Psalm 40: A Beatitude. For The Sick in Need of Comfort.

Prayer of a sick man against enemies. Knowing that God is merciful to such as show mercy to their fellow men, the psalmist confides in God and is not discouraged by the taunts of his enemies.

Parallel Latin-English Psalter: Psalms Index

Psalm 40: Prayer Audio in Latin

{40:1} In finem, Psalmus ipsi David.
{40:1} Unto the end. A Psalm of David himself.

{40:2} Beatus qui intelligit super egenum, et pauperem: in die mala liberabit eum Dominus.
{40:2} Blessed is he who shows understanding toward the needy and the poor. The Lord will deliver him in the evil day.

{40:3} Dominus conservet eum, et vivificet eum, et beatum faciat eum in terra: et non tradat eum in animam inimicorum eius.
{40:3} May the Lord preserve him and give him life, and make him blessed upon the earth. And may he not hand him over to the will of his adversaries.

{40:4} Dominus opem ferat illi super lectum doloris eius: universum stratum eius versasti in infirmitate eius.
{40:4} May the Lord bring him help on his bed of sorrow. In his infirmity, you have changed his entire covering.

{40:5} Ego dixi: Domine miserere mei: sana animam meam, quia peccavi tibi.
{40:5} I said, “O Lord, be merciful to me. Heal my soul, because I have sinned against you.”

{40:6} Inimici mei dixerunt mala mihi: Quando morietur, et peribit nomen eius?
{40:6} My enemies have spoken evils against me. When will he die and his name perish?

{40:7} Et si ingrediebatur ut videret, vana loquebatur, cor eius congregavit iniquitatem sibi. Egrediebatur foras, et loquebatur
{40:7} And when he came in to see me, he was speaking emptiness. His heart gathered iniquity to itself. He went outside, and he was speaking in the same way.

{40:8} in idipsum. Adversum me susurrabant omnes inimici mei: adversum me cogitabant mala mihi.
{40:8} All my enemies were whispering against me. They were thinking up evils against me.

{40:9} Verbum iniquum constituerunt adversum me: Numquid qui dormit non adiiciet ut resurgat?
{40:9} They established an unjust word against me. Will he that sleeps no longer rise again?

{40:10} Etenim homo pacis meæ, in quo speravi: qui edebat panes meos, magnificavit super me supplantationem.
{40:10} For even the man of my peace, in whom I hoped, who ate my bread, has greatly supplanted me.

{40:11} Tu autem Domine miserere mei, et resuscita me: et retribuam eis.
{40:11} But you, O Lord, have mercy on me, and raise me up again. And I will requite them.

{40:12} In hoc cognovi quoniam voluisti me: quoniam non gaudebit inimicus meus super me.
{40:12} By this, I knew that you preferred me: because my adversary will not rejoice over me.

{40:13} Me autem propter innocentiam suscepisti: et confirmasti me in conspectu tuo in æternum.
{40:13} But you have sustained me, because of my innocence, and you have confirmed me in your sight in eternity.

{40:14} Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel a sæculo, et usque in sæculum: fiat, fiat.
{40:14} Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, for all generations and even forever. Amen. Amen.

~ The words ‘fiat, fiat’ call to mind the words of the Virgin Mary in the Gospel of Luke: “Ecce ancilla Domini, fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum.” The Latin ‘fiat’ in this Psalm is a translation of the Hebrew ‘Amen’ (which is also used in Aramaic). Fiat can be translated as ‘let it be’ or as ‘so be it.’ Amen can be translated in the same way, and also as ‘truly.’