SPEAK OF GOD’S FAITHFULNESS AND HELP
Key verse: 10
NIV
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
My Help and My Deliverer
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.40 I (A)waited patiently for the Lord;
he inclined to me and (B)heard my cry.
2 He drew me up from (C)the pit of destruction,
out of (D)the miry bog,
and (E)set my feet upon a rock,
(F)making my steps secure.
3 He put (G)a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will (H)see and fear,
and put their trust in the Lord.
4 Blessed is the man who (I)makes
the Lord his trust,
who does not turn to the proud,
to those who (J)go astray after a lie!
5 You have multiplied, O Lord my God,
your (K)wondrous deeds and your (L)thoughts toward us;
none can compare with you!
I will proclaim and tell of them,
yet they are (M)more than can be told.
6 (N)In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted,
but you have given me an open (O)ear.[a]
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 (P)of me:
8 (Q)I delight to do your will, O my God;
your law is (R)within my heart.”
9 I have told the glad news of deliverance[b]
in (S)the great congregation;
behold, I have not (T)restrained my lips,
(U)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 (V)steadfast love and your faithfulness will
ever preserve me!
12 For evils have (W)encompassed me
beyond number;
my (X)iniquities have overtaken me,
and I cannot (Y)see;
they are (Z)more than the hairs of my head;
my heart (AA)fails me.
13 (AB)Be pleased, O Lord, to (AC)deliver me!
O Lord, (AD)make haste to help me!
14 (AE)Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether
who seek to snatch away my life;
let those be (AF)turned back and brought to dishonor
who delight in my hurt!
15 Let those be appalled because of their shame
who (AG)say to me, “Aha, Aha!”
16 But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation
(AH)say continually, “Great is the Lord!”
17 As for me, I am (AI)poor and needy,
but (AJ)the Lord takes thought for me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
do not delay, O my God!
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Footnotes
- Psalm 40:6 Hebrew ears you have dug for me
- Psalm 40:9 Hebrew righteousness; also verse 10
Cross references
- Psalm 40:1 : Ps. 27:14; 37:7
- Psalm 40:1 : Ps. 39:12
- Psalm 40:2 : [Jer. 38:6]
- Psalm 40:2 : Ps. 69:2, 14
- Psalm 40:2 : Ps. 27:5
- Psalm 40:2 : Ps. 37:23
- Psalm 40:3 : See Ps. 33:3
- Psalm 40:3 : Ps. 52:6; 64:8, 9; Deut. 13:11
- Psalm 40:4 : See Ps. 2:12
- Psalm 40:4 : Ps. 101:3; 125:5; Lev. 19:4; Deut. 29:18; Job 23:11; Hos. 3:1
- Psalm 40:5 : Ps. 9:1; Ex. 15:11
- Psalm 40:5 : Ps. 92:5; 139:17; Isa. 55:8
- Psalm 40:5 : Ps. 71:15; 139:18
- Psalm 40:6 : Ps. 51:16; 1 Sam. 15:22; Cited Heb. 10:5-7; See Prov. 21:3
- Psalm 40:6 : See Job 33:16
- Psalm 40:7 : Luke 24:44
- Psalm 40:8 : Ps. 119:16, 24, 35, 92; [John 4:34]
- Psalm 40:8 : See Ps. 37:31
- Psalm 40:9 : See Ps. 22:25
- Psalm 40:9 : Ps. 119:13; [Acts 20:20, 27]
- Psalm 40:9 : Josh. 22:22
- Psalm 40:11 : Ps. 57:3; 61:7; Prov. 20:28; See Ps. 36:5
- Psalm 40:12 : Ps. 116:3
- Psalm 40:12 : Ps. 38:4
- Psalm 40:12 : [Ps. 38:10]
- Psalm 40:12 : Ps. 69:4
- Psalm 40:12 : Ps. 73:26
- Psalm 40:13 : For ver. 13-17, see Ps. 70:1-5
- Psalm 40:13 : Ps. 22:20
- Psalm 40:13 : Ps. 22:19; 38:22; 71:12; 141:1
- Psalm 40:14 : Ps. 35:4, 26; 71:13
- Psalm 40:14 : Ps. 6:10
- Psalm 40:15 : Ps. 35:21, 25; 70:3
- Psalm 40:16 : Ps. 35:27
- Psalm 40:17 : Ps. 86:1; 109:22
- Psalm 40:17 : [1 Pet. 5:7]
40 I (A)waited patiently for the Lord;
he inclined to me and (B)heard my cry.
2 He drew me up from (C)the pit of destruction,
out of (D)the miry bog,
and (E)set my feet upon a rock,
(F)making my steps secure.
3 He put (G)a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will (H)see and fear,
and put their trust in the Lord.
4 Blessed is the man who (I)makes
the Lord his trust,
who does not turn to the proud,
to those who (J)go astray after a lie!
