Corpus Psalterium · Vol. II
Psalm XL (40)
Cantillated — Deliverance Lament Turning
Paul Whitehorn
Study the Word
Psalm 40 in Hebrew and English, and the words as they are sung.
For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David.
לַ֝מְנַצֵּ֗חַ לְדָוִ֥ד מִזְמֽוֹר׃
I waited patiently for Yahweh. He turned to me, and heard my cry.
קַוֺּ֣ה קִוִּ֣יתִי יְהוָ֑ה וַיֵּ֥ט אֵ֝לַ֗י וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע שַׁוְעָתִֽי׃
He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay. He set my feet on a rock, and gave me a firm place to stand.
וַיַּעֲלֵ֤נִי ׀ מִבּ֥וֹר שָׁאוֹן֮ מִטִּ֪יט הַיָּ֫וֵ֥ן וַיָּ֖קֶם עַל־סֶ֥לַע רַגְלַ֗י כּוֹנֵ֥ן אֲשֻׁרָֽי׃
He has put a new song in my mouth, even praise to our God. Many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in Yahweh.
וַיִּתֵּ֬ן בְּפִ֨י ׀ שִׁ֥יר חָדָשׁ֮ תְּהִלָּ֪ה לֵֽאלֹ֫הֵ֥ינוּ יִרְא֣וּ רַבִּ֣ים וְיִירָ֑אוּ וְ֝יִבְטְח֗וּ בַּיהוָֽה׃
Blessed is the man who makes Yahweh his trust, and doesn’t respect the proud, nor such as turn away to lies.
אַ֥שְֽׁרֵי הַגֶּ֗בֶר אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֣ם יְ֭הֹוָה מִבְטַח֑וֹ וְֽלֹא־פָנָ֥ה אֶל־רְ֝הָבִ֗ים וְשָׂטֵ֥י כָזָֽב׃
Many, Yahweh, my God, are the wonderful works which you have done, and your thoughts which are toward us. They can’t be declared back to you. If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be counted.
רַבּ֤וֹת עָשִׂ֨יתָ ׀ אַתָּ֤ה ׀ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהַי֮ נִֽפְלְאֹתֶ֥יךָ וּמַחְשְׁבֹתֶ֗יךָ אֵ֫לֵ֥ינוּ אֵ֤ין ׀ עֲרֹ֬ךְ אֵלֶ֗יךָ אַגִּ֥ידָה וַאֲדַבֵּ֑רָה עָ֝צְמ֗וּ מִסַּפֵּֽר׃
Sacrifice and offering you didn’t desire. You have opened my ears. You have not required burnt offering and sin offering.
זֶ֤בַח וּמִנְחָ֨ה ׀ לֹֽא־חָפַ֗צְתָּ אָ֭זְנַיִם כָּרִ֣יתָ לִּ֑י עוֹלָ֥ה וַ֝חֲטָאָ֗ה לֹ֣א שָׁאָֽלְתָּ׃
Then I said, “Behold, I have come. It is written about me in the book in the scroll.
אָ֣ז אָ֭מַרְתִּי הִנֵּה־בָ֑אתִי בִּמְגִלַּת־סֵ֝֗פֶר כָּת֥וּב עָלָֽי׃
I delight to do your will, my God. Yes, your law is within my heart.”
לַֽעֲשֽׂוֹת־רְצוֹנְךָ֣ אֱלֹהַ֣י חָפָ֑צְתִּי וְ֝ת֥וֹרָתְךָ֗ בְּת֣וֹךְ מֵעָֽי׃
I have proclaimed glad news of righteousness in the great assembly. Behold, I will not seal my lips, Yahweh, you know.
בִּשַּׂ֤רְתִּי צֶ֨דֶק ׀ בְּקָ֘הָ֤ל רָ֗ב הִנֵּ֣ה שְׂ֭פָתַי לֹ֣א אֶכְלָ֑א יְ֝הוָ֗ה אַתָּ֥ה יָדָֽעְתָּ׃
I have not hidden your righteousness within my heart. I have declared your faithfulness and your salvation. I have not concealed your loving kindness and your truth from the great assembly.
צִדְקָתְךָ֬ לֹא־כִסִּ֨יתִי ׀ בְּת֬וֹךְ לִבִּ֗י אֱמוּנָתְךָ֣ וּתְשׁוּעָתְךָ֣ אָמָ֑רְתִּי לֹא־כִחַ֥דְתִּי חַסְדְּךָ֥ וַ֝אֲמִתְּךָ֗ לְקָהָ֥ל רָֽב׃
Don’t withhold your tender mercies from me, Yahweh. Let your loving kindness and your truth continually preserve me.
