TRV
Translation
King James Version
I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.
KJV (with Strong's)
I have not hid H3680 H8765 thy righteousness H6666 within H8432 my heart H3820; I have declared H559 H8804 thy faithfulness H530 and thy salvation H8668: I have not concealed H3582 H8765 thy lovingkindness H2617 and thy truth H571 from the great H7227 congregation H6951.
Complete Jewish Bible
I did not hide your righteousness in my heart but declared your faithfulness and salvation; I did not conceal your grace and truth from the great assembly."
Berean Standard Bible
I 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.
American Standard Version
I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation; I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great assembly.
World English Bible Messianic
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.
Geneva Bible (1599)
I haue not hidde thy righteousnesse within mine heart, but I haue declared thy trueth and thy saluation: I haue not conceiled thy mercy and thy trueth from the great Congregation.
Young's Literal Translation
Thy righteousness I have not concealed In the midst of my heart, Thy faithfulness and Thy salvation I have told, I have not hidden Thy kindness and Thy truth, To the great assembly.
In the KJVVerse 14,536 of 31,102
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Commentary on Psalms 40 verses 6–10
6 ¶ Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.
7 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,
8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.
9 I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.
10 I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.
The psalmist, being struck with amazement at the wonderful works that God had done for his people, is strangely carried out here to foretel that work of wonder which excels all the rest and is the foundation and fountain of all, that of our redemption by our Lord Jesus Christ. God's thoughts, which were to us-ward concerning that work, were the most curious, the most copious, the most gracious, and therefore to be most admired. This paragraph is quoted by the apostle (Heb 10:5, etc.) and applied to Christ and his undertaking for us. As in the institutions, so in the devotions, of the Old Testament saints were aware of; and, when the apostle would show us the Redeemer's voluntary undertaking of his work, he does not fetch his account out of the book of God's secret counsels, which belong not to us, but from the things revealed. Observe,
I. The utter insufficiency of the legal sacrifices to atone for sin in order to our peace with God and our happiness in him: Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; thou wouldst not have the Redeemer to offer them. Something he must have to offer, but not these (Heb 8:3); therefore he must not be of the house of Aaron, Heb 7:14. Or, In the days of the Messiah burnt-offering and sin-offering will be no longer required, but all those ceremonial institutions will be abolished. But that is not all: even while the law concerning them was in full force it might be said, God did not desire them, nor accept them, for their own sake. They could not take away the guilt of sin by satisfying God's justice. The life of a sheep, which is so much inferior in value to that of a man (Mat 12:12), could not pretend to be an equivalent, much less an expedient to preserve the honour of God's government and laws and repair the injury done to that honour by the sin of man. They could not take away the terror of sin by pacifying the conscience, nor the power of sin by sanctifying the nature; it was impossible, Heb 9:9; Heb 10:1-4. What there was in them that was valuable resulted from their reference to Jesus Christ, of whom they were types - shadows indeed, but shadows of good things to come, and trials of the faith and obedience of God's people, of their obedience of God's people, of their obedience to the law and their faith in the gospel. But the substance must come, which is Christ, who must bring that glory to God and that grace to man which it was impossible those sacrifices should ever do.
II. The designation of our Lord Jesus to the work and office of Mediator: My ears hast thou opened. God the Father disposed him to the undertaking (Isa 50:5, Isa 50:6) and then obliged him to go through with it. My ear hast thou digged. It is supposed to allude to the law and custom of binding servants to serve for ever by boring their ear to the doorpost; see Exo 21:6. Our Lord Jesus was so in love with his undertaking that he would not go out free from it, and therefore engaged to persevere for ever in it; and for this reason he is able to save us to the uttermost, because he has engaged to serve his Father to the uttermost, who upholds him in it, Isa 42:1.
III. His own voluntary consent to this undertaking: "Then said I, Lo, I come; then, when sacrifice and offering would not do, rather than the work should be undone; I said, Lo, I come, to enter the lists with the powers of darkness, and to advance the interests of God's glory and kingdom." This intimates three things: - 1. That he freely offered himself to this service, to which he was under no obligation at all prior to his own voluntary engagement. It was no sooner proposed to him than, with the greatest cheerfulness, he consented to it, and was wonderfully well pleased with the undertaking. Had he not been perfectly voluntary in it, he could not have been a surety, he could not have been a sacrifice; for it is by this will (this animus offerentis - mind of the offerer) that we are sanctified, Heb 10:10. 2. That he firmly obliged himself to it: "I come; I promise to come in the fulness of time." And therefore the apostle says, "It was when he came into the world that he had an actual regard to this promise, by which he had engaged his heart to approach unto God." He thus entered into bonds, not only to show the greatness of his love, but because he was to have the honour of his undertaking before he had fully performed it. Though the price was not paid, it was secured to be paid, so that he was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 3. That he frankly owned himself engaged: He said, Lo, I come, said it all along to the Old Testament saints, who therefore knew him by the title of ho erchomenos - He that should come. This word was the foundation on which they built their faith and hope, and which they looked and longed for the accomplishment of.