5 You have multiplied, O Lord my God,
your (K)wondrous deeds and your (L)thoughts toward us;
none can compare with you!
I will proclaim and tell of them,
yet they are (M)more than can be told.
6 (N)In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted,
but you have given me an open (O)ear.[a]
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 (P)of me:
8 (Q)I delight to do your will, O my God;
your law is (R)within my heart.”
9 I have told the glad news of deliverance[b]
in (S)the great congregation;
behold, I have not (T)restrained my lips,
(U)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 (V)steadfast love and your faithfulness will
ever preserve me!
12 For evils have (W)encompassed me
beyond number;
my (X)iniquities have overtaken me,
and I cannot (Y)see;
they are (Z)more than the hairs of my head;
my heart (AA)fails me.
13 (AB)Be pleased, O Lord, to (AC)deliver me!
O Lord, (AD)make haste to help me!
14 (AE)Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether
who seek to snatch away my life;
let those be (AF)turned back and brought to dishonor
who delight in my hurt!
15 Let those be appalled because of their shame
who (AG)say to me, “Aha, Aha!”
16 But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation
(AH)say continually, “Great is the Lord!”
17 As for me, I am (AI)poor and needy,
but (AJ)the Lord takes thought for me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
do not delay, O my God!
Footnotes
- Psalm 40:6 Hebrew ears you have dug for me
- Psalm 40:9 Hebrew righteousness; also verse 10
Cross references
- Psalm 40:1 : Ps. 27:14; 37:7
- Psalm 40:1 : Ps. 39:12
- Psalm 40:2 : [Jer. 38:6]
- Psalm 40:2 : Ps. 69:2, 14
- Psalm 40:2 : Ps. 27:5
- Psalm 40:2 : Ps. 37:23
- Psalm 40:3 : See Ps. 33:3
- Psalm 40:3 : Ps. 52:6; 64:8, 9; Deut. 13:11
- Psalm 40:4 : See Ps. 2:12
- Psalm 40:4 : Ps. 101:3; 125:5; Lev. 19:4; Deut. 29:18; Job 23:11; Hos. 3:1
- Psalm 40:5 : Ps. 9:1; Ex. 15:11
- Psalm 40:5 : Ps. 92:5; 139:17; Isa. 55:8
- Psalm 40:5 : Ps. 71:15; 139:18
- Psalm 40:6 : Ps. 51:16; 1 Sam. 15:22; Cited Heb. 10:5-7; See Prov. 21:3
- Psalm 40:6 : See Job 33:16
- Psalm 40:7 : Luke 24:44
- Psalm 40:8 : Ps. 119:16, 24, 35, 92; [John 4:34]
- Psalm 40:8 : See Ps. 37:31
- Psalm 40:9 : See Ps. 22:25
- Psalm 40:9 : Ps. 119:13; [Acts 20:20, 27]
- Psalm 40:9 : Josh. 22:22
- Psalm 40:11 : Ps. 57:3; 61:7; Prov. 20:28; See Ps. 36:5
- Psalm 40:12 : Ps. 116:3
- Psalm 40:12 : Ps. 38:4
- Psalm 40:12 : [Ps. 38:10]
- Psalm 40:12 : Ps. 69:4
- Psalm 40:12 : Ps. 73:26
- Psalm 40:13 : For ver. 13-17, see Ps. 70:1-5
- Psalm 40:13 : Ps. 22:20
- Psalm 40:13 : Ps. 22:19; 38:22; 71:12; 141:1
- Psalm 40:14 : Ps. 35:4, 26; 71:13
- Psalm 40:14 : Ps. 6:10
- Psalm 40:15 : Ps. 35:21, 25; 70:3
- Psalm 40:16 : Ps. 35:27
- Psalm 40:17 : Ps. 86:1; 109:22
- Psalm 40:17 : [1 Pet. 5:7]
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
The singer declares God’s past mercies and grace. When he waited patiently for the LORD, God heard his cry. He brought him out of the slimy pit of sin and despair and set his feet on a firm place to stand. God put songs of praise in his mouth. As the singer reflected on what God had done for him, he encouraged others to also put their trust in God. The LORD God performs many wonders for his people. No one compares to God; his great deeds are too many to declare.
God’s mercies and help are not the result of rote adherence to rituals and sin offerings. These religious practices do not please God. God desires a heart of obedience in which God’s laws are written upon our hearts (6-8). Hebrews quotes verses 6-8 as being ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ (Heb 10:5-7). Jesus obeyed his Father to the point of death on the cross as the sacrifice for our sins, once and for all.
The singer knows that only God can save. He proclaims God’s saving acts. He does not hide God’s righteousness but shares God’s love and faithfulness with others. Though he experiences trouble and sin, he prays for the LORD to save him. If you know God’s faithfulness and love, then share it with others. Tell them, “The LORD is great!”
Prayer: Father, you are great! Thank you for saving us. Help me to speak of your love to others.
One Word: Tell someone about Jesus
