Psalms

Psalm 40:1–4

¹For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

I waited patiently for the LORD;

He inclined to me and heard my cry.

²He lifted me up from the pit of despair,

out of the miry clay;

He set my feet upon a rock,

and made my footsteps firm.

³He 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.

⁴Blessed is the man

who has made the LORD his trust,

who has not turned to the proud,

nor to those who lapse into falsehood.^a

Footnotes

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For the choirmaster	לַ֝מְנַצֵּ֗חַ	lam·naṣ·ṣê·aḥ	Preposition-l, Article; Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular	H5329 be pre-eminent, enduring
A Psalm	מִזְמֽוֹר׃	miz·mō·wr	Noun - masculine singular	H4210 melody
of David	לְדָוִ֥ד	lə·ḏā·wiḏ	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
I waited patiently for	קַוֺּ֣ה	qaw·wōh	Verb - Piel - Infinitive absolute	H6960 wait for
the LORD	יְהוָ֑ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
He inclined	וַיֵּ֥ט	way·yêṭ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5186 stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bend
to me	אֵ֝לַ֗י	’ê·lay	Preposition; first person common singular	H413 motion to
and heard	וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע	way·yiš·ma‘	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H8085 hear
my cry	שַׁוְעָתִֽי׃	šaw·‘ā·ṯî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H7775 cry for help

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
He lifted me up	וַיַּעֲלֵ֤נִי׀	way·ya·‘ă·lê·nî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singular	H5927 go up, ascend, climb
from the pit	מִבּ֥וֹר	mib·bō·wr	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct	H953 pit, cistern, well
of despair	שָׁאוֹן֮	šā·’ō·wn	Noun - masculine singular	H7588 roar
out of the miry	הַיָּ֫וֵ֥ן	hay·yā·wên	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3121 mire
clay	מִטִּ֪יט	miṭ·ṭîṭ	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct	H2916 mud, mire, clay
He set	וַיָּ֖קֶם	way·yā·qem	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6965 arise, stand up, stand
my feet	רַגְלַ֗י	raḡ·lay	Noun - feminine dual construct; first person common singular	H7272 foot
upon	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
a rock	סֶ֥לַע	se·la‘	Noun - masculine singular	H5553 crag, cliff
made my footsteps	אֲשֻׁרָֽי׃	’ă·šu·rāy	Noun - feminine plural construct; first person common singular	H838 step, going
firm	כּוֹנֵ֥ן	kō·w·nên	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H3559 be firm

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
He put	וַיִּתֵּ֬ן	way·yit·tên	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5414 give, put, set
a new	חָדָשׁ֮	ḥā·ḏāš	Adjective - masculine singular	H2319 new
song	שִׁ֥יר	šîr	Noun - masculine singular	H7892 song
in my mouth	בְּפִ֨י׀	bə·p̄î	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H6310 mouth
a hymn of praise	תְּהִלָּ֪ה	tə·hil·lāh	Noun - feminine singular	H8416 praise, song of praise
to our God	לֵֽאלֹ֫הֵ֥ינוּ	lê·lō·hê·nū	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common plural	H430 God
Many	רַבִּ֣ים	rab·bîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H7227 much, many, great
will see	יִרְא֣וּ	yir·’ū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H7200 see
and fear	וְיִירָ֑אוּ	wə·yî·rā·’ū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H3372 fear
and put their trust	וְ֝יִבְטְח֗וּ	wə·yiḇ·ṭə·ḥū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H982 trust
in the LORD	בַּיהוָֽה׃	Yah·weh	Preposition-b; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Blessed	אַ֥שְֽׁרֵי	’aš·rê	Interjection	H835 happiness, blessedness
is the man	הַגֶּ֗בֶר	hag·ge·ḇer	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H1397 man
who	אֲשֶׁר־	’ă·šer-	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
has made	שָׂ֣ם	śām	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H7760 put, place, set
the LORD	יְ֭הֹוָה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
his trust	מִבְטַח֑וֹ	miḇ·ṭa·ḥōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H4009 confidence
who has not	וְֽלֹא־	wə·lō-	Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
turned	פָנָ֥ה	p̄ā·nāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H6437 turn
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
the proud	רְ֝הָבִ֗ים	rə·hā·ḇîm	Noun - masculine plural	H7295 proud, defiant
nor to those who lapse	וְשָׂטֵ֥י	wə·śā·ṭê	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct	H7750 swerve, fall away
into falsehood	כָזָֽב׃	ḵā·zāḇ	Noun - masculine singular	H3577 lie, falsehood, deceptive thing