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TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 40

Translation and Transliteration of 

1For the leader. A psalm of David.

la-menatze-ACH, l'-da-VID, miz-MOR

אלַ֝מְנַצֵּ֗חַ לְדָוִ֥ד מִזְמֽוֹר׃

2I put my hope in Hashem; He inclined toward me, and heeded my cry.

ka-VOH ki-VEE-tee a-do-NAI va-YAYT ay-LAI va-yish-MA shav-a-TEE

בקַוֺּ֣ה קִוִּ֣יתִי יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיֵּ֥ט אֵ֝לַ֗י וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע שַׁוְעָתִֽי׃

40:2   I put my hope in Hashem

In Tehillim, King David often calls out to Hashem in pain; expressing his suffering and calling for salvation. Here, David reminds us that God not only listens to his pleas, but also responds. Psalm 40 opens with a direct response to Psalm 27’s last line: “Look to Hashem; be strong and of good courage! O look to Hashem!” David tells us that he indeed put his hope in Hashem, and Hashem listened, heard his cry and saved him. Perhaps in this verse David is acknowledging his salvation from Shaul, perhaps he is rejoicing in the return of the Ark to Yerushalayim, or perhaps he is just sharing the momentary bliss of his wives, his children or his nation. We believe that our prayers are always heard by God; sometimes the time is right for Him only to listen, and sometimes He responds with great salvation. Those times require us to sing great praise to Him.

3He lifted me out of the miry pit, the slimy clay, and set my feet on a rock, steadied my legs.

vai-ya-a-LE-ni mi-BOR sha-ON mit-TIT ha-YA-ven va-YA-kem al-SE-lah rag-LAI ko-NEN a-shu-RAI

גוַיַּעֲלֵ֤נִי ׀ מִבּ֥וֹר שָׁאוֹן֮ מִטִּ֢יט הַיָּ֫וֵ֥ן וַיָּ֖קֶם עַל־סֶ֥לַע רַגְלַ֗י כּוֹנֵ֥ן אֲשֻׁרָֽי׃

4He put a new song into my mouth, a hymn to our God. May many see it and stand in awe, and trust in Hashem.

vai-YI-ten b'-fi SHEER kha-DASH te-hi-LAH le-lo-HEE-nu yir-U ra-BEEM v'-yi-ra-U v'-yiv-t'-KHU ba-do-NAI

דוַיִּתֵּ֬ן בְּפִ֨י ׀ שִׁ֥יר חָדָשׁ֮ תְּהִלָּ֢ה לֵאלֹ֫הֵ֥ינוּ יִרְא֣וּ רַבִּ֣ים וְיִירָ֑אוּ וְ֝יִבְטְח֗וּ בַּיהֹוָֽה׃

5Happy is the man who makes Hashem his trust, who turns not to the arrogant or to followers of falsehood.

a-SH'-ray ha-GE-ver a-SHER sam a-do-NAI miv-ta-KHO, v'-lo fa-NA el r'-ha-VEEM v'-sa-TAY ka-ZAV

האַ֥שְֽׁרֵי הַגֶּ֗בֶר אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֣ם יְ֭הֹוָה מִבְטַח֑וֹ וְֽלֹא־פָנָ֥ה אֶל־רְ֝הָבִ֗ים וְשָׂטֵ֥י כָזָֽב׃

6You, Hashem my God, have done many things; the wonders You have devised for us cannot be set out before You; I would rehearse the tale of them, but they are more than can be told.

ra-VOT a-SEE-ta, a-TAH a-do-NAI e-lo-HAI, nif-le-o-TE-kha u-makh-sh'-vo-TE-kha, e-lei-NU eyn a-ROKH e-lei-KHA, a-gi-DA va-a-da-be-RAH, a-tz'-MU mi-sa-PEIR.

