Psalm 40:10 - Printer Friendly

ESV: I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart; I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness from the great congregation.

NIV: I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help. I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness from the great assembly.

NASB: I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart; I have spoken of Your faithfulness and Your salvation; I have not concealed Your mercy and Your truth from the great congregation.

CSB: 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.

NLT: I have not kept the good news of your justice hidden in my heart; I have talked about your faithfulness and saving power. I have told everyone in the great assembly of your unfailing love and faithfulness.

KJV: I 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.

NKJV: I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart; I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation; I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth From the great assembly.

As in the prior statement (Psalm 40:9), David affirms that he did not keep secret what the Lord had done for him. He told the great congregation—the worshipers in the sanctuary—about the Lord's reliable rescue. Divine attributes such as trustworthiness and love are expressed by God towards all of His people.

Amidst lamenting what befell Jerusalem, Jeremiah consoled himself with the assurance that the Lord is faithful and loving at all times. He wrote: "The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness" (Lamentations 3:22–23). The salvation David alludes to here is likely the deliverance the Lord gave him when David was hunted and attacked by his enemies in the wilderness.

Following David's example, we too should not keep hidden the truth that the Lord is always reliable and loving. Nor should we keep it a secret that the Lord has saved us. He has delivered us from our sins and eternal judgment, and what He did for us He can do for others. But, as Romans 10:14 asks: "How are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? and how are they to hear without someone preaching [proclaiming]?"

Psalm 40:1–10 delivers a steady stream of thanksgiving, as David recounts the Lord's deliverance of him from his enemies. He is grateful for giving him a new lease on life. He commits himself to doing the Lord's will and to telling others about how the Lord delivered him from his enemies. Psalm 37:1–7 emphasizes the fact that the Lord delivers those who wait on Him and commit themselves to His will. Hebrews 10:5–9 quotes the Greek version of Psalm 40:6–8 and applies the passage to Jesus the Messiah.

David waited on the Lord for quite some time to be delivered from his foes, and the Lord heard him. This remarkable deliverance would persuade many to trust in the Lord. David insists that no one can compare with the Lord. Verses 6–8 are messianic; Hebrews 10:5–9 applies them to Jesus. David shared this story with his fellow worshipers in the sanctuary. He was confident that the Lord would continue to show him His mercy, His steadfast love, and His faithfulness. David needed the Lord's help because he was conscious of his many sins, and he knew his enemies wanted to kill him. He concludes this psalm by humble acknowledging that the Lord thought about him and was his help and deliverer. He asks the Lord to come quickly to his defense.

In this psalm David offers praise to the Lord for meeting his needs. He may have composed this psalm during one of his exiles in the wilderness or during the infancy of his rule as Israel's king. Verses 1–5 may refer to his exile, and verses 6–10 may depict his dedication as king. Verses 11–17 tell of his prayer for forgiveness and his exaltation over his foes. Psalm 70 parallels Psalm 40:13–17. Hebrews 10:5–9 quotes Psalm 40:6–8, making the latter passage messianic.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.