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.

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.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

I waited patiently forקַוֺּ֣הH6960Verb - Piel - Infinitive absolute. . .קִוִּ֣יתִיH6960Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singularthe LORDיְהוָ֑הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularHe inclinedוַיֵּ֥טH5186Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularto meאֵ֝לַ֗יH413Preposition | first person common singularand heardוַיִּשְׁמַ֥עH8085Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularmy cryשַׁוְעָתִֽי׃H7775Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Verse 2

Original words

He lifted me upוַיַּעֲלֵ֤נִי׀H5927Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singularfrom the pitמִבּ֥וֹרH953Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular constructof despairשָׁאוֹן֮H7588Noun - masculine singularout of the miryהַיָּ֫וֵ֥ןH3121Article | Noun - masculine singularclayמִטִּ֪יטH2916Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular constructHe setוַיָּ֖קֶםH6965Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularmy feetרַגְלַ֗יH7272Noun - feminine dual construct | first person common singularuponעַל־H5921Prepositiona rockסֶ֥לַעH5553Noun - masculine singular[and] made my footstepsאֲשֻׁרָֽי׃H838Noun - feminine plural construct | first person common singularfirmכּוֹנֵ֥ןH3559Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 3

Original words

He putוַיִּתֵּ֬ןH5414Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulara newחָדָשׁ֮H2319Adjective - masculine singularsongשִׁ֥ירH7892Noun - masculine singularin my mouthבְּפִ֨י׀H6310Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singulara hymn of praiseתְּהִלָּ֪הH8416Noun - feminine singularto our Godלֵֽאלֹ֫הֵ֥ינוּH430Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common pluralManyרַבִּ֣יםH7227Adjective - masculine pluralwill seeיִרְא֣וּH7200Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluraland fearוְיִירָ֑אוּH3372Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine pluraland put their trustוְ֝יִבְטְח֗וּH982Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine pluralin the LORDבַּיהוָֽה׃H3068Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 4

Original words

Blessedאַ֥שְֽׁרֵיH835Interjectionis the manהַגֶּ֗בֶרH1397Article | Noun - masculine singularwhoאֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativehas madeשָׂ֣םH7760Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularthe LORDיְ֭הֹוָהH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularhis trustמִבְטַח֑וֹH4009Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularwho has notוְֽלֹא־H3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particleturnedפָנָ֥הH6437Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413Prepositionthe proudרְ֝הָבִ֗יםH7295Noun - masculine pluralnor to those who lapseוְשָׂטֵ֥יH7750Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural constructinto falsehoodכָזָֽב׃H3577Noun - masculine singular

BSB notes

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

Original words

Manyרַבּ֤וֹתH7227Adjective - feminine pluralO LORDיְהוָ֣הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularmy Godאֱלֹהַי֮H430Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singularare the wondersנִֽפְלְאֹתֶ֥יךָH6381Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine plural construct | second person masculine singularYouאַתָּ֤ה׀H859Pronoun - second person masculine singularhave doneעָשִׂ֨יתָ׀H6213Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singularand the plans You haveוּמַחְשְׁבֹתֶ֗יךָH4284Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine singularfor usאֵ֫לֵ֥ינוּH413Preposition | first person common pluralnoneאֵ֤ין׀H369Adverbcan compareעֲרֹ֬ךְH6186Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructto Youאֵלֶ֗יךָH413Preposition | second person masculine singularif I proclaimאַגִּ֥ידָהH5046Verb - Hifil - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singularand declare themוַאֲדַבֵּ֑רָהH1696Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singularthey are more thanעָ֝צְמ֗וּH6105Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural[I] can countמִסַּפֵּֽר׃H5608Preposition-m | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct
Verse 6

Original words

Sacrificeזֶ֤בַחH2077Noun - masculine singularand offeringוּמִנְחָ֨ה׀H4503Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singularYou did notלֹֽא־H3808Adverb - Negative particledesireחָפַ֗צְתָּH2654Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singularbut my earsאָ֭זְנַיִםH241Noun - fdYou have openedכָּרִ֣יתָH3738Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singularBurnt offeringsעוֹלָ֥הH5930Noun - feminine singularand sin offeringsוַ֝חֲטָאָ֗הH2401Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singularYou did notלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particlerequireשָׁאָֽלְתָּ׃H7592Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular

BSB notes

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

Original words

Thenאָ֣זH227AdverbI saidאָ֭מַרְתִּיH559Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularHere I amהִנֵּה־H2009InterjectionI have comeבָ֑אתִיH935Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularit is writtenכָּת֥וּבH3789Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singularabout meעָלָֽי׃H5921Preposition | first person common singularin the scrollבִּמְגִלַּת־H4039Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct. . .סֵ֝֗פֶרH5612Noun - masculine singular
Verse 8

Original words

I delightחָפָ֑צְתִּיH2654Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularto doלַֽעֲשֽׂוֹת־H6213Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructYour willרְצוֹנְךָ֣H7522Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularO my Godאֱלֹהַ֣יH430Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singularYour lawוְ֝ת֥וֹרָתְךָ֗H8451Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular[is] withinבְּת֣וֹךְH8432Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructmy heartמֵעָֽי׃H4578Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular

BSB notes

  • Cited in Hebrews 10:5–7
Verse 9

Original words

I proclaimבִּשַּׂ֤רְתִּיH1319Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singularrighteousnessצֶ֨דֶק׀H6664Noun - masculine singularin the greatרָ֗בH7227Adjective - masculine singularassemblyבְּקָ֘הָ֤לH6951Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singularbeholdהִנֵּ֣הH2009InterjectionI do notלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particlesealאֶכְלָ֑אH3607Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularmy lipsשְׂ֭פָתַיH8193Noun - feminine dual construct | first person common singularas Youאַתָּ֥הH859Pronoun - second person masculine singularO LORDיְ֝הוָ֗הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singulardo knowיָדָֽעְתָּ׃H3045Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Verse 10

Original words

I have notלֹא־H3808Adverb - Negative particlecovered upכִסִּ֨יתִי׀H3680Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singularYour righteousnessצִדְקָתְךָ֬H6666Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singularinבְּת֬וֹךְH8432Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructmy heartלִבִּ֗יH3820Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularI have declaredאָמָ֑רְתִּיH559Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularYour faithfulnessאֱמוּנָתְךָ֣H530Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singularand salvationוּתְשׁוּעָתְךָ֣H8668Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singularI have notלֹא־H3808Adverb - Negative particleconcealedכִחַ֥דְתִּיH3582Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singularYour loving devotionחַסְדְּךָ֥H2617Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularand faithfulnessוַ֝אֲמִתְּךָ֗H571Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singularfrom the greatרָֽב׃H7227Adjective - masculine singularassemblyלְקָהָ֥לH6951Preposition-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.