Psalm 40 (NASB2020)
Psalm 40
God Sustains His Servant.
For the music director. A Psalm of David.
1I waited 40:1 Or intentlypatiently for the Lord;
And He reached down to me and heard my cry.
2He brought me up out of the pit of 40:2 Lit wasteland; i.e., the underworlddestruction, out of the mud;
And He set my feet on a rock, making my footsteps firm.
3He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God;
Many will see and fear
And will trust in the Lord.
4¶How blessed is the man who has made the Lord his trust,
And has not turned to the 40:4 Or enemiesproud, nor to those who become involved in falsehood.
5Many, Lord my God, are the wonders which You have done,
And Your thoughts toward us;
There is no one to compare with You.
If I would declare and speak of them,
They would be too numerous to count.
6¶You have not desired 40:6 I.e., blood sacrificesacrifice and meal offering;
You have 40:6 Lit dug; or possibly piercedopened my ears;
You have not required burnt offering and sin offering.
7Then I said, “Behold, I have come;
It is 40:7 Or prescribed forwritten of me in the scroll of the book.
8“I delight to do Your will, my God;
Your Law is within my 40:8 Lit inner beingheart.”
9¶I have proclaimed good news of righteousness in the great congregation;
Behold, I will not restrain my lips,
Lord, You know.
10I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart;
I have spoken of Your faithfulness and Your salvation;
I have not concealed Your mercy and Your truth from the great congregation.
11¶You, Lord, will not withhold Your compassion from me;
40:11 Or May...preserveYour mercy and Your truth will continually watch over me.
12For evils beyond number have surrounded me;
My guilty deeds have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see;
They are more numerous than the hairs of my head,
And my heart has 40:12 Lit forsakenfailed me.
13¶Be pleased, Lord, to rescue me;
Hurry, Lord, to help me.
14May those be ashamed and humiliated together
Who seek my 40:14 Or soullife to destroy it;
May those be turned back and dishonored
Who delight 40:14 Or to injure mein my hurt.
15May those be 40:15 Or desolatedappalled because of their shame
Who say to me, “Aha, aha!”
16May all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;
May those who love Your salvation continually say,
“The Lord be exalted!”
17But I am afflicted and needy;
May the Lord be mindful of me.
You are my help and my savior;
Do not delay, my God.
Understand Psalm 40
Walk through Psalm 40 verse by verse, then read what three commentaries say about the chapter. The explanations are written for new readers.
Read the Psalm 40 commentary