Psalms 40

1 For the music director. A psalm of David. I waited for the Lord patiently, and he turned to me—he heard my cry for help.

“To the chief musician, a psalm of David.” I had waited patiently for the Lord, when he inclined himself unto me, and heard my cry.

2 He pulled me out of the pit of destruction, out from the mud and the slime. He set me on a rock, and gave me a safe place to stand.

And he brought me up out of the noiseful deep, out of the miry clay, and he set up my feet upon a rock, making firm my steps.

3 He gave me a new song to sing, a song of praise to our God. Many people will see and be in awe, and they will put their trust in him.

And he placed in my mouth a new song, a praise unto our God: many will see it, and fear; and they will trust in the Lord.

4 Happy are those who trust in the Lord, who do not look for help from the arrogant or from those who worship idols.

Happy is the man that maketh the Lord his trust, and turneth not unto the proud, nor such as stray aside unto lies.

5 Lord my God, you have done so many wonderful things for us, and you have so many plans for us. No one compares to you. I want to tell all that you've done—blessings too many to count.

Many things hast thou done, O Lord my God; thy wonderful deeds and thy thoughts toward us—there is none to be compared unto thee—will I tell and speak of, [though] they are too numerous to be counted.

6 You don't want sacrifices and offerings. Now you have helped me understand—you're not asking for burnt offerings or sin offerings.

Sacrifice and meat-offering thou desirest not—ears hast thou hollowed out unto me—burnt-offering and sin-offering thou demandest not.

7 Then I said, “Look! Here I am! I've come to do what is written about me in the scroll of the Book.

Then said I, Lo, I come: in the roll of the book it is written down for me;

8 I am pleased to do your will, my God—your Law guides my mind.”

To fulfill thy will, O my God, do I desire; and thy law is within my heart.

9 I have announced the good news of salvation to the whole congregation. I don't keep quiet, Lord, as you know.

I announce [thy] righteousness in the great assembly: lo, I will not refrain my lips, O Lord, thou well knowest it.

10 I have not kept the truth of your goodness hidden inside me—I have spoken of your trustworthiness and your salvation. I have not concealed your unfailing love and your faithfulness from the whole congregation.

Thy righteousness have I never hidden within my heart; thy faithfulness and thy salvation have I spoken of openly: I have not concealed thy kindness and thy truth before the great assembly.

11 Lord, please don't keep back your mercy from me. May your trustworthy love and faithfulness always be my protection.

Do thou, O Lord, not withhold thy mercies from me: let thy kindness and thy truth continually watch over me.

12 For I'm experiencing so many problems—I can't even count them! My sins have piled up so high I can't see over them. They're more than the number of hairs on my head! I feel like giving up!

For evils without number have compassed me about; my iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see: they are more numerous than the hairs of my head; and my courage hath forsaken me.

13 Lord, please save me! Hurry, Lord, help me!

Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me; O Lord, hasten to my help.

14 Please defeat and humiliate the people who are trying to kill me; turn back in disgrace those who want to hurt me.

May those be made ashamed and put to the blush together that seek after my soul to take her away: let them be driven backward and be confounded, that wish for my mishap.

15 May they be shocked at their defeat, those who taunted me.

May they be astonished in consequence of their shame that say unto me, Aha, aha!

16 But may everyone who comes to you be happy and glad; may those who love your salvation always say, “The Lord is great!”

[But] may all those that seek thee be glad and rejoice in thee: may they say continually, The Lord be magnified, —those that love thy salvation.

17 As for me, I am poor and needy. May the Lord think about me. Help me! Save me! My God, please don't wait!

But though I be poor and needy, the Lord will think of me: my help and my deliverer art thou: O my God, delay not.