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Psalm 40:1

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

Psalm 40:1, King James Version (KJV)

“For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. I waited patiently for the LORD. He turned to me, and heard my cry.”

World English Bible (WEB)

Read Psalm 40:1 in the NIV, ESV and 13 more Bibles, with study notes and the original Hebrew, in the Path & Light app.

Psalm 40 (KJV)

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.

  1. 1I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
  2. 2He 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. 3And 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. 4Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
  5. 5Many, 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. 6Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.
  7. 7Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,
  8. 8I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.
  9. 9I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.
  10. 10I 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. 11Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.
  12. 12For 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. 13Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me: O LORD, make haste to help me.
  14. 14Let 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. 15Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame that say unto me, Aha, aha.
  16. 16Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified.
  17. 17But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.

Related verses

Passages that readers often connect with Psalm 40:1, in the King James Version.

  • Psalm 37:7

    Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

  • James 5:7–11

    Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. …

  • Psalm 27:13–14

    I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. …

  • Daniel 9:18

    O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies.

  • Psalm 34:15

    The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.

  • Psalm 130:2

    Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.

More verses about waiting

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1769 standardized text (eBible.org eng-kjv). Public domain outside the United Kingdom. Text courtesy of the Crosswire Bible Society and eBible.org. World English Bible Protestant Edition (eBible engwebp, 2026-09-15 snapshot). Public domain. World English Bible is a trademark of eBible.org. Text unmodified; footnotes and formatting omitted. Related verses: OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0), from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.