ורַבּ֤וֹת עָשִׂ֨יתָ ׀ אַתָּ֤ה ׀ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהַי֮ נִ֥פְלְאֹתֶ֥יךָ וּמַחְשְׁבֹתֶ֗יךָ אֵ֫לֵ֥ינוּ אֵ֤ין ׀ עֲרֹ֬ךְ אֵלֶ֗יךָ אַגִּ֥ידָה וַאֲדַבֵּ֑רָה עָ֝צְמ֗וּ מִסַּפֵּֽר׃

7You gave me to understand that You do not desire sacrifice and meal offering; You do not ask for burnt offering and sin offering.

ZE-vakh u-mi-N'kha LO-kha-FATZ-ta, OZ-na-YIM ka-REE-ta LEE, o-LAH va-kha-ta-AH LO sha-OL-ta.

זזֶ֤בַח וּמִנְחָ֨ה ׀ לֹֽא־חָפַ֗צְתָּ אׇ֭זְנַיִם כָּרִ֣יתָ לִּ֑י עוֹלָ֥ה וַ֝חֲטָאָ֗ה לֹ֣א שָׁאָֽלְתָּ׃

8Then I said, “See, I will bring a scroll recounting what befell me.”

az a-MAR-tee, hi-NEH va-a-TEE b'-mi-gi-lat SE-fer ka-TOOV a-LAI

חאָ֣ז אָ֭מַרְתִּי הִנֵּה־בָ֑אתִי בִּמְגִלַּת־סֵ֝֗פֶר כָּת֥וּב עָלָֽי׃

9To do what pleases You, my God, is my desire; Your teaching is in my inmost parts.

la-a-SOT r'-tzo-NE-kha e-lo-HAI kha-FA-t'-TEE v'-to-ra-T'-kha b'-to-KHAY may-AI

טלַ֥עֲשׂוֹת־רְצוֹנְךָ֣ אֱלֹהַ֣י חָפָ֑צְתִּי וְ֝ת֥וֹרָתְךָ֗ בְּת֣וֹךְ מֵעָֽי׃

10I proclaimed [Your] righteousness in a great congregation; see, I did not withhold my words; Hashem, You must know it.

bi-SAR-ti tze-DEK b'-ka-HAL rav hi-NEH s'-fa-TAI lo e-kh-LA a-do-NAI a-TAH ya-da-TA

יבִּשַּׂ֤רְתִּי צֶ֨דֶק ׀ בְּקָ֘הָ֤ל רָ֗ב הִנֵּ֣ה שְׂ֭פָתַי לֹ֣א אֶכְלָ֑א יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה אַתָּ֥ה יָדָֽעְתָּ׃

11I did not keep Your beneficence to myself; I declared Your faithful deliverance; I did not fail to speak of Your steadfast love in a great congregation.

TZID-kaht-KHA lo k'-see-TEE b'-TOHKH li-BEE e-moo-NAHT-kha u-t'-shoo-AHT-kha a-ma-RTI lo k'-khakh-D'-tee khas-D'-kha va-a-mee-T'-kha l'-ka-HAHL rahv

יאצִדְקָתְךָ֬ לֹֽא־כִסִּ֨יתִי ׀ בְּת֬וֹךְ לִבִּ֗י אֱמוּנָתְךָ֣ וּתְשׁוּעָתְךָ֣ אָמָ֑רְתִּי לֹא־כִחַ֥דְתִּי חַסְדְּךָ֥ וַ֝אֲמִתְּךָ֗ לְקָהָ֥ל רָֽב׃

12Hashem, You will not withhold from me Your compassion; Your steadfast love will protect me always.

a-TAH a-do-NAI lo tik-LA ra-cha-ME-kha mi-ME-ni, khas-DE-kha va-a-mi-TE-kha ta-MEED yit-t'-RU-ni

יבאַתָּ֤ה יְהֹוָ֗ה לֹֽא־תִכְלָ֣א רַחֲמֶ֣יךָ מִמֶּ֑נִּי חַסְדְּךָ֥ וַ֝אֲמִתְּךָ֗ תָּמִ֥יד יִצְּרֽוּנִי׃

