Psalms 40

1 To the Chief Musician. David’s. A Melody. I waited patiently for Yahweh, —And he inclined, unto me, and heard my cry for help;

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

2 So he brought me up, Out of the destroying pit, Out of the swampy mire, —And set, upon a cliff, my feet, Making firm my steps:

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.

3 Then put he, into my mouth, a new song, Praise to our God, —Many shall see and revere, And shall trust in Yahweh.

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.

4 How happy the man, Who hath made Yahweh his confidence, who hath not turned unto the haughty, nor gone aside unto falsehood.

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

5 Mighty things, hast thou done—Thou, Yahweh my God, Thy wonderful doings and thy purposes towards us, There is no setting them in order unto thee—I would tell, and would speak!—They are too great to rehearse.

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.

6 Sacrifice and meal-offering, thou didst not delight in, Ears, didst thou pierce for me, —Ascending-sacrifice and sin-bearer, thou didst not ask:

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

7 Then, said I—Lo! I am come, In the written scroll, is it prescribed for me;

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

8 To do thy good-pleasure, O my God, is my delight, And, thy law, is in the midst of mine inward parts:

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

9 I have told the good-tidings of righteousness in a great convocation, Lo! my lips, do I not restrain, O Yahweh, thou, knowest:

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

10 Thy righteousness, have I not hid in the midst of my heart, Thy faithfulness and thy salvation, have I spoken, I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truthfulness from the great convocation.

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.

11 Thou, O Yahweh, wilt not restrain thy compassions from me, Thy lovingkindness and thy truthfulness, shall continually watch over me.

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

12 For there have closed in upon me, misfortunes beyond number, Mine iniquities have overtaken me, and I cannot see, They have become more than the hairs of my head, And, my courage, hath forsaken me!

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.

13 Be pleased, O Yahweh, to rescue me, O Yahweh! to help me, make haste!

Be pleased, O Lord, to rescue me. Look down, O Lord, to help me.

14 Let them turn pale and then at once blush, who are seeking my life to snatch it away, —Let them draw back, and be confounded, who are taking pleasure in my calamity;

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.

15 Let them be astonished on account of their own shame, who are saying of me, Aha! Aha!

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

16 Let all them be glad and rejoice in thee, who are seekers of thee. Let them say continually—Yahweh be magnified! who are lovers of thy salvation.

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

17 But, I, being oppressed and needy, May My Lord devise for me, —My help and my deliverer, thou art! O my God, do not tarry!

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.