Psalms 40

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

For the end, a Psalm of David. I waited patiently for the Lord; and he attended to me, and listened to my supplication.

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.

And he brought me up out of a pit of misery, and from miry clay: and he set my feet on a rock, and ordered my goings aright.

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 put a new song into my mouth, [even] a hymn to our God: many shall see [it], and fear, and shall hope 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] the man whose hope is in the name of the Lord, and [who] has not regarded vanities and false frenzies.

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.

O Lord my God, you have multiplied your wonderful works, and in your thoughts there is none who shall be likened to you: I declared and spoke [of them]: they exceeded number.

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 would not; but a body have you prepared me: whole burnt offering and [sacrifice] for sin you did not require.

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

Then I said, Behold, I come: in the volume of the book it is written concerning 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 desired to do your will, O my God, and your law in the midst of mine 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; behold! I will not refrain my lips; O Lord, you know my righteousness.

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 truth within my heart, and I have declared your salvation; I have not hid your mercy 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.

But you, Lord, remove not your compassion far from me; your mercy and your truth have helped me continually.

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 encompassed me; my transgressions have taken hold of me, and I could not see; they are multiplied more than the hairs of my head; and my heart has failed 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, draw near 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 those that seek my soul, to destroy it, be ashamed and confounded together; let those that wish me evil be turned backward and put to shame.

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

Let those that say to me, Aha, aha, quickly receive shame for their reward.

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, O Lord, exult and rejoice in you; and let them that 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; the Lord will take care of me; you are my helper, and my defender, O my God, delay not.