13For misfortunes without number envelop me; my iniquities have caught up with me; I cannot see; they are more than the hairs of my head; I am at my wits' end.

ki a-FO-fu-a-LAI ra-OT ad-EIN mis-PAH hi-si-GU-ni a-vo-NOTAI v'-LO ya-KHOL-ti lir-OT a-TZ'-mu mi-sa-a-ROT ro-SHI v'-LI-bi a-za-VA-ni

יגכִּ֤י אָפְפֽוּ־עָלַ֨י ׀ רָע֡וֹת עַד־אֵ֬ין מִסְפָּ֗ר הִשִּׂיג֣וּנִי עֲ֭וֺנֹתַי וְלֹא־יָכֹ֣לְתִּי לִרְא֑וֹת עָצְמ֥וּ מִשַּׂעֲר֥וֹת רֹ֝אשִׁ֗י וְלִבִּ֥י עֲזָבָֽנִי׃

14O favor me, Hashem, and save me; Hashem, hasten to my aid.

RTZEH a-do-NAI l'-ha-tzee-LAY-nee, a-do-NAI l'-ez-ra-TEE KHO-sha

ידרְצֵ֣ה יְ֭הֹוָה לְהַצִּילֵ֑נִי יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה לְעֶזְרָ֥תִי חֽוּשָׁה׃

15Let those who seek to destroy my life be frustrated and disgraced; let those who wish me harm fall back in shame.

ye-VOSH-u v'-yakh-p'-RU YA-khad m'-vak-SHAY naf-SHEE lis-po-TA, yi-SO-gu a-KHOR v'-yi-kal-MU kha-FAY-tsay ra-a-TEE

טויֵ֘בֹ֤שׁוּ וְיַחְפְּר֨וּ ׀ יַחַד֮ מְבַקְשֵׁ֥י נַפְשִׁ֗י לִסְפּ֫וֹתָ֥הּ יִסֹּ֣גוּ אָ֭חוֹר וְיִכָּלְמ֑וּ חֲ֝פֵצֵ֗י רָעָתִֽי׃

16Let those who say “Aha! Aha!” over me be desolate because of their frustration.

ya-SHO-mu al-E-KEV bo-SHAM ha-o-m'-REEM lee he-AKH he-aKH

טזיָ֭שֹׁמּוּ עַל־עֵ֣קֶב בׇּשְׁתָּ֑ם הָאֹמְרִ֥ים לִ֝֗י הֶ֘אָ֥ח ׀ הֶאָֽח׃

17But let all who seek You be glad and rejoice in You; let those who are eager for Your deliverance always say, “Extolled be Hashem!”

ya-SI-su v'-yis-M'-khu b'-KHA kol m'-va-k'-SHE-kha yo-M'-RU ta-MEED yig-DAL a-do-NAI o-ha-VEI t'-shu-a-TE-kha

יזיָ֘שִׂ֤ישׂוּ וְיִשְׂמְח֨וּ ׀ בְּךָ֗ כׇּֽל־מְבַ֫קְשֶׁ֥יךָ יֹאמְר֣וּ תָ֭מִיד יִגְדַּ֣ל יְהֹוָ֑ה אֹ֝הֲבֵ֗י תְּשׁוּעָתֶֽךָ׃

18But I am poor and needy; may Hashem devise [deliverance] for me. You are my help and my rescuer; my God, do not delay.

va-a-NEE a-NEE v'-ev-YON, a-do-NAI ya-kha-SHUV-lee ez-ra-TEE u-m'-fal-TEE a-TAH, e-lo-HAI al-t'-a-KHAR.

יחוַאֲנִ֤י ׀ עָנִ֣י וְאֶבְיוֹן֮ אֲדֹנָ֢י יַחֲשׇׁ֫ב־לִ֥י עֶזְרָתִ֣י וּמְפַלְטִ֣י אַ֑תָּה אֱ֝לֹהַ֗י אַל־תְּאַחַֽר׃