Bible Browser

Psalm 40

1  I waited patiently for the Lord; ♦︎
   he inclined to me and heard my cry.
2  He brought me out of the roaring pit,
      out of the mire and clay; ♦︎
   he set my feet upon a rock and made my footing sure.
3  He has put a new song in my mouth,
      a song of praise to our God; ♦︎
   many shall see and fear
      and put their trust in the Lord.
4  Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, ♦︎
   who does not turn to the proud that follow a lie.
5  Great are the wonders you have done, O Lord my God.
      How great your designs for us! ♦︎
   There is none that can be compared with you.
6  If I were to proclaim them and tell of them ♦︎
   they would be more than I am able to express.
7  Sacrifice and offering you do not desire ♦︎
   but my ears you have opened;
8  Burnt offering and sacrifice for sin you have not required; ♦︎
   then said I: ‘Lo, I come.
9  ‘In the scroll of the book it is written of me
      that I should do your will, O my God; ♦︎
   I delight to do it: your law is within my heart.’
10  I have declared your righteousness in the great congregation; ♦︎
   behold, I did not restrain my lips,
      and that, O Lord, you know.
11  Your righteousness I have not hidden in my heart;
      I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation; ♦︎
   I have not concealed your loving-kindness and truth
      from the great congregation.
12  Do not withhold your compassion from me, O Lord; ♦︎
   let your love and your faithfulness always preserve me,
13  For innumerable troubles have come about me;
      my sins have overtaken me so that I cannot look up; ♦︎
   they are more in number than the hairs of my head,
      and my heart fails me.
14  Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me; ♦︎
   O Lord, make haste to help me.
15  Let them be ashamed and altogether dismayed
      who seek after my life to destroy it; ♦︎
   let them be driven back and put to shame
      who wish me evil.
16  Let those who heap insults upon me ♦︎
   be desolate because of their shame.
17  Let all who seek you rejoice in you and be glad; ♦︎
   let those who love your salvation say always,
      ‘The Lord is great.’
18  Though I am poor and needy, ♦︎
   the Lord cares for me.
19  You are my helper and my deliverer; ♦︎
   O my God, make no delay.

The Promise of the Lord’s Coming

3This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you; in them I am trying to arouse your sincere intention by reminding you ²that you should remember the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets, and the commandment of the Lord and Saviour spoken through your apostles. ³First of all you must understand this, that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and indulging their own lusts ⁴and saying, ‘Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since our ancestors died,^* all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation!’ ⁵They deliberately ignore this fact, that by the word of God heavens existed long ago and an earth was formed out of water and by means of water, ⁶through which the world of that time was deluged with water and perished. ⁷But by the same word the present heavens and earth have been reserved for fire, being kept until the day of judgement and destruction of the godless.

8 But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. ⁹The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you,^* not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. ¹⁰But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed.^*