אַתָּ֤ה יְהוָ֗ה לֹא־תִכְלָ֣א רַחֲמֶ֣יךָ מִמֶּ֑נִּי חַסְדְּךָ֥ וַ֝אֲמִתְּךָ֗ תָּמִ֥יד יִצְּרֽוּנִי׃
For innumerable evils have surrounded me. My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up. They are more than the hairs of my head. My heart has failed me.
כִּ֤י אָפְפ֥וּ־עָלַ֨י ׀ רָע֡וֹת עַד־אֵ֬ין מִסְפָּ֗ר הִשִּׂיג֣וּנִי עֲ֭וֺנֹתַי וְלֹא־יָכֹ֣לְתִּי לִרְא֑וֹת עָצְמ֥וּ מִשַּֽׂעֲר֥וֹת רֹ֝אשִׁ֗י וְלִבִּ֥י עֲזָבָֽנִי׃
Be pleased, Yahweh, to deliver me. Hurry to help me, Yahweh.
רְצֵ֣ה יְ֭הוָה לְהַצִּילֵ֑נִי יְ֝הוָ֗ה לְעֶזְרָ֥תִי חֽוּשָׁה׃
Let them be disappointed and confounded together who seek after my soul to destroy it. Let them be turned backward and brought to dishonor who delight in my hurt.
יֵ֘בֹ֤שׁוּ וְיַחְפְּר֨וּ ׀ יַחַד֮ מְבַקְשֵׁ֥י נַפְשִׁ֗י לִסְפּ֫וֹתָ֥הּ יִסֹּ֣גוּ אָ֭חוֹר וְיִכָּלְמ֑וּ חֲ֝פֵצֵ֗י רָעָתִֽי׃
Let them be desolate by reason of their shame that tell me, “Aha! Aha!”
יָ֭שֹׁמּוּ עַל־עֵ֣קֶב בָּשְׁתָּ֑ם הָאֹמְרִ֥ים לִ֝֗י הֶ֘אָ֥ח ׀ הֶאָֽח׃
Let all those who seek you rejoice and be glad in you. Let such as love your salvation say continually, “Let Yahweh be exalted!”
יָ֘שִׂ֤ישׂוּ וְיִשְׂמְח֨וּ ׀ בְּךָ֗ כָּֽל־מְבַ֫קְשֶׁ֥יךָ יֹאמְר֣וּ תָ֭מִיד יִגְדַּ֣ל יְהוָ֑ה אֹֽ֝הֲבֵ֗י תְּשׁוּעָתֶֽךָ׃
But I am poor and needy. May the Lord think about me. You are my help and my deliverer. Don’t delay, my God.
וַאֲנִ֤י ׀ עָנִ֣י וְאֶבְיוֹן֮ אֲדֹנָ֪י יַחֲשָׁ֫ב לִ֥י עֶזְרָתִ֣י וּמְפַלְטִ֣י אַ֑תָּה אֱ֝לֹהַ֗י אַל־תְּאַחַֽר׃
Hebrew: Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain), from the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible. English: World English Bible (public domain). Verse numbers follow the English Bible; the Hebrew numbering is shown beneath where it differs.
I waited
I waited
for the LORD
He turned to me
He heard
my cry
He lifted me
from the pit
from the mud
from the mire
He set my feet
on a rock
made my steps
secure
He put a new song
in my mouth
a song of praise
to our God
Many will see
and fear
and trust
in the LORD
Blessed is the man
who trusts in Him
who does not turn
to lies
or to the proud
Many are Your works
O LORD my God
Your wonders
beyond number
I speak
and they overflow
too many
to declare
I come
I come
to do Your will
Your law
within me
Your law
within me
I will speak
I will speak
of Your righteousness
before the people
before the people
Sacrifice
You did not desire
but You opened
my ears
Burnt offerings
You did not require
So I said
Here I am
It is written
of me
I delight
to do Your will
Your law
within me
I have not hidden
Your truth
I have spoken
Your salvation
Your love
and Your faithfulness
before the assembly
Do not withhold
Your mercy
Let Your love
preserve me
For troubles surround me
without number
My sins
overtake me
I cannot see
They are more
than the hairs
of my head
My heart
fails me
Be pleased
O LORD
to deliver me
Hurry
to help me
Let them be ashamed
those who seek my life
let them turn back
in disgrace
Let all who seek You
rejoice
rejoice
Let them say always
“The LORD is great”
“The LORD is great”
I am poor
and needy
but the Lord
thinks of me
You are my help
You are my help
You are my deliverer
Do not delay
Do not delay
My God
My God
You are my help
You are my help
You are my deliverer
I waited
for the LORD
You heard me
Lyrics by Paul Whitehorn: a singable English rendering of the Hebrew, as sung on this recording.
Corpus Psalterium sets each psalm to music by its Hebrew grammar. Didactic psalms teach; Cantillated psalms are spoken, sung or performed before God. Hear all 150 psalms free.