Psalms 40
[1]David from his own experience sheweth the benefit of trust in God. [6]Obedience the most acceptable sacrifice. [9]David's grateful return of praise: [11]he prayeth for salvation to himself, and confusion to his enemies.
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.
1. I WAITED patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
2. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
3. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.
4. Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
5. Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.
6. Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.
7. Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,
8. I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.
9. I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.
10. I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.
11. Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.
12. For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me.
13. Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me: O LORD, make haste to help me.
14. Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil.
15. Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame that say unto me, Aha, aha.
16. Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified.
17. But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.
Metrical version
Psalm 40
C.M. Ballerma
I waited for the LORD my God, and patiently did bear; At length to me he did incline my voice and cry to hear. He took me from a fearful pit, and from the miry clay, And on a rock he set my feet, establishing my way. He put a new song in my mouth, our God to magnify: Many shall see it, and shall fear, and on the LORD rely. O blessed is the man whose trust upon the LORD relies; Respecting not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. O LORD my God, full many are the wonders thou hast done; Thy gracious thoughts to us-ward far above all thoughts are gone: In order none can reckon them to thee: if them declare, And speak of them I would, they more than can be numbered are. No sacrifice nor offering didst thou at all desire; Mine ears thou bored: sin-off'ring thou and burnt didst not require: Then to the Lord these were my words, I come, behold and see; Within the volume of the book it written is of me: To do thy will I take delight, O thou my God that art; Yea, that most holy law of thine I have within my heart. Within the congregation great I righteousness did preach: Lo, thou dost know, O LORD, that I refrained not my speech. I never did within my heart conceal thy righteousness; I thy salvation have declared, and shown thy faithfulness: Thy kindness, which most loving is, concealed have not I, Nor from the congregation great have hid thy verity. Thy tender mercies, LORD, from me O do thou not restrain; Thy loving-kindness, and thy truth, let them me still maintain. For ills past reck'ning compass me, and mine iniquities Such hold upon me taken have, I cannot lift mine eyes: They more than hairs are on mine head, thence is my heart dismayed. Be pleased, LORD, to rescue me; LORD, hasten to mine aid. Shamed and confounded be they all that seek my soul to kill; Yea, let them backward driven be, and shamed, that wish me ill. For a reward of this their shame confounded let them be, That in this manner scoffing say, Aha, aha! to me. In thee let all be glad, and joy, who seeking thee abide; Who thy salvation love, say still, The LORD be magnified. I'm poor and needy, yet the Lord of me a care doth take: Thou art my help and saviour, my God, no tarrying make.
But let me here chiefly think, (1.) Of Jesus the great Shepherd of the sheep, who was brought again from his agonies and death, by the blood of the everlasting covenant, and set down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, that he might receive gifts for men, and that our faith and hope might be in God, ver. 1-5. (2.) Let me think of the new covenant, made between him and his eternal Father, for the redemption of sinful men; and of his complete fulfilment of the divine law as the condition thereof, ver. 6-10. (3.) Let me think how our iniquities were charged to his account, and punished on him, as our Surety, ver. 11-13. (4.) Let me think how the unrelenting vengeance of Almighty God, overtook his Jewish betrayers and murderers; and hath, or will overtake his Heathenish, Antichristian, or other implacable enemies; and of the joy and consolation, which flow from and through him to his chosen friends, ver. 14-17.