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Psalm 40
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Psalm 40
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Psalm 40[a]
Gratitude and Prayer for Help
1 For the leader. A psalm of David.
A
2 Surely, I wait for the Lord;
who bends down to me and hears my cry,(A)
3 Draws me up from the pit of destruction,
out of the muddy clay,(B)
Sets my feet upon rock,
steadies my steps,
4 And puts a new song[b] in my mouth,(C)
a hymn to our God.
Many shall look on in fear
and they shall trust in the Lord.
5 Blessed the man who sets
his security in the Lord,
who turns not to the arrogant
or to those who stray after falsehood.(D)
6 You, yes you, O Lord, my God,
have done many wondrous deeds!
And in your plans for us
there is none to equal you.(E)
Should I wish to declare or tell them,
too many are they to recount.(F)
7 [c]Sacrifice and offering you do not want;(G)
you opened my ears.
Holocaust and sin-offering you do not request;
8 so I said, “See; I come
with an inscribed scroll written upon me.
9 I delight to do your will, my God;
your law is in my inner being!”(H)
10 When I sing of your righteousness
in a great assembly,
See, I do not restrain my lips;
as you, Lord, know.(I)
11 I 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.
12 Lord, may you not withhold
your compassion from me;
May your mercy and your faithfulness
continually protect me.(J)
B
13 But 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.(K)
14 Lord, graciously rescue me!(L)
Come quickly to help me, Lord!
15 May those who seek to destroy my life
be shamed and confounded.
Turn back in disgrace
those who desire my ruin.(M)
16 Let those who say to me “Aha!”(N)
Be made desolate on account of their shame.
17 While those who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you.
May those who long for your salvation
always say, “The Lord is great.”(O)
18 Though I am afflicted and poor,
my Lord keeps me in mind.
You are my help and deliverer;
my God, do not delay!
Footnotes
- Psalm 40 A thanksgiving (Ps 40:2–13) has been combined with a lament (Ps 40:14–17) that appears also in Ps 70. The psalmist describes the rescue in spatial terms—being raised up from the swampy underworld to firm earth where one can praise God (Ps 40:2–4). All who trust God will experience like protection (Ps 40:5–6)! The Psalm stipulates the precise mode of thanksgiving: not animal sacrifice but open and enthusiastic proclamation of the salvation just experienced (Ps 40:7–11). A prayer for protection concludes (Ps 40:12–17).
- 40:4 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.
- 40:7–9 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]). Hb 10:5–9 quotes the somewhat different Greek version and interprets it as Christ’s self-oblation.
Psalm 40
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Psalm 40
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
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.
2 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.
3 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.
4 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!
5 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.
6 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.
7 Then I said, “Lo, I come;
in the roll of the book it is written of me;
8 I delight to do thy will, O my God;
thy law is within my heart.”
9 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
- Psalm 40:2 Cn: Heb pit of tumult
- Psalm 40:6 Heb ears thou hast dug for me
Psalm 40
Good News Translation
Psalm 40
Good News Translation
A Song of Praise[a]
40 I waited patiently for the Lord's help;
then he listened to me and heard my cry.
2 He pulled me out of a dangerous pit,
out of the deadly quicksand.
He set me safely on a rock
and made me secure.
3 He taught me to sing a new song,
a song of praise to our God.
Many who see this will take warning
and will put their trust in the Lord.
4 Happy are those who trust the Lord,
who do not turn to idols
or join those who worship false gods.
5 You have done many things for us, O Lord our God;
there is no one like you!
You have made many wonderful plans for us.
I could never speak of them all—
their number is so great!
6 (A)You do not want sacrifices and offerings;
you do not ask for animals burned whole on the altar
or for sacrifices to take away sins.
Instead, you have given me ears to hear you,
7 and so I answered, “Here I am;
your instructions for me are in the book of the Law.[b]
8 How I love to do your will, my God!
I keep your teaching in my heart.”
9 In the assembly of all your people, Lord,
I told the good news that you save us.
You know that I will never stop telling it.
10 I have not kept the news of salvation to myself;
I have always spoken of your faithfulness and help.
In the assembly of all your people I have not been silent
about your loyalty and constant love.
11 Lord, I know you will never stop being merciful to me.
Your love and loyalty will always keep me safe.
A Prayer for Help(B)
12 I am surrounded by many troubles—
too many to count!
My sins have caught up with me,
and I can no longer see;
they are more than the hairs of my head,
and I have lost my courage.
13 Save me, Lord! Help me now!
14 May those who try to kill me
be completely defeated and confused.
May those who are happy because of my troubles
be turned back and disgraced.
15 May those who make fun of me
be dismayed by their defeat.
16 May all who come to you
be glad and joyful.
May all who are thankful for your salvation
always say, “How great is the Lord!”
17 I am weak and poor, O Lord,
but you have not forgotten me.
You are my savior and my God—
hurry to my aid!
Footnotes
- Psalm 40:1 HEBREW TITLE: A psalm by David.
- Psalm 40:7 your instructions … Law; or my devotion to you is recorded in your book.
Psalm 40
New American Standard Bible
Psalm 40
New American Standard Bible
God Sustains His Servant.
