Psalm 40 KJV
King James Version, Holy Bible
40 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.
Key Takeaways from This Psalm:
Psalm 40:1
Verse: קַוֵּה יְהוָה לִי
Transliteration: Kaveh Adonai li
English: “I waited patiently for the Lord; He inclined to me and heard my cry.”
Focus Word: קָוָה (Kavah)
- Root: ק-ו-ה (Qof-Vav-Heh)
- Meaning: “To wait,” “to hope,” “to expect.”
- Deeper Insight: Hebrew kavah conveys patient, expectant hope in God, combining trust and endurance while awaiting His response.
Biblical Scholars On This Chapter:
| Scholar (Institution & Dates) | Work | View on Psalm 40 |
|---|---|---|
| John Calvin (University of Paris / Orléans, 1509–1564) | Commentaries on the Psalms | Interprets the Psalm as celebrating God’s past deliverance and encouraging public praise. |
| Matthew Henry (Christ Church, Oxford, 1662–1714) | Exposition of the Old and New Testament | Notes that God’s help evokes thanksgiving and renewed faithfulness in the believer. |
| Richard Sibbes (Pembroke College, Cambridge, 1577–1635) | The Bruised Reed | Observes that the Psalm balances recognition of past struggles with hope for continued guidance. |
| John Owen (University of Oxford, 1616–1683) | A Commentary on the Psalms | Highlights that praise flows naturally from the experience of God’s mercy and protection. |
| Thomas Manton (Christ’s College, Cambridge, 1620–1677) | Exposition of the Psalms | Notes that the Psalm teaches the faithful to patiently wait on God and rejoice in His timely deliverance. |
More On This Psalm: Commentary From Biblical Scholars
| Scholar | Paraphrase of the psalm |
|---|---|
| John Trapp (Christ Church, Oxford, 1601–1669, A Commentary on the Old and New Testaments) | Trapp pictures the psalmist climbing out of a muddy pit—rescued by God’s steady hand. What matters to him is the gratitude that follows rescue: a new song born from relief. |
| Charles Hodge (Princeton University, 1797–1878, Commentary on the Psalms) | To Hodge, this psalm weaves together human weakness and divine faithfulness. He reads it as both David’s testimony and a quiet shadow of Christ’s obedience. |
| Matthew Henry (Chester Academy, 1662–1714, Commentary on the Whole Bible) | Henry sees a lesson about waiting when answers seem far away. For him, the psalm teaches that hope, though slow, always meets with mercy in the end. |
| George Adam Smith (University of Aberdeen, 1856–1942, The Book of Psalms, Commentary) | Smith senses motion in the psalm—a shift from despair to gratitude. He notes how trust is not only spoken but sung, echoing through every renewed heart. |
| John Gill (University of Aberdeen, 1697–1771, Exposition of the Old and New Testaments) | Gill’s reflections linger on the link between deliverance and devotion. When God lifts a person from distress, he says, praise naturally rises as a response to grace. |
A Powerful Psalms Chapter 40 Devotional
Thought for the day: It is better to wait on the Lord than to camp with the devil.
Message:
We serve a God who is concerned about His children's affairs. It may seem that God has forgotten about you at this time, but I am happy to inform you that he is fully aware of your situation. If you can just hold on and keep beholding his face, the is that the longer you wait on him, the more you will learn about him. After waiting, two proved his wonders:
He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my going.
In the name of Jesus, this shall be your portion.
Regardless of the devil's wreaking devastation on your life, if you wait on the Lord, he will strengthen you and work wonders in your life. The scripture says:
14 But Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me.
15 Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.
16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me. Isaiah 49:14-15
All you have to do is hold on; your friends may mock you, your family may reject you, but your Maker promises He will not reject you. He said your name is inscribed in His hand. He knows Your Name and what you are going through, therefore hold on.
Daily Counsel
- Be sensitive in waiting, don't sleep off, so as not to stay beyond the normal time when waiting
- God may want to use your waiting period as your pruning period, surrender yourself for his Lordship
- Never allow your waiting period to control how you live, rejoice now and always
- Whatsoever your hand find doing, do it well, this may count for you at your manifest point.
- Never look down on anyone, God can send anybody to help you
Daily Declaration
Father, I receive strength to wait in the face of challenges and trials, I refuse to give up my faith, I choose to stand and I believe that very soon, my change will come and people will rejoice with me in Jesus' name
The Wonderful Works of God
Scripture reading:
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. :5
Thought for the day: Let your blessing points exceed your points.
Today we shall be considering the wonderful works of God, you don't need anyone to tell you that you are his wonder and that is why he kept you alive today. These days we are so concerned about our points than the blessing points. Blessing points are His wonders, how the heavens and the earth were made, His beauty over the sea, and His love for humanity that made Him send his beloved son to die for us. The scripture says:
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
Which wonders can be compared to this?
A big part of the wonders of God is when Jesus laid down His life to translate you from darkness to light, breaking the yoke of sin in your life.
The scripture says:
12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Colossians 1:12-14
He didn't only save you from the darkness but He made you a partaker of the inheritance of the saints. He adopted you as His son and that is why you can call Him Abba, Father. Use today to recall His countless wonders. Think of them and Him for what He has done.
Scripture says:
11 Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? Exodus 15:11
His wonders are from everlasting to everlasting. Take the time to think of His wonders today.
Daily Counsel
- If you cannot count his wonders, you cannot enjoy His blessings.
- When you count his wonders, you are giving Him room to do more for you
- Counting His wonders increases your faith when you feel like giving up
- Meditating his wonder is an antidote to a worried soul, the more you think about his works, the more joyous your heart will be
Daily Declaration
Father, I am sorry for counting on my needs than counting on your wonders, I am sorry for allowing my needs to have my life rather than your wonders. I repent today.
Father, thank you for your many wonders that I cannot count. Thank you for sending Jesus to die for my sin. I appreciate the wonders of your works today. Father, help me to think of your wonderful works always in Jesus' name.
