Psalms 40:1

King James Version

I waited patiently for the Lord ; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
I waited patiently for the Lord,and he turned to me and heard my cry for help.

Hebrew Names Version
<> I waited patiently for the LORD. He turned to me, and heard my cry.

English Standard Version

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

I waited patiently for the Lord ; he inclined to me and heard my cry.

New Century Version

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

I waited patiently for the Lord . He turned to me and heard my cry.

New English Translation

For the music director; By David, a psalm.

I relied completely on the Lord , and he turned toward me and heard my cry for help.

Amplified Bible
I waited patiently and expectantly for the LORD; And He inclined to me and heard my cry.

New American Standard Bible
I waited patiently for the LORD; And He reached down to me and heard my cry.

World English Bible
<> I waited patiently for Yahweh. He turned to me, and heard my cry.

Geneva Bible (1587)
To him that excelleth. A Psalme of Dauid. I Waited paciently for the Lorde, and he inclined vnto me, and heard my cry.

Legacy Standard Bible
I hoped earnestly for Yahweh;And He inclined to me and heard my cry for help.

Berean Standard Bible
For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. I waited patiently for the LORD; He inclined to me and heard my cry.

Contemporary English Version

(A psalm by David for the music leader.)

I patiently waited, Lord , for you to hear my prayer. You listened

Complete Jewish Bible
For the leader. A psalm of David:

Darby Translation

To the chief Musician. Of David. A Psalm.

I waited patiently for Jehovah; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.

Easy-to-Read Version

To the director: A song of David.

I called to the Lord , and he heard me. He heard my cries.

George Lamsa Translation
I WAITED patiently for the LORD; and he turned towards me and heard my supplication.

Good News Translation
I waited patiently for the Lord 's help; then he listened to me and heard my cry.

Lexham English Bible

For the music director. Of David. A psalm.

I waited patiently for Yahweh, And he inclined to me and heard my cry for help.

Literal Translation
To the chief musician. A Psalm of David. Waiting I have waited on Jehovah; and He turned to me and heard my cry.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
I wayted paciently for the LORDE, which enclyned himself vnto me, and herde my callinge.

American Standard Version

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

I waited patiently for Jehovah; And he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.

Bible in Basic English
When I was waiting quietly for the Lord, his heart was turned to me, and he gave ear to my cry.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
For the Leader. A Psalm of David.

King James Version (1611)
[To the chiefe Musician, A Psalme of Dauid.] I waited patiently for the Lord, and he inclined vnto me, and heard my crie.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
I wayted patiently vpon God, and he enclined vnto me [his eare]: and heard my crying.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
I waited patiently for the Lord; and he attended to me, and hearkened to my supplication.

English Revised Version
For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
The title of the nyne and threttithe salm. For victorie, the song of Dauid. Y abidynge abood the Lord; and he yaf tent to me.

Update Bible Version
For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. I waited patiently for Yahweh; And he inclined to me, and heard my cry.

Webster's Bible Translation
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined to me, and heard my cry.

New King James Version
I waited patiently for the LORD; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry.

New Living Translation

For the choir director: A psalm of David.

I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry.

New Life Bible
I did not give up waiting for the Lord. And He turned to me and heard my cry.

New Revised Standard

To the leader. Of David. A Psalm.

I waited patiently for the Lord ; he inclined to me and heard my cry.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
I waited patiently for Yahweh, - And he inclined, unto me, and heard my cry for help;

Douay-Rheims Bible
(39-1) <Unto the end, a psalm for David himself.> (39-2) With expectation I have waited for the Lord, and he was attentive to me.

Revised Standard Version
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry.

Young's Literal Translation
To the Overseer. -- A Psalm of David. I have diligently expected Jehovah, And He inclineth to me, and heareth my cry,

THE MESSAGE
A David Psalm I waited and waited and waited for God . At last he looked; finally he listened. He lifted me out of the ditch, pulled me from deep mud. He stood me up on a solid rock to make sure I wouldn't slip. He taught me how to sing the latest God-song, a praise-song to our God. More and more people are seeing this: they enter the mystery, abandoning themselves to God .

New American Standard Bible (1995)

For the choir director. A Psalm of David.

I waited patiently for the Lord ; And He inclined to me and heard my cry.

