Single lesson
Psalm 40: I Waited Patiently for the LORD
Psalms 40:1–17
Psalm 40 moves from waiting, to rescue, to public praise, and then back to urgent prayer. In this lesson, children trace the speaker’s words and notice how the psalm holds thanks, obedience, trouble and trust together.
Before you teach
This psalm is a prayer or song spoken to Yahweh. The speaker says Yahweh heard his cry, rescued him, gave him a new song, and led him to speak openly in the great assembly. Later in the same psalm, the speaker asks for mercy, help and quick deliverance while surrounded by trouble.
Students will identify the speaker’s movement in Psalm 40 from waiting and rescue, to praise and obedience, to urgent prayer for help.
Welcome: Hear the movement of the psalm
5 minTell the group this psalm is spoken by one person to Yahweh. Explain that they will listen for changes in the prayer: first waiting, then rescue, then praise, then trouble, then a final cry for help. Read verses 1-3 aloud and ask children to notice the strong rescue pictures: a horrible pit, miry clay, a rock, and a new song.
Psalms 40:1, Psalms 40:2, Psalms 40:3
Read and explain: Rescue, trust and God’s works
6 minRead verses 4-5. Explain that the psalm says a person is blessed when he makes Yahweh his trust. Contrast this with respecting the proud or turning to lies, using the words of the verse. Then notice how the speaker speaks about Yahweh’s wonderful works and thoughts toward us as too many to count. This shows gratitude growing out of rescue.
Psalms 40:4, Psalms 40:5
Discuss: Ears opened, willing heart, open lips
7 minRead verses 6-10 slowly. Explain simple phrases: ‘opened my ears’ shows listening, ‘I delight to do your will’ shows willing obedience, and ‘I will not seal my lips’ shows speaking openly. Help children see that the speaker does not keep God’s righteousness, faithfulness, salvation, loving kindness and truth hidden, but declares them in the great assembly.
Psalms 40:6, Psalms 40:8, Psalms 40:9, Psalms 40:10
Make and respond: Prayer picture card
8 minGive each child a card to divide into four panels. In panel one, draw waiting and crying to Yahweh. In panel two, draw the pit, clay, rock or firm place. In panel three, add a mouth with a new song or words of praise. In panel four, draw hands lifted in prayer for help. Invite children to label each panel with short words from the psalm.
Psalms 40:1, Psalms 40:2, Psalms 40:3, Psalms 40:13, Psalms 40:17
Closing: Trouble and trust together
4 minRead verses 11-17. Point out that the psalm does not end with the speaker pretending all trouble is gone. He asks for tender mercies, says evils surround him, and cries, ‘Hurry to help me’. Yet he still calls Yahweh ‘my help and my deliverer’ and says, ‘Let Yahweh be exalted’. Finish by letting children speak one phrase from the psalm they want to remember.
Psalms 40:11, Psalms 40:12, Psalms 40:13, Psalms 40:16, Psalms 40:17
Questions to explore
What images show the change from danger to safety at the start of the psalm?
Look closely at the words ‘horrible pit’, ‘miry clay’, ‘rock’ and ‘firm place to stand’ to describe how the speaker’s situation changes.
Psalms 40:2
How does the speaker show that praise is not only private?
Notice the lines about not sealing his lips and not hiding God’s righteousness, faithfulness and salvation from the great assembly.
Psalms 40:9, Psalms 40:10
How do the last verses show both need and trust at the same time?
Use the exact words that describe weakness and the exact words that name Yahweh as help and deliverer.
Psalms 40:12, Psalms 40:13, Psalms 40:17
Make, think or respond
Psalm 40 Image Sequence Card
What you’ll need
- paper or card
- pencils
- crayons or markers
- Bible or printed verses
Try it together
- Fold or divide the paper into four spaces.
- In each space, draw one stage from the psalm: waiting, rescue, praise, and asking for help.
- Add one short phrase from the psalm to each picture, such as ‘heard my cry’, ‘feet on a rock’, ‘new song’, or ‘hurry to help me’.
- Invite children to show their card and explain how the psalm moves from one part to the next.
This activity helps children trace the actual movement of Psalm 40 and connect its images with its words.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, pre-select four short phrases from the psalm for copying and let them focus mainly on drawing the images from each stage.
- For older or more confident children, ask them to include one extra speech bubble or caption from verses 9-10 or verses 16-17 to show public praise or ongoing trust.
An optional closing prayer
Proposed words: ‘Yahweh, thank you that this psalm shows waiting, rescue, praise and honest prayer. Please help us trust you, speak truthfully to you, and remember that you are help for those in need. Amen.’
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Psalms 40
1 I waited patiently for Yahweh. He turned to me, and heard my cry.
2 He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay. He set my feet on a rock, and gave me a firm place to stand.
3 He has put a new song in my mouth, even praise to our God. Many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in Yahweh.
4 Blessed is the man who makes Yahweh his trust, and doesn’t respect the proud, nor such as turn away to lies.
5 Many, Yahweh, my God, are the wonderful works which you have done, and your thoughts which are toward us. They can’t be declared back to you. If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be counted.
6 Sacrifice and offering you didn’t desire. You have opened my ears. You have not required burnt offering and sin offering.
7 Then I said, “Behold, I have come. It is written about me in the book in the scroll.
8 I delight to do your will, my God. Yes, your law is within my heart.”
9 I have proclaimed glad news of righteousness in the great assembly. Behold, I will not seal my lips, Yahweh, you know.
10 I have not hidden your righteousness within my heart. I have declared your faithfulness and your salvation. I have not concealed your loving kindness and your truth from the great assembly.
11 Don’t withhold your tender mercies from me, Yahweh. Let your loving kindness and your truth continually preserve me.
12 For innumerable evils have surrounded me. My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up. They are more than the hairs of my head. My heart has failed me.
13 Be pleased, Yahweh, to deliver me. Hurry to help me, Yahweh.
14 Let them be disappointed and confounded together who seek after my soul to destroy it. Let them be turned backward and brought to dishonor who delight in my hurt.
15 Let them be desolate by reason of their shame that tell me, “Aha! Aha!”
16 Let all those who seek you rejoice and be glad in you. Let such as love your salvation say continually, “Let Yahweh be exalted!”
17 But I am poor and needy. May the Lord think about me. You are my help and my deliverer. Don’t delay, my God.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.