1 I waited patiently for Yahweh. He turned to me, and heard my cry.
2 He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay. He set my feet on a rock, and gave me a firm place to stand.
3 He has put a new song in my mouth, even praise to our God. Many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in Yahweh.
4 Blessed is the man who makes Yahweh his trust, and doesn’t respect the proud, nor such as turn away to lies.
5 Many, Yahweh, my God, are the wonderful works which you have done, and your thoughts which are toward us. They can’t be declared back to you. If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be counted.
6 Sacrifice and offering you didn’t desire. You have opened my ears. You have not required burnt offering and sin offering.
7 Then I said, “Behold, I have come. It is written about me in the book in the scroll.
8 I delight to do your will, my God. Yes, your law is within my heart.”
9 I have proclaimed glad news of righteousness in the great assembly. Behold, I will not seal my lips, Yahweh, you know.
10 I have not hidden your righteousness within my heart. I have declared your faithfulness and your salvation. I have not concealed your loving kindness and your truth from the great assembly.
11 Don’t withhold your tender mercies from me, Yahweh. Let your loving kindness and your truth continually preserve me.
12 For innumerable evils have surrounded me. My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up. They are more than the hairs of my head. My heart has failed me.
13 Be pleased, Yahweh, to deliver me. Hurry to help me, Yahweh.
14 Let them be disappointed and confounded together who seek after my soul to destroy it. Let them be turned backward and brought to dishonor who delight in my hurt.
15 Let them be desolate by reason of their shame that tell me, “Aha! Aha!”
16 Let all those who seek you rejoice and be glad in you. Let such as love your salvation say continually, “Let Yahweh be exalted!”
17 But I am poor and needy. May the Lord think about me. You are my help and my deliverer. Don’t delay, my God.
Study Psalm 40
Read the complete chapter before isolating one sentence, and note the reference and edition beside anything you quote. Then take a focused next step: a passage-note method or a memory practice method .
Edition and source notes
This is the World English Bible, a public-domain translation, in its own numbering: 17 verses of Psalm 40, with punctuation and line breaks as published. Source notes are labelled separately; the publisher’s headings and cross references are not part of the text. WEB edition notes.
Read Psalm 40 in the King James Version or the Berean Standard Bible .
Open Psalm 40 in the study app to take notes, make review cards or map the passage; it requires an account.