For the music director. A Psalm of David.
40 I (A)waited [a]patiently for the Lord;
And He reached down to me and (B)heard my cry.
2 He brought me up out of the (C)pit of [b]destruction, out of the mud;
And (D)He set my feet on a rock, (E)making my footsteps firm.
3 He put a (F)new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God;
Many will (G)see and fear
And will trust in the Lord.
4 How (H)blessed is the man who has made the Lord his trust,
And (I)has not turned to the [c]proud, nor to those who (J)become involved in falsehood.
5 Many, Lord my God, are (K)the wonders which You have done,
And Your (L)thoughts toward us;
There is no one to compare with You.
If I would declare and speak of them,
They (M)would be too numerous to count.
6 (N)You have not desired [d]sacrifice and meal offering;
You have [e]opened my ears;
You have not required burnt offering and sin offering.
7 Then I said, “Behold, I have come;
It is [f]written of me in the scroll of the book.
8 (O)I delight to do Your will, my God;
(P)Your Law is within my [g]heart.”
9 I have (Q)proclaimed good news of righteousness in the great congregation;
Behold, I will (R)not restrain my lips,
Lord, (S)You know.
10 I have (T)not hidden Your righteousness within my heart;
I have (U)spoken of Your faithfulness and Your salvation;
I have not concealed Your mercy and Your truth from the great congregation.
11 You, Lord, will not withhold Your compassion from me;
[h]Your (V)mercy and Your truth will continually watch over me.
12 For evils beyond number have (W)surrounded me;
My (X)guilty deeds have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see;
They are (Y)more numerous than the hairs of my head,
And my (Z)heart has [i]failed me.
13 (AA)Be pleased, Lord, to rescue me;
(AB)Hurry, Lord, to help me.
14 May those be (AC)ashamed and humiliated together
Who (AD)seek my [j]life to destroy it;
May those be turned back and dishonored
Who delight [k]in my hurt.
15 May those (AE)be [l]appalled because of their shame
Who (AF)say to me, “Aha, aha!”
16 (AG)May all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;
May those who love Your salvation continually (AH)say,
“The Lord be exalted!”
17 But (AI)I am afflicted and needy;
(AJ)May the Lord be mindful of me.
You are my help and my savior;
Do not delay, my God.
Footnotes
- Psalm 40:1 Or intently
- Psalm 40:2 Lit wasteland; i.e., the underworld
- Psalm 40:4 Or enemies
- Psalm 40:6 I.e., blood sacrifice
- Psalm 40:6 Lit dug; or possibly pierced
- Psalm 40:7 Or prescribed for
- Psalm 40:8 Lit inner being
- Psalm 40:11 Or May...preserve
- Psalm 40:12 Lit forsaken
- Psalm 40:14 Or soul
- Psalm 40:14 Or to injure me
- Psalm 40:15 Or desolated
Psalm 40
New International Version
Psalm 40
New International Version
Psalm 40[a](A)
For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.
1 I waited patiently(B) for the Lord;
he turned to me and heard my cry.(C)
2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit,(D)
out of the mud(E) and mire;(F)
he set my feet(G) on a rock(H)
and gave me a firm place to stand.
3 He put a new song(I) in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord(J)
and put their trust(K) in him.
4 Blessed is the one(L)
who trusts in the Lord,(M)
who does not look to the proud,(N)
to those who turn aside to false gods.[b](O)
5 Many, Lord my God,
are the wonders(P) you have done,
the things you planned for us.
None can compare(Q) with you;
were I to speak and tell of your deeds,
they would be too many(R) to declare.
6 Sacrifice and offering you did not desire—(S)
but my ears you have opened[c]—(T)
burnt offerings(U) and sin offerings[d] you did not require.
7 Then I said, “Here I am, I have come—
it is written about me in the scroll.[e](V)
8 I desire to do your will,(W) my God;(X)
your law is within my heart.”(Y)
9 I proclaim your saving acts(Z) in the great assembly;(AA)
I do not seal my lips, Lord,
as you know.(AB)
10 I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
I speak of your faithfulness(AC) and your saving help.
I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness
from the great assembly.(AD)
11 Do not withhold your mercy(AE) from me, Lord;
may your love(AF) and faithfulness(AG) always protect(AH) me.
12 For troubles(AI) without number surround me;
my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see.(AJ)
They are more than the hairs of my head,(AK)
and my heart fails(AL) within me.
13 Be pleased to save me, Lord;
come quickly, Lord, to help me.(AM)
14 May all who want to take my life(AN)
be put to shame and confusion;(AO)
may all who desire my ruin(AP)
be turned back in disgrace.
15 May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”(AQ)
be appalled at their own shame.
16 But may all who seek you(AR)
rejoice and be glad(AS) in you;
may those who long for your saving help always say,
“The Lord is great!”(AT)
Footnotes
- Psalm 40:1 In Hebrew texts 40:1-17 is numbered 40:2-18.
- Psalm 40:4 Or to lies
- Psalm 40:6 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts but a body you have prepared for me
- Psalm 40:6 Or purification offerings
- Psalm 40:7 Or come / with the scroll written for me
New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)
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Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)
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Good News Translation (GNT) 
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New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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