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Psalm 40

Thanksgiving for Deliverance and Prayer for Help

To the leader. Of David. A Psalm.
¹ I waited patiently for the Lord;
   he inclined to me and heard my cry.
² He drew me up from the desolate pit,^*
   out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
   making my steps secure.
³ He put a new song in my mouth,
   a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
   and put their trust in the Lord.

⁴ Happy are those who make
   the Lord their trust,
who do not turn to the proud,
   to those who go astray after false gods.
⁵ You have multiplied, O Lord my God,
   your wondrous deeds and your thoughts towards us;
   none can compare with you.
Were I to proclaim and tell of them,
   they would be more than can be counted.

⁶ Sacrifice and offering you do not desire,
   but you have given me an open ear.^*
Burnt-offering and sin-offering
   you have not required.
⁷ Then I said, ‘Here I am;
   in the scroll of the book it is written of me.^*
8 I delight to do your will, O my God;
   your law is within my heart.’

⁹ I have told the glad news of deliverance
   in the great congregation;
see, I have not restrained my lips,
   as you know, O Lord.
¹⁰ I have not hidden your saving help within my heart,
   I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;
I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness
   from the great congregation.

¹¹ Do not, O Lord, withhold
   your mercy from me;
let your steadfast love and your faithfulness
   keep me safe for ever.
¹² For evils have encompassed me
   without number;
my iniquities have overtaken me,
   until I cannot see;
they are more than the hairs of my head,
   and my heart fails me.

¹³ Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me;
   O Lord, make haste to help me.
¹⁴ Let all those be put to shame and confusion
   who seek to snatch away my life;
let those be turned back and brought to dishonour
   who desire my hurt.
¹⁵ Let those be appalled because of their shame
   who say to me, ‘Aha, Aha!’

¹⁶ But may all who seek you
   rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation
   say continually, ‘Great is the Lord!’
¹⁷ As for me, I am poor and needy,
   but the Lord takes thought for me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
   do not delay, O my God.

Psalm 41

Assurance of God’s Help and a Plea for Healing

To the leader. A Psalm of David.
¹ Happy are those who consider the poor;^*
   the Lord delivers them in the day of trouble.
² The Lord protects them and keeps them alive;
   they are called happy in the land.
   You do not give them up to the will of their enemies.
³ The Lord sustains them on their sickbed;
   in their illness you heal all their infirmities.^*

⁴ As for me, I said, ‘O Lord, be gracious to me;
   heal me, for I have sinned against you.’
⁵ My enemies wonder in malice
   when I will die, and my name perish.
⁶ And when they come to see me, they utter empty words,
   while their hearts gather mischief;
   when they go out, they tell it abroad.
⁷ All who hate me whisper together about me;
   they imagine the worst for me.

⁸ They think that a deadly thing has fastened on me,
   that I will not rise again from where I lie.
⁹ Even my bosom friend in whom I trusted,
   who ate of my bread, has lifted the heel against me.
¹⁰ But you, O Lord, be gracious to me,
   and raise me up, that I may repay them.

¹¹ By this I know that you are pleased with me;
   because my enemy has not triumphed over me.
¹² But you have upheld me because of my integrity,
   and set me in your presence for ever.

¹³ Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
   from everlasting to everlasting.Amen and Amen.