Psalm 40
לַ֝מְנַצֵּ֗חַ לְדָוִ֥ד מִזְמֽוֹר
BSB
I Waited Patiently for the LORD
(Psalms 70:1–5; Hebrews 10:1–18)
For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
1I waited patiently for the LORD;
He inclined to me and heard my cry.
2He lifted me up from the pit of despair,
out of the miry clay;
He set my feet upon a rock,
and made my footsteps firm.
3He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear
and put their trust in the LORD.
4Blessed is the man
who has made the LORD his trust,
who has not turned to the proud,
nor to those who lapse into falsehood.
5Many, O LORD my God,
are the wonders You have done,
and the plans You have for us—
none can compare to You—
if I proclaim and declare them,
they are more than I can count.
6Sacrifice and offering You did not desire,
but my ears You have opened.
Burnt offerings and sin offerings
You did not require.
7Then I said, “Here I am, I have come—
it is written about me in the scroll:
8I delight to do Your will, O my God;
Your law is within my heart.”
9I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly;
behold, I do not seal my lips,
as You, O LORD, do know.
10I have not covered up Your righteousness in my heart;
I have declared Your faithfulness and salvation;
I have not concealed Your loving devotion and faithfulness
from the great assembly.
11O LORD, do not withhold Your mercy from me;
Your loving devotion and faithfulness will always guard me.
12For evils without number surround me;
my sins have overtaken me, so that I cannot see.
They are more than the hairs of my head,
and my heart has failed within me.
13Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me;
hurry, O LORD, to help me.
14May those who seek my life
be ashamed and confounded;
may those who wish me harm
be repelled and humiliated.
15May those who say to me, “Aha, aha!”
be appalled at their own shame.
16May all who seek You
rejoice and be glad in You;
may those who love Your salvation
always say, “The LORD be magnified!”
17But I am poor and needy;
may the Lord think of me.
You are my helper and deliverer;
O my God, do not delay.
Introduction
Psalms 40
It should seem David penned this psalm upon occasion of his deliverance, by the power and goodness of God, from some great and pressing trouble, by which he was in danger of being overwhelmed; probably it was some trouble of mind arising from a sense of sin and of God's displeasure against him for it; whatever it was, the same Spirit that indited his praises for that deliverance was in him, at the same time, a Spirit of prophecy, testifying of the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow; or, ere he was aware, he was led to speak of his undertaking, and the discharge of his undertaking, in words that must be applied to Christ only; and therefore how far the praises that here go before that illustrious prophecy, and the prayers that follow, may safely and profitably be applied to him it will be worth while to consider. In this psalm, I. David records God's favour to him in delivering him out of his deep distress, with thankfulness to his praise (Psa 40:1-5). II. Thence he takes occasion to speak of the work of our redemption by Christ (Psa 40:6-10). III. That gives him encouragement to pray to God for mercy and grace both for himself and for his friends (Psa 40:11-17). If, in singing this psalm, we mix faith with the prophecy of Christ, and join in sincerity with the praises and prayers here offered up, we make melody wit our hearts to the Lord.
To the chief musician. A psalm of David.
Cross-references: Ps 40:1 · Ps 40:6 · Ps 40:11