Psalm 40, Chant A
Psalm 40 Expectans, expectavi
1 I waited patiently upon the LORD; *
he stooped to me and heard my cry.
2 He lifted me out of the desolate pit, out of the mire and clay;
he set my feet upon a high cliff and made my foot-ing sure.
3 He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; *
many shall see, and stand in awe, and put their trust in the LORD.
4 Happy are they who trust in the LORD! *
they do not resort to evil spirits or turn to false gods.
5 Great things are they that you have done, O LORD my God! how great your wonders and your plans for us! *
there is none who can be com-pared with you.
6 Oh, that I could make them known and tell them! *
but they are more than I can count.
7 In sacrifice and offering you take no plea-sure *
(you have given me ears to hear you);
8 Burnt-offering and sin-offering you have not re-quired, *
and so I said, “Be-hold, I come.
9 In the roll of the book it is written con-cern–ing me: *
‘I love to do your will, O my God; your law is deep in my heart.'”
10 I proclaimed righteousness in the great congre-ga-tion; *
behold, I did not restrain my lips; and that, O LORD, you know.
11 Your righteousness have I not hidden in my heart; I have spoken of your faithfulness and your de-liv-erance; *
I have not concealed your love and faithfulness from the great con-gre-ga-tion.
12 You are the LORD; do not withhold your compassion from me; *
let your love and your faithfulness keep me safe for ev-er,
13 For innumerable troubles have crowded upon me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see; *
they are more in number than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails me.
14 Be pleased, O LORD, to de-liv–er me; *
O LORD, make haste to help me.
15 Let them be ashamed and altogether dismayed who seek after my life to des-troy it; *
let them draw back and be disgraced who take pleasure in my mis-for-tune.
16 Let those who say “Aha!” and gloat over me be con-found-ed, *
because they are a-shamed.
17 Let all who seek you rejoice in you and be glad; *
let those who love your salvation continually say, “Great is the LORD!”
18 Though I am poor and af-flic-ted, *
the Lord will have re-gard for me.
19 You are my helper and my de-liv-erer; *
do not tarry, O my God.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spir-it: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ev-er. A-men.