Psalm 40 | New International Reader’s Version

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

1 I was patient while I waited for the LORD. He turned to me and heard my cry for help. 2 I was sliding down into the pit of death, and he pulled me out. He brought me up out of the mud and dirt. He set my feet on a rock. He gave me a firm place to stand on. 3 He gave me a new song to sing. It is a hymn of praise to our God. Many people will see and have respect for the LORD. They will put their trust in him. 4 Blessed is the person who trusts in the LORD. They don’t trust in proud people. Those proud people worship statues of gods. 5 LORD my God, no one can compare with you. You have done many wonderful things. You have planned to do these things for us. There are too many of them for me to talk about. 6 You didn’t want sacrifices and offerings. You didn’t require burnt offerings and sin offerings. You opened my ears so that I could hear you and obey you. 7 Then I said, ‘Here I am. It is written about me in the book. 8 My God, I have come to do what you want. Your law is in my heart.’ 9 I have told the whole community of those who worship you. I have told them what you have done to save me. LORD, you know that I haven’t kept quiet. 10 I haven’t kept to myself that what you did for me was right. I have spoken about how faithful you were when you saved me. I haven’t hidden your love and your faithfulness from the whole community. 11 LORD, don’t hold back your mercy from me. May your love and faithfulness always keep me safe. 12 There are more troubles all around me than I can count. My sins have caught up with me, and I can’t see any longer. My sins are more than the hairs of my head. I have lost all hope. 13 LORD, please save me. LORD, come quickly to help me. 14 Let all those who are trying to kill me be put to shame. Let them lose their way. Let all those who want to destroy me be turned back in shame. 15 Some people make fun of me. Let them be shocked when their plans fail. 16 But let all those who seek you be joyful and glad because of what you have done. Let those who count on you to save them always say, ‘The LORD is great!’ 17 But I am poor and needy. May the Lord be concerned about me. You are the God who helps me and saves me. You are my God, so don’t wait any longer.

English Standard Version

My Help and My Deliverer

1 To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. 2 He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. 3 He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord. 4 Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie! 5 You have multiplied, O Lord my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told. 6 In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted, but you have given me an open ear.* Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required. 7 Then I said, “Behold, I have come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me: 8 I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.” 9 I have told the glad news of deliverance* in the great congregation; behold, I have not restrained my lips, as you know, O Lord. 10 I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart; I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness from the great congregation. 11 As for you, O Lord, you will not restrain your mercy from me; your steadfast love and your faithfulness will ever preserve me! 12 For evils have encompassed me beyond number; my iniquities have overtaken me, and I cannot see; they are more than the hairs of my head; my heart fails me. 13 Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me! O Lord, make haste to help me! 14 Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether who seek to snatch away my life; let those be turned back and brought to dishonor who delight in my hurt! 15 Let those be appalled because of their shame who say to me, “Aha, Aha!” 16 But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, “Great is the Lord!” 17 As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God!

Psalm 40 | New International Reader’s Version English Standard Version

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

My Help and My Deliverer