Contextual Overview

¹ 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.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

am 2970, bc 1034 - Title This psalm is supposed to have been composed by David about the same time, and on the same occasion, as the two preceding; with this difference, that here he magnifies God for have obtained the mercy which he sought there. It also contains a remarkable prophecy of the incarnation and sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

I waited: Heb. In waiting I waited, Psalms 27:13, Psalms 27:14, Psalms 37:7, James 5:7-11

inclined: Psalms 116:2, Psalms 130:2, Daniel 9:18

Reciprocal: Genesis 8:10 - stayed Genesis 19:19 - and thou Genesis 49:18 - General 1 Samuel 30:6 - David Job 14:14 - all the days Job 33:30 - To bring Job 36:16 - a broad Psalms 4:1 - thou Psalms 6:9 - hath heard Psalms 18:16 - drew Psalms 25:3 - wait Psalms 30:3 - brought Psalms 52:9 - wait Psalms 62:1 - my soul Psalms 69:14 - Deliver Psalms 69:30 - I will Psalms 71:20 - which Psalms 86:17 - thou Psalms 116:1 - because Psalms 118:5 - called Psalms 123:2 - so our eyes Psalms 130:5 - I wait Song of Solomon 2:12 - time Isaiah 8:17 - I will Isaiah 30:18 - blessed Isaiah 40:31 - they that Isaiah 50:10 - let Lamentations 3:25 - good Lamentations 3:55 - General Micah 7:7 - wait Matthew 5:4 - General Luke 21:19 - General Luke 22:44 - being John 16:20 - your Acts 7:10 - delivered Acts 9:11 - for Romans 12:12 - patient 2 Thessalonians 3:5 - and into Hebrews 5:7 - and Hebrews 10:36 - ye have James 1:4 - let James 5:8 - ye also

Cross-References

Genesis 40:13
Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thine head, and restore thee unto thy place: and thou shalt deliver Pharaoh's cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast his butler.

Genesis 40:20
And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants.

Genesis 40:23
Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him.

Esther 6:1
On that night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

I waited patiently for the Lord,.... Or "waiting I waited" i; which denotes continuance, constancy, and patience; and which Christ exercised in the garden, when he submitted himself entirely to the will of God; and on the cross, when he continued in sure hope and firm expectation of his help and assistance, though he was for a while forsaken by him; see Isaiah 50:7;

and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry; both in the garden, by delivering him from fear of death; and on the cross, by upholding, helping, and assisting him, by carrying him through his sufferings and death, and raising him from the dead; see Isaiah 49:8.

i קוה קויתי "expectando expectavi", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus Musculus, Rivetus, Gejerus, Michaelis; so Ainsworth.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

I waited patiently for the Lord - Margin, as in Hebrew, “In waiting I waited.” That is, “I continued to wait.” It was not a single, momentary act of expectation or hope; it was continuous; or, was persevered in. The idea is, that his prayer was not answered at once, but that it was answered after he had made repeated prayers, or when it seemed as if his prayers would not be answered. It is earnest, persevering prayer that is referred to; it is continued supplication and hope when there seemed to be no answer to prayer, and no prospect that it would be answered.

And he inclined unto me - That is, ultimately he heard and answered me; or he turned himself favorably toward me, as the result of “persevering” prayer. The word “inclined” here means properly “bowed;” that is, he “bent forward” to hearken, or to place his ear near my mouth and to hear me. At first, he seemed as one that would not hear; as one that throws his head backward or turns his head away. Ultimately, however, he bent forward to receive my prayer.

And heard my cry - The cry or supplication which I made for help; the cry which I directed to him in the depth of my sorrows and my danger, Psalms 40:2. As applied to the Redeemer, this would refer to the fact that in his sorrows, in the deep sorrows connected with the work of redemption, he persevered in calling on God, and that God heard him, and raised him up to glory and joy. See Matthew 26:36-46. Compare the notes at Hebrews 5:7. The time supposed to be referred to, is after his sufferings were closed; after his work was done; “after” he rose from the dead. It is the language of grateful remembrance which we may suppose he uttered in the review of the amazing sorrows through which he had passed in making the atonement, and in the recollection that God had kept him in those sorrows, and had brought him up from such a depth of woe to such a height of glory.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

PSALM XL

The benefit of confidence in God, 1-3.

The blessedness of those who trust in God, 4, 5.

The termination of the Jewish sacrifices in that of Christ, 6-8.

The psalmist's resolution to publish God's goodness, 9, 10:

he prays to be delivered from evils, 11-13;

against his enemies, 14, 15;

and in behalf of those who are destitute, 16, 17.

NOTES ON PSALM XL

The TITLE, "To the chief Musician," we have already seen, and it contains nothing worthy of particular remark. Concerning the occasion and author of this Psalm there has been a strange and numerous diversity of opinions. I shall not trouble the reader with sentiments which I believe to be ill founded; as I am satisfied the Psalm was composed by David; and about the same time and on the same occasion as the two preceding; with this difference, that here he magnifies God for having bestowed the mercy which he sought there. It is, therefore, a thanksgiving for his recovery from the sore disease by which he was afflicted in his body, and for his restoration to the Divine favour. The sixth, seventh, and eighth verses contain a remarkable prophecy of the incarnation and sacrificial offering of Jesus Christ. From the eleventh to the end contains a new subject and appears to have belonged to another Psalm. It is the same as the seventieth Psalm; only it wants the two first verses.

Verse Psalms 40:1. I waited patiently for the Lord — The two preceding Psalms are proofs of the patience and resignation with which David waited for the mercy of God. The reader is requested to consult the notes on them.

And heard my cry. — The two preceding Psalms show how he prayed and waited; this shows how he succeeded.