Psalms 40:1–3

In its context

Its words in the original

• מְנַצֵּחַmenatseach· direct, oversee

  Direct: be in charge of a work or of the music of worship. From this word comes the title "for the director" of many psalms.

• דָוִדdavid· David

  David, youngest son of Jesse, of Bethlehem; the second king of Israel. The name means "beloved."

• מִזְמוֹרmizmor· psalm

  Psalm: a song sung with instruments. It is the title of many of the poems in the book of Psalms.

• קַוֺּהkavo· gather; wait for

  Gather together, collect in one place (said of the waters). In other passages the same verb means "wait for" with hope.

• יְהוָהyehva· YHWH

  The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.

• יֵּטyet· stretch out, turn aside

  Stretch out, spread; pitch a tent. Also bend, incline; turn aside, pervert (justice).

• יִּשְׁמַעyishma· hear, listen, obey

  Hear, listen. In the Bible listening truly includes paying heed; so it often means "obey". In the causative form, make heard, proclaim.

• שַׁוְעָתִshavati· cry for help

  Cry for help.

• יַּעֲלֵyaale· go up, offer up

  Go up, ascend, climb. It is also used for "offering" a sacrifice (making it go up), and for coming up from Egypt.

• בּוֹרbor· pit, cistern

  Pit or cistern dug to keep rainwater; when empty, it served as a prison; also the grave.

• שָׁאוֹןshaon· roar, uproar

  Roar, uproar: a great noise, like that of waters or of a crowd; also the ruin that comes with it.

• טִּיטtit· mud, clay

  Mud, clay; the mire of the streets or of the bottom of a pit. Also the potter's clay.

• יָּוֵןyaven· mire, mud

  Mire, mud: the thick mud at the bottom of a pit.

• יָּקֶםyakem· rise, stand, establish

  Rise, stand up; also stand firm, establish or fulfill something. "Rise against" is to attack.

• סֶלַעsela· crag, cliff

  Crag: a great, high rock; it also serves as a refuge.

• רַגְלַragla· foot

  Foot; the foot of an animal; also a step.

• כּוֹנֵןkonen· be firm, prepare

  Be firm, be set, be ready; in the causative form, set up, establish, prepare, make ready.

• אֲשֻׁרָashura· step

  A step, a footstep.

• יִּתֵּןyiten· give, put, set

  Give, in a very wide sense: hand over, put, place, grant, allow, make something be.

• פִfi· mouth

  Mouth. Also what someone says or commands ("by the mouth of" = by the word of); the edge of a sword; "according to".

• שִׁירshir· song

  Song, singing.

• חָדָשׁchadash· new

  New.

• תְּהִלָּהtehila· praise

  Praise; deeds worthy of praise; a song of praise.

• אלֹהֵיlohe· Elohim, God, gods

  The Hebrew word usually translated "God". This translation keeps "Elohim" when it speaks of the one true God, the Creator, the God of Israel. The word ends like a plural, but it does not mean several: for him the verb is singular ("Elohim created"); the plural form expresses greatness. The same word as a common noun names the "gods" of other peoples, and there it is a true plural, translated "gods". It is also used of mighty ones or judges.

• יִרְאוּyiru· see

  See. Also look, observe, notice, consider; in some forms, "appear" or "show".

• רַבִּיםrabim· many, great

  Many, much, abundant, great; also "elder" or "chief".

• יִירָאוּyirau· fear

  Fear. It can be fright before a danger or deep reverence before God ("fear YHWH"). In some forms, be fearsome, awesome.

• יִבְטְחוּyivtchu· trust

  Trust: lean on someone or something and feel secure.