God Sustains His Servant.
For the music director. A Psalm of David.
And He reached down to me and heard my cry.
2 He brought me up out of the pit of [b]destruction, out of the mud;
And He set my feet on a rock, making my footsteps firm.
3 He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God;
Many will see and fear
And will trust in the Lord.
And has not turned to the [c]proud, nor to those who become involved in falsehood.
5 Many, Lord my God, are the wonders which You have done,
And Your thoughts toward us;
There is no one to compare with You.
If I would declare and speak of them,
They would be too numerous to count.
You have [e]opened my ears;
You have not required burnt offering and sin offering.
7 Then I said, “Behold, I have come;
It is [f]written of me in the scroll of the book.
8 I delight to do Your will, my God;
Your Law is within my [g]heart.”
Behold, I will not restrain my lips,
Lord, You know.
10 I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart;
I have spoken of Your faithfulness and Your salvation;
I have not concealed Your mercy and Your truth from the great congregation.
[h]Your mercy and Your truth will continually watch over me.
12 For evils beyond number have surrounded me;
My guilty deeds have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see;
They are more numerous than the hairs of my head,
And my heart has [i]failed me.
Hurry, Lord, to help me.
14 May those be ashamed and humiliated together
Who seek my [j]life to destroy it;
May those be turned back and dishonored
Who delight [k]in my hurt.
15 May those be [l]appalled because of their shame
Who say to me, “Aha, aha!”
16 May all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;
May those who love Your salvation continually say,
“The Lord be exalted!”
17 But I am afflicted and needy;
May the Lord be mindful of me.
You are my help and my savior;
Do not delay, my God.
Footnotes
- Psalm 40:1 Or intently
- Psalm 40:2 Lit wasteland; i.e., the underworld
- Psalm 40:4 Or enemies
- Psalm 40:6 I.e., blood sacrifice
- Psalm 40:6 Lit dug; or possibly pierced
- Psalm 40:7 Or prescribed for
- Psalm 40:8 Lit inner being
- Psalm 40:11 Or May...preserve
- Psalm 40:12 Lit forsaken
- Psalm 40:14 Or soul
- Psalm 40:14 Or to injure me
- Psalm 40:15 Or desolated