Psalms 40; Psalms 41; Psalms 42

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

2 He brought me up from a desolate pit, out of the muddy clay, and set my feet on a rock, making my steps secure.

3 He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.

4 How happy is the man who has put his trust in the Lord and has not turned to the proud or to those who run after lies!

5 Lord my God, You have done many things- Your wonderful works and Your plans for us; none can compare with You. If I were to report and speak [of them], they are more than can be told.

6 You do not delight in sacrifice and offering; You open my ears to listen. You do not ask for a whole burnt offering or a sin offering.

7 Then I said, "See, I have come; it is written about me in the volume of the scroll.

8 I delight to do Your will, my God; Your instruction resides within me."

9 I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; see, I do not keep my mouth closed -as You know, Lord.

10 I did not hide Your righteousness in my heart; I spoke about Your faithfulness and salvation; I did not conceal Your constant love and truth from the great assembly.

11 Lord, do not withhold Your compassion from me; Your constant love and truth will always guard me.

12 For troubles without number have surrounded me; my sins have overtaken me; I am unable to see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my courage leaves me.

13 Lord, be pleased to deliver me; hurry to help me, Lord.

14 Let those who seek to take my life be disgraced and confounded. Let those who wish me harm be driven back and humiliated.

15 Let those who say to me, "Aha, aha!" be horrified because of their shame.

16 Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; let those who love Your salvation continually say, "The Lord is great!"

17 I am afflicted and needy; the Lord thinks of me. You are my help and my deliverer; my God, do not delay.

1 Happy is one who cares for the poor; the Lord will save him in a day of adversity.

2 The Lord will keep him and preserve him; he will be blessed in the land. You will not give him over to the desire of his enemies.

3 The Lord will sustain him on his sickbed; You will heal him on the bed where he lies.

4 I said, "Lord, be gracious to me; heal me, for I have sinned against You."

5 My enemies speak maliciously about me: "When will he die and be forgotten?"

6 When one [of them] comes to visit, he speaks deceitfully; he stores up evil in his heart; he goes out and talks.

7 All who hate me whisper together about me; they plan to harm me.

8 "Lethal poison has been poured into him, and he won't rise again from where he lies!"

9 Even my friend in whom I trusted, one who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.

10 But You, Lord, be gracious to me and raise me up; then I will repay them.

11 By this I know that You delight in me: my enemy does not shout in triumph over me.

12 You supported me because of my integrity and set me in Your presence forever.

13 May the Lord, the God of Israel, be praised from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and amen. BOOK II (Psalms 42-72)

1 As a deer longs for streams of water, so I long for You, God.

2 I thirst for God, the living God. When can I come and appear before God?

3 My tears have been my food day and night, while all day long people say to me, "Where is your God?"

4 I remember this as I pour out my heart: how I walked with many, leading the festive procession to the house of God, with joyful and thankful shouts.

5 Why am I so depressed? Why this turmoil within me? Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him, my Savior and my God.

6 I am deeply depressed; therefore I remember You from the land of Jordan and the peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.

7 Deep calls to deep in the roar of Your waterfalls; all Your breakers and Your billows have swept over me.

8 The Lord will send His faithful love by day; His song will be with me in the night- a prayer to the God of my life.

9 I will say to God, my rock, "Why have You forgotten me? Why must I go about in sorrow because of the enemy's oppression?"

10 My adversaries taunt me, as if crushing my bones, while all day long they say to me, "Where is your God?"

11 Why am I so depressed? Why this turmoil within me? Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him, my Savior and my God.