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Psalm 40
Psalm 40
← Psalm 39 Psalm 41 →
Book	Book of Psalms
Hebrew Bible part	Ketuvim
Order in the Hebrew part	1
Category	Sifrei Emet
Christian Bible part	Old Testament
Order in the Christian part	19

Psalm 40
Psalm 40
"I waited patiently for the LORD"
	Psalm 40 in Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry, Musée Condé, Chantilly
Other name	Psalm 39; "Expectans expectavi Dominum";
Text	attributed to King David
Language	Hebrew (original)

Psalm 40 is the 40th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "I waited patiently for the LORD". The Book of Psalms is part of the third section of the Hebrew Bible, and a book of the Christian Old Testament. In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate translations of the Bible, this psalm is Psalm 39. In Latin, it is known by the incipit, "Expectans expectavi Dominum".^[1] It is described by the Jerusalem Bible as a "song of praise and prayer for help".^[2]

Psalm 40 is used in both Jewish and Christian liturgies. It has been set to music, Baroque settings and U2's song "40" from their 1983 album, War. Two composers used the beginning for symphonic compositions, Mendelssohn's Lobgesang and Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms.

Text

Hebrew

The following table shows the Hebrew text^[3]^[4] of the Psalm with vowels alongside an English translation based upon the JPS 1917 translation (now in the public domain).

Verse	Hebrew	English translation (JPS 1917)
1	לַ֝מְנַצֵּ֗חַ לְדָוִ֥ד מִזְמֽוֹר׃‎	For the Leader. A Psalm of David.
2	קַוֺּ֣ה קִוִּ֣יתִי יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיֵּ֥ט אֵ֝לַ֗י וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע שַׁוְעָתִֽי׃‎	I waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
3	וַיַּעֲלֵ֤נִי ׀ מִבּ֥וֹר שָׁאוֹן֮ מִטִּ֢יט הַיָּ֫וֵ֥ן וַיָּ֖קֶם עַל־סֶ֥לַע רַגְלַ֗י כּוֹנֵ֥ן אֲשֻׁרָֽי׃‎	He brought me up also out of the tumultuous pit, out of the miry clay; and He set my feet upon a rock, He established my goings.
4	וַיִּתֵּ֬ן בְּפִ֨י ׀ שִׁ֥יר חָדָשׁ֮ תְּהִלָּ֢ה לֵאלֹ֫הֵ֥ינוּ יִרְא֣וּ רַבִּ֣ים וְיִירָ֑אוּ וְ֝יִבְטְח֗וּ בַּיהֹוָֽה׃‎	And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God; many shall see, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.
5	אַ֥שְֽׁרֵי הַגֶּ֗בֶר אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֣ם יְ֭הֹוָה מִבְטַח֑וֹ וְֽלֹא־פָנָ֥ה אֶל־רְ֝הָבִ֗ים וְשָׂטֵ֥י כָזָֽב׃‎	Happy is the man that hath made the LORD his trust, and hath not turned unto the arrogant, nor unto such as fall away treacherously.
6	רַבּ֤וֹת עָשִׂ֨יתָ ׀ אַתָּ֤ה ׀ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהַי֮ נִ֥פְלְאֹתֶ֥יךָ וּמַחְשְׁבֹתֶ֗יךָ אֵ֫לֵ֥ינוּ אֵ֤ין ׀ עֲרֹ֬ךְ אֵלֶ֗יךָ אַגִּ֥ידָה וַאֲדַבֵּ֑רָה עָ֝צְמ֗וּ מִסַּפֵּֽר׃‎	Many things hast Thou done, O LORD my God, even Thy wonderful works, and Thy thoughts toward us; there is none to be compared unto Thee! If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be told.
7	זֶ֤בַח וּמִנְחָ֨ה ׀ לֹֽא־חָפַ֗צְתָּ אׇ֭זְנַיִם כָּרִ֣יתָ לִּ֑י עוֹלָ֥ה וַ֝חֲטָאָ֗ה לֹ֣א שָׁאָֽלְתָּ׃‎	Sacrifice and meal-offering Thou hast no delight in; mine ears hast Thou opened; burnt-offering and sin-offering hast Thou not required.
8	אָ֣ז אָ֭מַרְתִּי הִנֵּה־בָ֑אתִי בִּמְגִלַּת־סֵ֝֗פֶר כָּת֥וּב עָלָֽי׃‎	Then said I: 'Lo, I am come with the roll of a book which is prescribed for me;
9	לַ֥עֲשׂוֹת־רְצוֹנְךָ֣ אֱלֹהַ֣י חָפָ֑צְתִּי וְ֝ת֥וֹרָתְךָ֗ בְּת֣וֹךְ מֵעָֽי׃‎	I delight to do Thy will, O my God; yea, Thy law is in my inmost parts.'
10	בִּשַּׂ֤רְתִּי צֶ֨דֶק ׀ בְּקָ֘הָ֤ל רָ֗ב הִנֵּ֣ה שְׂ֭פָתַי לֹ֣א אֶכְלָ֑א יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה אַתָּ֥ה יָדָֽעְתָּ׃‎	I have preached righteousness in the great congregation, Lo, I did not refrain my lips; O LORD, Thou knowest.
11	צִדְקָתְךָ֬ לֹֽא־כִסִּ֨יתִי ׀ בְּת֬וֹךְ לִבִּ֗י אֱמוּנָתְךָ֣ וּתְשׁוּעָתְךָ֣ אָמָ֑רְתִּי לֹא־כִחַ֥דְתִּי חַסְדְּךָ֥ וַ֝אֲמִתְּךָ֗ לְקָהָ֥ל רָֽב׃‎	I have not hid Thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared Thy faithfulness and Thy salvation; I have not concealed Thy mercy and Thy truth from the great congregation.
12	אַתָּ֤ה יְהֹוָ֗ה לֹֽא־תִכְלָ֣א רַחֲמֶ֣יךָ מִמֶּ֑נִּי חַסְדְּךָ֥ וַ֝אֲמִתְּךָ֗ תָּמִ֥יד יִצְּרֽוּנִי׃‎	Thou, O LORD, wilt not withhold Thy compassions from me; let Thy mercy and Thy truth continually preserve me.
13	כִּ֤י אָפְפֽוּ־עָלַ֨י ׀ רָע֡וֹת עַד־אֵ֬ין מִסְפָּ֗ר הִשִּׂיג֣וּנִי עֲ֭וֺנֹתַי וְלֹא־יָכֹ֣לְתִּי לִרְא֑וֹת עָצְמ֥וּ מִשַּׂעֲר֥וֹת רֹ֝אשִׁ֗י וְלִבִּ֥י עֲזָבָֽנִי׃‎	For innumerable evils have compassed me about, mine iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart hath failed me.
14	רְצֵ֣ה יְ֭הֹוָה לְהַצִּילֵ֑נִי יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה לְעֶזְרָ֥תִי חֽוּשָׁה׃‎	Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me; O LORD, make haste to help me.
15	יֵ֘בֹ֤שׁוּ וְיַחְפְּר֨וּ ׀ יַחַד֮ מְבַקְשֵׁ֥י נַפְשִׁ֗י לִסְפּ֫וֹתָ֥הּ יִסֹּ֣גוּ אָ֭חוֹר וְיִכָּלְמ֑וּ חֲ֝פֵצֵ֗י רָעָתִֽי׃‎	Let them be ashamed and abashed together that seek after my soul to sweep it away; let them be turned backward and brought to confusion that delight in my hurt.
16	יָ֭שֹׁמּוּ עַל־עֵ֣קֶב בׇּשְׁתָּ֑ם הָאֹמְרִ֥ים לִ֝֗י הֶ֘אָ֥ח ׀ הֶאָֽח׃‎	Let them be appalled by reason of their shame that say unto me: 'Aha, aha.'
17	יָ֘שִׂ֤ישׂוּ וְיִשְׂמְח֨וּ ׀ בְּךָ֗ כׇּֽל־מְבַ֫קְשֶׁ֥יךָ יֹאמְר֣וּ תָ֭מִיד יִגְדַּ֣ל יְהֹוָ֑ה אֹ֝הֲבֵ֗י תְּשׁוּעָתֶֽךָ׃‎	Let all those that seek Thee rejoice and be glad in Thee; let such as love Thy salvation say continually: 'The LORD be magnified.'
18	וַאֲנִ֤י ׀ עָנִ֣י וְאֶבְיוֹן֮ אֲדֹנָ֢י יַחֲשׇׁ֫ב־לִ֥י עֶזְרָתִ֣י וּמְפַלְטִ֣י אַ֑תָּה אֱ֝לֹהַ֗י אַל־תְּאַחַֽר׃‎	But, as for me, that am poor and needy, the Lord will account it unto me; Thou art my help and my deliverer; O my God, tarry not.

