Psalms 40

1 For the chief musician. A psalm of David. I waited patiently for Yahweh; he listened to me and heard my cry.

To the chief music-maker. Of David. A Psalm. When I was waiting quietly for the Lord, his heart was turned to me, and he gave ear to my cry.

2 He brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and he set my feet on a rock and made my steps secure.

He took me up out of a deep waste place, out of the soft and sticky earth; he put my feet on a rock, and made my steps certain.

3 He has put a new song in my mouth, praise to our God. Many will see it and honor him and will trust in Yahweh.

And he put a new song in my mouth, even praise to our God; numbers have seen it with fear, and put their faith in the Lord.

4 Blessed is the man who makes Yahweh his trust and does not honor the proud or those who turn away from him to lies.

Happy is the man who has faith in the Lord, and does not give honour to the men of pride or to those who are turned away to deceit.

5 Many, Yahweh my God, are the wonderful deeds that you have done, and your thoughts which are about us cannot be numbered; if I declared and spoke of them, they would be more than could be counted.

O Lord my God, great are the wonders which you have done in your thought for us; it is not possible to put them out in order before you; when I would give an account of them, their number is greater than I may say.

6 You have no delight in sacrifice or offering, but you have opened my ears; you have not required burnt offerings or sin offerings.

You had no desire for offerings of beasts or fruits of the earth; ears you made for me: for burned offerings and sin offerings you made no request.

7 Then said I, “See, I have come; it is written about me in the scroll of the document.

Then I said, See, I come; it is recorded of me in the roll of the book,

8 I delight to do your will, my God; your laws are in my heart.”

My delight is to do your pleasure, O my God; truly, your law is in my heart.

9 I have proclaimed good news of your righteousness in the great assembly; Yahweh, you know that my lips have not kept back from doing this.

I have given news of righteousness in the great meeting; O Lord, you have knowledge that I have not kept back my words.

10 I have not concealed your righteousness in my heart; I have declared your faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your covenant faithfulness or your trustworthiness from the great assembly.

Your righteousness has not been folded away in my heart; I have made clear your true word and your salvation; I have not kept secret your mercy or your faith from the great meeting.

11 Do not keep back your acts of mercy from me, Yahweh; let your covenant faithfulness and your trustworthiness always preserve me.

Take not away your gentle mercies from me, O Lord; let your mercy and your faith keep me safe for ever.

12 Troubles that cannot be numbered surround me; my iniquities have caught up with me so that I am no longer able to see anything; they are more than the hairs on my head, and my heart has failed me.

For unnumbered evils are round about me; my sins have overtaken me, so that I am bent down with their weight; they are more than the hairs of my head, my strength is gone because of them.

13 Be pleased, Yahweh, to rescue me; hurry to help me, Yahweh.

Be pleased, O Lord, to take me out of danger; O Lord, come quickly and give me help.

14 Let them be ashamed and completely disappointed who pursue my life to take it away. Let them be turned back and brought to dishonor, those who delight in hurting me.

Let those who go after my soul for its destruction have shame and trouble together; let them be turned back and made foolish who take pleasure in my trouble.

15 Let them be shocked because of their shame, those who say to me, “Aha, aha!”

Let those who say to me, Aha, aha! be surprised because of their shame.

16 But may all those who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; let everyone who loves your salvation say continually, “May Yahweh be praised.”

Let all those who are looking for you be glad and have joy in you; let the lovers of your salvation ever say, May the Lord be great.

17 I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinks about me. You are my help and you come to my rescue; do not delay, my God.

Though I am poor and in need, the Lord has me in mind; you are my help and my saviour; let there be no waiting, O my God.