(W)Yet the Lord thinks upon me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
Do not delay, O my God.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 40:14 Lit. soul

Thanksgiving for Deliverance and Prayer for Help

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

40 I waited patiently for the Lord;
he inclined to me and heard my cry.
He drew me up from the desolate pit,[a]
    out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
    making my steps secure.
He put a new song in my mouth,
    a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
    and put their trust in the Lord.

Blessed is the man who makes
    the Lord his trust,
who does not turn to the proud,
    to those who go astray after false gods!
Thou hast multiplied, O Lord my God,
    thy wondrous deeds and thy thoughts toward us;
    none can compare with thee!
Were I to proclaim and tell of them,
    they would be more than can be numbered.

Sacrifice and offering thou dost not desire;
    but thou hast given me an open ear.[b]
Burnt offering and sin offering
    thou hast not required.
Then I said, “Lo, I come;
    in the roll of the book it is written of me;
I delight to do thy will, O my God;
    thy law is within my heart.”

I have told the glad news of deliverance
    in the great congregation;
lo, I have not restrained my lips,
    as thou knowest, O Lord.
10 I have not hid thy saving help within my heart,
    I have spoken of thy faithfulness and thy salvation;
I have not concealed thy steadfast love and thy faithfulness
    from the great congregation.

11 Do not thou, O Lord, withhold
    thy mercy from me,
let thy steadfast love and thy faithfulness
    ever preserve me!
12 For evils have encompassed me
    without number;
my iniquities have overtaken me,
    till I cannot see;
they are more than the hairs of my head;
    my heart fails me.

13 Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me!
    O Lord, make haste to help me!
14 Let them be put to shame and confusion altogether
    who seek to snatch away my life;
let them be turned back and brought to dishonor
    who desire my hurt!
15 Let them be appalled because of their shame
    who say to me, “Aha, Aha!”

16 But may all who seek thee
    rejoice and be glad in thee;
may those who love thy salvation
    say continually, “Great is the Lord!”
17 As for me, I am poor and needy;
    but the Lord takes thought for me.
Thou art my help and my deliverer;
    do not tarry, O my God!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 40:2 Cn: Heb pit of tumult
  2. Psalm 40:6 Heb ears thou hast dug for me