Psalms 40

1 Unto the end. A Psalm of David himself. I have waited expectantly for the Lord, and he was attentive to me.

I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined to me, and heard my cry.

2 And he heard my prayers and he led me out of the pit of misery and the quagmire. And he stationed my feet upon a rock, and he directed my steps.

He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet on a rock, and established my goings.

3 And he sent a new canticle into my mouth, a song to our God. Many will see, and they will fear; and they will hope in the Lord.

And he has put a new song in my mouth, even praise to our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.

4 Blessed is the man whose hope is in the name of the Lord, and who has no respect for vanities and absurd falsehoods.

Blessed is that man that makes the LORD his trust, and respects not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.

5 You have accomplished your many wonders, O Lord my God, and there is no one similar to you in your thoughts. I have announced and I have spoken: they are multiplied beyond number.

Many, O LORD my God, are your wonderful works which you have done, and your thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order to you: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.

6 Sacrifice and oblation, you did not want. But you have perfected ears for me. Holocaust and sin offering, you did not require.

Sacrifice and offering you did not desire; my ears have you opened: burnt offering and sin offering have you not required.

7 Then I said, “Behold, I draw near.” At the head of the book, it has been written of me:

Then said I, See, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,

8 that I should do your will. My God, I have willed it. And your law is in the midst of my heart.

I delight to do your will, O my God: yes, your law is within my heart.

9 I have announced your justice in a great Church: behold, I will not restrain my lips. O Lord, you have known it.

I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: see, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, you know.

10 I have not concealed your justice within my heart. I have spoken your truth and your salvation. I have not concealed your mercy and your truth from a great assembly.

I have not hid your righteousness within my heart; I have declared your faithfulness and your salvation: I have not concealed your loving kindness and your truth from the great congregation.

11 O Lord, do not take your tender mercies far from me. Your mercy and your truth ever sustain me.

Withhold not you your tender mercies from me, O LORD: let your loving kindness and your truth continually preserve me.

12 For evils without number have surrounded me. My iniquities have taken hold of me, and I was not able to see. They have been multiplied beyond the hairs of my head. And my heart has forsaken me.

For innumerable evils have compassed me about: my iniquities have taken hold on 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 Be pleased, O Lord, to rescue me. Look down, O Lord, to help me.

Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me: O LORD, make haste to help me.

14 Let them together be confounded and awed, who seek after my soul to steal it away. Let them be turned back and be in awe, who wish evils upon me.

Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil.

15 Let them bear their confusion all at once, who say to me, “Well, well.”

Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame that say to me, Aha, aha.

16 Let all who seek you exult and rejoice over you. And let those who love your salvation always say, “May the Lord be magnified.”

Let all those that seek you rejoice and be glad in you: let such as love your salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified.

17 But I am a beggar and poor. The Lord has been concerned about me. You are my helper and my protector. My God, do not delay.

But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinks on me: you are my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.