For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. I waited patiently for Yahweh. He turned to me, and heard my cry.
Parallel translations
- KJV I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
- BSB For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. I waited patiently for the LORD; He inclined to me and heard my cry.
- NKJV I waited patiently for the Lord; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry.
- NASB I waited patiently for the Lord; And He reached down to me and heard my cry.
- NLT I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
David recalls patiently waiting on the Lord, who then turned and heard his cry. God answers those who wait in faith.
Overview
This psalm opens with thanksgiving for past deliverance to ground present petition. Patient waiting is rewarded as God inclines to David's cry. The verse models persevering trust that God hears in His timing, a posture fulfilled in Christ's own patient trust of the Father.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Ps 27:13–14I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of Yahweh in the land of the living.
- Ps 37:7Rest in Yahweh, and wait patiently for him. Don’t fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who makes wicked plots happen.
- Jas 5:7–11Be patient therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it, until it receives the early and late rain.
- Ps 116:2Because he has turned his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.
- Ps 34:15Yahweh’s eyes are toward the righteous. His ears listen to their cry.
- Dan 9:18My God, turn your ear, and hear; open your eyes, and see our desolations, and the city which is called by your name: for we do not present our petitions before you for our righteousness, but for your great mercies’ sake.
- Ps 130:2Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my petitions.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 40:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.