Psalms 40

1 “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.

Unto the end, a psalm for David himself. With expectation I have waited for the Lord, and he was attentive to me.

2 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.

And he heard my prayers, and brought me out of the pit of misery and the mire of dregs. And he set my feet upon a rock, and directed my steps.

3 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.

And he put a new canticle into my mouth, a song to our God. Many shall see, and shall fear: and they shall hope in the Lord.

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

Blessed is the man whose trust is in the name of the Lord; and who hath not had regard to vanities, and lying follies.

5 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.

Thou hast multiplied thy wonderful works, O Lord my God: and in thy thoughts there is no one like to thee. I have declared and I have spoken they are multiplied above number.

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

Sacrifice and oblation thou didst not desire; but thou hast pierced ears for me. Burnt offering and sin offering thou didst not require:

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

Then said I, Behold I come. In the head of the book it is written of me

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

That I should do thy will: O my God, I have desired it, and thy law in the midst of my heart.

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

I have declared thy justice in a great church, lo, I will not restrain my lips: O Lord, thou knowest it.

10 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.

I have not hid thy justice within my heart: I have declared thy truth and thy salvation. I have not concealed thy mercy and thy truth from a great council.

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

Withhold not thou, O Lord, thy tender mercies from me: thy mercy and thy truth have always upheld me.

12 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.

For evils without number have surrounded me; my iniquities have overtaken me, and I was not able to see. They are multiplied above the hairs of my head: and my heart hath forsaken me.

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

Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me, look down, O Lord, to help me.

14 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.

Let them be confounded and ashamed together, that seek after my soul to take it away. Let them be turned backward and be ashamed that desire evils to me.

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

Let them immediately bear their confusion, that say to me: Tis well, tis well.

16 [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.

Let all that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy salvation say always: The Lord be magnified.

17 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.

But I am a beggar and poor: the Lord is careful for me. Thou art my helper and my protector: O my God, be not slack.