Psalm 40:9
New International Version
I proclaim your saving acts in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, LORD, as you know.

New Living Translation
I have told all your people about your justice. I have not been afraid to speak out, as you, O LORD, well know.

English Standard Version
I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation; behold, I have not restrained my lips, as you know, O LORD.

Berean Standard Bible
I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; behold, I do not seal my lips, as You, O LORD, do know.

King James Bible
I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.

New King James Version
I have proclaimed the good news of righteousness In the great assembly; Indeed, I do not restrain my lips, O LORD, You Yourself know.

New American Standard Bible
I have proclaimed good news of righteousness in the great congregation; Behold, I will not restrain my lips, LORD, You know.

NASB 1995
I have proclaimed glad tidings of righteousness in the great congregation; Behold, I will not restrain my lips, O LORD, You know.

NASB 1977
I have proclaimed glad tidings of righteousness in the great congregation; Behold, I will not restrain my lips, O LORD, Thou knowest.

Legacy Standard Bible
I proclaim good news of righteousness in the great assembly; Behold, I do not restrain my lips, O Yahweh, You know.

Amplified Bible
I have proclaimed good news of righteousness [and the joy that comes from obedience to You] in the great assembly; Behold, I will not restrain my lips [from proclaiming Your righteousness], As You know, O LORD.

Christian Standard Bible
I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; see, I do not keep my mouth closed — as you know, LORD.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; see, I do not keep my mouth closed— as You know, LORD.

American Standard Version
I have proclaimed glad tidings of righteousness in the great assembly; Lo, I will not refrain my lips, O Jehovah, thou knowest.

Contemporary English Version
When your people worshiped, you know I told them, "Our LORD always helps!"

English Revised Version
I have published righteousness in the great congregation; lo, I will not refrain my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I will announce the good news of righteousness among those assembled for worship. I will not close my lips. You know that, O LORD.

Good News Translation
In the assembly of all your people, LORD, I told the good news that you save us. You know that I will never stop telling it.

International Standard Version
In the great congregation I have proclaimed the righteous good news. Behold, I did not seal my lips, LORD, as you know.

Majority Standard Bible
I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; behold, I do not seal my lips, as You, O LORD, do know.

NET Bible
I have told the great assembly about your justice. Look! I spare no words! O LORD, you know this is true.

New Heart English Bible
I have proclaimed glad news of righteousness in the great assembly. Look, I will not seal my lips, LORD, you know.

Webster's Bible Translation
I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.

World English Bible
I have proclaimed glad news of righteousness in the great assembly. Behold, I will not seal my lips, Yahweh, you know.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
I have proclaimed tidings of righteousness "" In the great assembly, "" Behold, I do not restrain my lips, "" O YHWH, You have known.

Young's Literal Translation
I have proclaimed tidings of righteousness In the great assembly, lo, my lips I restrain not, O Jehovah, Thou hast known.

Smith's Literal Translation
I announced good news, justice in the great convocation: behold, my lips I will not shut up, O Jehovah, thou knewest.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
I have declared thy justice in a great church, lo, I will not restrain my lips : O Lord, thou knowest it.

Catholic Public Domain Version
I have announced your justice in a great Church: behold, I will not restrain my lips. O Lord, you have known it.

New American Bible
When I sing of your righteousness in a great assembly, See, I do not restrain my lips; as you, LORD, know.

New Revised Standard Version
I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation; see, I have not restrained my lips, as you know, O LORD.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
I have preached thy righteousness in the great congregation; lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
I have preached your righteousness in the great congregation and I have not restrained my lips, LORD JEHOVAH, you do know.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
I have preached righteousness in the great congregation, Lo, I did not refrain my lips; O LORD, Thou knowest.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
I have preached righteousness in the great congregation; lo! I will not refrain my lips; O Lord, thou knowest my righteousness.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
I Waited Patiently for the LORD
8I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your law is within my heart.” 9I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; behold, I do not seal my lips, as You, O LORD, do know. 10I have not covered up Your righteousness in my heart; I have declared Your faithfulness and salvation; I have not concealed Your loving devotion and faithfulness from the great assembly.…

Cross References
Isaiah 61:1
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners,

Luke 4:18-19
“The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to release the oppressed, / to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Hebrews 10:5-7
Therefore, when Christ came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You prepared for Me. / In burnt offerings and sin offerings You took no delight. / Then I said, ‘Here I am, it is written about Me in the scroll: I have come to do Your will, O God.’”

Acts 10:42-43
And He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that He is the One appointed by God to judge the living and the dead. / All the prophets testify about Him that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.”

Romans 15:9
so that the Gentiles may glorify God for His mercy. As it is written: “Therefore I will praise You among the Gentiles; I will sing hymns to Your name.”

Matthew 11:5
The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.

John 17:6
I have revealed Your name to those You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours; You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.

Acts 20:20-21
I did not shrink back from declaring anything that was helpful to you as I taught you publicly and from house to house, / testifying to Jews and Greeks alike about repentance to God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 10:14-15
How then can they call on the One in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach? / And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

1 Peter 1:12
It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, when they foretold the things now announced by those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.

