‏ Psalms 40

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

1I was patient while I waited for the Lord.
He turned to me and heard my cry for help.
2I 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.
3He 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.

4Blessed 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.

6You 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.
7Then I said, “Here I am.
It is written about me in the book.
8My God, I have come to do what you want.
Your law is in my heart.”

9I 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.
10I 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.
12There 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.
14Let 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.
15Some people make fun of me.
Let them be shocked when their plans fail.
16But 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!”

17But 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.