Focused Passage

Psalms 40:1-10

Waiting for the LORD, Delighting to Do His Will, and Pleading for Help

Psalm 40 moves from remembered deliverance to public witness, from public witness to obedient delight in God's will, and from obedient proclamation to renewed lament that asks the LORD to help without delay.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

1 I waited patiently for the LORD; He inclined to me and heard my cry.

2 He 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.

3 He 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.

4 Blessed is the man who has made the LORD his trust, who has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood.

5 Many, 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.

6 Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but my ears You have opened. Burnt offerings and sin offerings You did not require.

7 Then I said, “Here I am, I have come—it is written about me in the scroll:

8 I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your law is within my heart.”

9 I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; behold, I do not seal my lips, as You, O LORD, do know.

10 I 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.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

I waited patiently for קַוֺּ֣ה H6960 Verb - Piel - Infinitive absolute . . . קִוִּ֣יתִי H6960 Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular the LORD יְהוָ֑ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular He inclined וַיֵּ֥ט H5186 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to me אֵ֝לַ֗י H413 Preposition | first person common singular and heard וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע H8085 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular my cry שַׁוְעָתִֽי׃ H7775 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Verse 2

Original words

He lifted me up וַיַּעֲלֵ֤נִי׀ H5927 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singular from the pit מִבּ֥וֹר H953 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct of despair שָׁאוֹן֮ H7588 Noun - masculine singular out of the miry הַיָּ֫וֵ֥ן H3121 Article | Noun - masculine singular clay מִטִּ֪יט H2916 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct He set וַיָּ֖קֶם H6965 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular my feet רַגְלַ֗י H7272 Noun - feminine dual construct | first person common singular upon עַל־ H5921 Preposition a rock סֶ֥לַע H5553 Noun - masculine singular [and] made my footsteps אֲשֻׁרָֽי׃ H838 Noun - feminine plural construct | first person common singular firm כּוֹנֵ֥ן H3559 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 3

Original words

He put וַיִּתֵּ֬ן H5414 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular a new חָדָשׁ֮ H2319 Adjective - masculine singular song שִׁ֥יר H7892 Noun - masculine singular in my mouth בְּפִ֨י׀ H6310 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular a hymn of praise תְּהִלָּ֪ה H8416 Noun - feminine singular to our God לֵֽאלֹ֫הֵ֥ינוּ H430 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural Many רַבִּ֣ים H7227 Adjective - masculine plural will see יִרְא֣וּ H7200 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural and fear וְיִירָ֑אוּ H3372 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural and put their trust וְ֝יִבְטְח֗וּ H982 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural in the LORD בַּיהוָֽה׃ H3068 Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 4

Original words

Blessed אַ֥שְֽׁרֵי H835 Interjection is the man הַגֶּ֗בֶר H1397 Article | Noun - masculine singular who אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative has made שָׂ֣ם H7760 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular the LORD יְ֭הֹוָה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular his trust מִבְטַח֑וֹ H4009 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular who has not וְֽלֹא־ H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle turned פָנָ֥ה H6437 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition the proud רְ֝הָבִ֗ים H7295 Noun - masculine plural nor to those who lapse וְשָׂטֵ֥י H7750 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct into falsehood כָזָֽב׃ H3577 Noun - masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Or who turn aside to false gods or who run after lies
Verse 5

Original words

Many רַבּ֤וֹת H7227 Adjective - feminine plural O LORD יְהוָ֣ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular my God אֱלֹהַי֮ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular are the wonders נִֽפְלְאֹתֶ֥יךָ H6381 Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine plural construct | second person masculine singular You אַתָּ֤ה׀ H859 Pronoun - second person masculine singular have done עָשִׂ֨יתָ׀ H6213 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular and the plans You have וּמַחְשְׁבֹתֶ֗יךָ H4284 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine singular for us אֵ֫לֵ֥ינוּ H413 Preposition | first person common plural none אֵ֤ין׀ H369 Adverb can compare עֲרֹ֬ךְ H6186 Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct to You אֵלֶ֗יךָ H413 Preposition | second person masculine singular if I proclaim אַגִּ֥ידָה H5046 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular and declare them וַאֲדַבֵּ֑רָה H1696 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular they are more than עָ֝צְמ֗וּ H6105 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural [I] can count מִסַּפֵּֽר׃ H5608 Preposition-m | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct
Verse 6

Original words

Sacrifice זֶ֤בַח H2077 Noun - masculine singular and offering וּמִנְחָ֨ה׀ H4503 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular You did not לֹֽא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle desire חָפַ֗צְתָּ H2654 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular but my ears אָ֭זְנַיִם H241 Noun - fd You have opened כָּרִ֣יתָ H3738 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular Burnt offerings עוֹלָ֥ה H5930 Noun - feminine singular and sin offerings וַ֝חֲטָאָ֗ה H2401 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular You did not לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle require שָׁאָֽלְתָּ׃ H7592 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Hebrew; some LXX manuscripts but a body You prepared for me
Verse 7

Original words

Then אָ֣ז H227 Adverb I said אָ֭מַרְתִּי H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular Here I am הִנֵּה־ H2009 Interjection I have come בָ֑אתִי H935 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular it is written כָּת֥וּב H3789 Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular about me עָלָֽי׃ H5921 Preposition | first person common singular in the scroll בִּמְגִלַּת־ H4039 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct . . . סֵ֝֗פֶר H5612 Noun - masculine singular
Verse 8

Original words

I delight חָפָ֑צְתִּי H2654 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular to do לַֽעֲשֽׂוֹת־ H6213 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct Your will רְצוֹנְךָ֣ H7522 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular O my God אֱלֹהַ֣י H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular Your law וְ֝ת֥וֹרָתְךָ֗ H8451 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular [is] within בְּת֣וֹךְ H8432 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct my heart מֵעָֽי׃ H4578 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular

BSB notes

  • Cited in Hebrews 10:5–7
Verse 9

Original words

I proclaim בִּשַּׂ֤רְתִּי H1319 Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular righteousness צֶ֨דֶק׀ H6664 Noun - masculine singular in the great רָ֗ב H7227 Adjective - masculine singular assembly בְּקָ֘הָ֤ל H6951 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular behold הִנֵּ֣ה H2009 Interjection I do not לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle seal אֶכְלָ֑א H3607 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular my lips שְׂ֭פָתַי H8193 Noun - feminine dual construct | first person common singular as You אַתָּ֥ה H859 Pronoun - second person masculine singular O LORD יְ֝הוָ֗ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular do know יָדָֽעְתָּ׃ H3045 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Verse 10

Original words

I have not לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle covered up כִסִּ֨יתִי׀ H3680 Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular Your righteousness צִדְקָתְךָ֬ H6666 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular in בְּת֬וֹךְ H8432 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct my heart לִבִּ֗י H3820 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular I have declared אָמָ֑רְתִּי H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular Your faithfulness אֱמוּנָתְךָ֣ H530 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular and salvation וּתְשׁוּעָתְךָ֣ H8668 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular I have not לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle concealed כִחַ֥דְתִּי H3582 Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular Your loving devotion חַסְדְּךָ֥ H2617 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular and faithfulness וַ֝אֲמִתְּךָ֗ H571 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular from the great רָֽב׃ H7227 Adjective - masculine singular assembly לְקָהָ֥ל H6951 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.