Isaiah 52:7
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

Jeremiah 20:9
If I say, “I will not mention Him or speak any more in His name,” His message becomes a fire burning in my heart, shut up in my bones, and I become weary of holding it in, and I cannot prevail.

Ezekiel 3:17-19
“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from My mouth, give them a warning from Me. / If I say to the wicked man, ‘You will surely die,’ but you do not warn him or speak out to warn him from his wicked way to save his life, that wicked man will die in his iniquity, and I will hold you responsible for his blood. / But if you warn a wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness and his wicked way, he will die in his iniquity, but you will have saved yourself.

Matthew 28:19-20
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, / and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Mark 16:15
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.


Treasury of Scripture

I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: see, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, you know.

preached

Psalm 22:22,25
I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee…

Psalm 35:18
I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people.

Psalm 71:15-18
My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof

not

Psalm 119:13,171,172
With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth…

thou knowest

Psalm 139:2
Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

John 21:17
He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

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Psalm 40
1. The benefit of confidence in God
6. Obedience is the best sacrifice
11. The sense of David's evils inflames his prayer














I proclaim righteousness
The phrase "I proclaim righteousness" indicates a public declaration of God's moral standards and justice. The Hebrew word for "proclaim" is "בָּשַׂר" (basar), which often means to bring good news or announce. In the context of ancient Israel, proclaiming righteousness was not just a personal act but a communal responsibility, reflecting the covenant relationship between God and His people. The psalmist, likely David, emphasizes his role as a herald of God's righteousness, which is central to the life of faith. This proclamation is not merely about personal piety but about upholding God's standards in the community.

in the great assembly
The "great assembly" refers to a large gathering of the people of Israel, possibly during a festival or a significant religious event. The Hebrew term "קָהָל" (qahal) denotes a congregation or assembly, often used in the context of worship or communal decision-making. Historically, the assembly was a place where the community gathered to hear the Law, worship, and make important decisions. By proclaiming righteousness in such a setting, the psalmist underscores the importance of communal worship and the public acknowledgment of God's laws and deeds.

Behold, I do not seal my lips
The phrase "Behold, I do not seal my lips," suggests an openness and willingness to speak about God's righteousness. The Hebrew word "חָתַם" (chatham) means to seal or close, often used in the context of sealing a document. In ancient times, sealing something indicated privacy or confidentiality. By stating that he does not seal his lips, the psalmist is expressing his commitment to openly share God's truth and righteousness, refusing to keep silent about the divine works and commandments.

as You, O LORD, know
The concluding phrase "as You, O LORD, know" reflects the psalmist's awareness of God's omniscience. The Hebrew name for God here is "יְהוָה" (YHWH), the covenant name of God, emphasizing His eternal and unchanging nature. This acknowledgment of God's knowledge serves as a reminder that God is aware of our actions and intentions. It also implies a relationship of trust and accountability between the psalmist and God, where the psalmist's declarations are made with the understanding that God is fully aware of his sincerity and faithfulness.

(9) I have preached.--Literally, I have made countenances glad.

Notice the rapid succession of clauses, like successive wave-beats of praise, better than any elaborate description to represent the feelings of one whose life was a thanksgiving.

Verse 9. - I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: rather, I have proclaimed righteousness. David has sung the praises of God in the "great congregation," and extolled his righteousness and truth (Psalm 35:18). He has not "preached," in the modern sense of the word, since the preaching office was reserved for the priests and Levites. Lo, I have not refrained my lips; or, I will not refrain my lips. I will continue to glorify thee openly, and praise thy Name while I have my being (Psalm 104:33). O Lord, thou knowest; i.e. thou knowest the truth of my statement as to the past, and the sincerity of my promise as to the future.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
I proclaim
בִּשַּׂ֤רְתִּי (biś·śar·tî)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 1319: To be fresh, full, cheerful), to announce

righteousness
צֶ֨דֶק ׀ (ṣe·ḏeq)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6664: The right, equity, prosperity

in the great
רָ֗ב (rāḇ)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7227: Much, many, great

assembly;
בְּקָ֘הָ֤ל (bə·qā·hāl)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6951: Assembly, convocation, congregation

behold,
הִנֵּ֣ה (hin·nêh)
Interjection
Strong's 2009: Lo! behold!

I do not
לֹ֣א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

seal
אֶכְלָ֑א (’eḵ·lā)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 3607: To shut up, restrain, withhold

my lips,
שְׂ֭פָתַי (p̄ā·ṯay)
Noun - fdc | first person common singular
Strong's 8193: The lip, language, a margin

as You
אַתָּ֥ה (’at·tāh)
Pronoun - second person masculine singular
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

know,
יָדָֽעְתָּ׃ (yā·ḏā·‘ə·tā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 3045: To know

O LORD.
יְ֝הוָ֗ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel


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OT Poetry: Psalm 40:9 I have proclaimed glad news of righteousness (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 40:8
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