40
“To the chief musician, a psalm of David.” (40:2) I had waited patiently for the Lord, when he inclined himself unto me, and heard my cry. (40:3) And he brought me up out of the noiseful deep, out of the miry clay, and he set up my feet upon a rock, making firm my steps. (40:4) And he placed in my mouth a new song, a praise unto our God: many will see it, and fear; and they will trust in the Lord. (40:5) Happy is the man that maketh the Lord his trust, and turneth not unto the proud, nor such as stray aside unto lies. (40:6) Many things hast thou done, O Lord my God; thy wonderful deeds and thy thoughts toward us—there is none to be compared unto thee—will I tell and speak of, [though] they are too numerous to be counted. (40:7) Sacrifice and meat-offering thou desirest not—ears hast thou hollowed out unto me—burnt-offering and sin-offering thou demandest not. (40:8) Then said I, Lo, I come: in the roll of the book it is written down for me; (40:9) To fulfill thy will, O my God, do I desire; and thy law is within my heart. (40:10) I announce [thy] righteousness in the great assembly: lo, I will not refrain my lips, O Lord, thou well knowest it. 10 (40:11) Thy righteousness have I never hidden within my heart; thy faithfulness and thy salvation have I spoken of openly: I have not concealed thy kindness and thy truth before the great assembly. 11 (40:12) Do thou, O Lord, not withhold thy mercies from me: let thy kindness and thy truth continually watch over me. 12 (40:13) For evils without number have compassed me about; my iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see: they are more numerous than the hairs of my head; and my courage hath forsaken me. 13 (40:14) Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me; O Lord, hasten to my help. 14 (40:15) May those be made ashamed and put to the blush together that seek after my soul to take her away: let them be driven backward and be confounded, that wish for my mishap. 15 (40:16) May they be astonished in consequence of their shame that say unto me, Aha, aha! 16 (40:17) [But] may all those that seek thee be glad and rejoice in thee: may they say continually, The Lord be magnified,—those that love thy salvation. 17 (40:18) But though I be poor and needy, the Lord will think of me: my help and my deliverer art thou: O my God, delay not.