King James Version

I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.
Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.
Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.
Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,
I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.
I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.
I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.
Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.
For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me.
Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me: O LORD, make haste to help me.
Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil.
Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame that say unto me, Aha, aha.
Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified.
But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.

Structure

The first part of the Psalm (verses 1-11) is one in the series of psalms of thanksgiving of an individual. Verses 13-18, possibly set originally in an independent Psalm context, are virtually identical to Psalm 70. This part belongs more in the group of psalms of lament. Matthew Henry divides the psalm into three sections:

Confidence for deliverance (verses 1-5)
Christ's work of redemption (6-10)
A prayer for mercy and grace (11-17).^[5]

Interpretation

Some writers see verses 6-9 as prophetic of Jesus,^[6]^[7] or of the messiah generally.^[8]

John Wesley saw it as a prayer of salvation.^{[clarification needed]}^[9]

Uses

Judaism

Verse 2 is found in the repetition of the Amidah during Rosh Hashanah.^[10]
Verse 12 is the second verse from V'hu Rachum in Pesukei Dezimra,^[11] and the long Tachanun recited on Mondays and Thursdays.^[12]

New Testament

Verses 6-8 are quoted in Hebrews 10:5–7.^[13]

This phrase "I delight to do your will" is also contrasted with the verse in the same Psalm where "They delight to do me harm". This adds to this imagery portending the plots against and betrayal of Jesus. The following Psalm 41 is also seen by the New Testament to portend the betrayal of Jesus by Judas.

Book of Common Prayer

In the Church of England's Book of Common Prayer, this psalm is appointed to be read on the morning of the eighth day of the month,^[14] as well as at Matins on Good Friday.^[15]

Music

Heinrich Schütz wrote a setting of a paraphrase of Psalm 40 in German, "Ich harrete des Herren", SWV 137, for the Becker Psalter, published first in 1628. Mendelssohn used the beginning in German as the text for the fifth movement from his Lobgesang. The same verses in Latin form the text of the second movement of Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms.

The Psalm was used in U2's song "40", the final track from their 1983 album, War.

A song by The Mountain Goats titled "Psalm 40:2" appears on their 2009 album The Life of the World to Come, inspired by this verse.^[16]