IV. The reason why he came, in pursuance of his undertaking - because in the volume of the book it was written of him, 1. In the close rolls of the divine decree and counsel; there it was written that his ear was opened, and he said, Lo, I come; there the covenant of redemption was recorded, the counsel of redemption was recorded, the counsel of peace between the Father and the Son; and to that he had an eye in all he did, the commandment he received of his Father. 2. In the letters patent of the Old Testament. Moses and all the prophets testified of him; in all the volumes of that book something or other was written of him, which he had an eye to, that all might be accomplished, Joh 19:28.
V. The pleasure he took in his undertaking. Having freely offered himself to it, he did not fail, nor was discouraged, but proceeded with all possible satisfaction to himself (Psa 40:8. 9): I delight to do thy will, O my God! It was to Christ his meat and drink to go on with the work appointed to him (Joh 4:34); and the reason here given is, Thy law is within my heart; it is written there, it rules there. It is meant of the law concerning the work and office of the Mediator, what he was to do and suffer; this law was dear to him and had an influence upon him in his whole undertaking. Note, When the law of God is written in our hearts our duty will be our delight.
VI. The publication of the gospel to the children of men, even in the great congregation, Psa 40:9, Psa 40:10. The same that as a priest wrought out redemption for us, as a prophet, by his own preaching first, then by his apostles, and still by his word and Spirit, makes it know to us. The great salvation began to be spoken by the Lord, Heb 2:3. It is the gospel of Christ that is preached to all nations. Observe, 1. What it is that is preached: It is righteousness (Psa 40:9), God's righteousness (Psa 40:10), the everlasting righteousness which Christ has brought in (Dan 9:24); compare Rom 1:16, Rom 1:17. It is God's faithfulness to his promise, and the salvation which had long been looked for. It is God's lovingkindness and his truth, his mercy according to his word. Note, In the work of our redemption we ought to take notice how brightly all the divine attributions shine, and give to God the praise of each of them. 2. To whom it is preached - to the great congregation, Psa 40:9 and again Psa 40:10. When Christ was here on earth he preached to multitudes, thousands at a time. The gospel was preached both to Jews and Gentiles, to great congregations of both. Solemn religious assemblies are a divine institution, and in them the glory of God, in the face of Christ, ought to be both praised to the glory of God and preached for the edification of men. 3. How it is preached - freely and openly: I have not refrained my lips; I have not hid it; I have not concealed it. This intimates that whoever undertook to preach the gospel of Christ would be in great temptation to hide it and conceal it, because it must be preached with great contention and in the face of great opposition; but Christ himself, and those whom he called to that work, set their faces as a flint (Isa 50:7) and were wonderfully carried on in it. It is well for us that they were so, for by this means our eyes come to see this joyful light and our ears to hear this joyful sound, which otherwise we might for ever have perished in ignorance of.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 6–10. Public domain.
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Pseudo-Athanasius
EXPOSITION ON PSALM 40
[At this point in the psalm] he introduces the persons of those who believed from Israel; for he confesses to God that he did not remove his mercy from it but then and now saved and supported them.
Ambrose of MilanAD 397
Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms
A person can speak of his own justice without arrogance, … if he has faith in God and believes that on account of his faith he will be reckoned as just. … It was for this reason that Christ came, to establish faith and to grant us forgiveness of sin.
Augustine of HippoAD 430
Exposition on Psalm 40
"I have not hid my righteousness within my heart" [Psalm 40:10]. What is meant by "my righteousness"? My faith. For, "the just shall live by faith." As suppose the persecutor under threat of punishment, as they were once allowed to do, puts you to the question, "What are you? Pagan or Christian?" "A Christian." That is his "righteousness." He believes; he "lives by faith." He does not "hide his righteousness within his heart." He has not said in his heart, "I do indeed believe in Christ; but I will not tell what I believe to this persecutor, who is raging against me, and threatening me. My God knows that inwardly, within my heart, I do believe. He knows that I renounce Him not." Lo! You say that you have this inwardly within your heart! What have you upon your lips? "I am not a Christian." Your lips bear witness against your heart. "I have not hid my righteousness within my heart."...
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Psalms 40:10 presents a powerful declaration by David, expressing his unwavering commitment to openly proclaim God's inherent character and redemptive acts. Emerging from a narrative of profound divine deliverance, this verse underscores the indispensable nature of public testimony and the communal sharing of God's righteousness, faithfulness, salvation, lovingkindness, and truth. It stands as a testament to the transformative impact of God's grace, which compels the recipient to transcend private gratitude and embrace public witness, ensuring that God's boundless goodness is not hidden but celebrated before "the great congregation."
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Psalm 40 is a complex "mixed psalm," skillfully weaving together elements of lament, thanksgiving, and renewed commitment. It begins with David recounting his desperate cry to God and the miraculous deliverance he experienced from a "horrible pit, out of the miry clay" (Psalm 40:2). This profound rescue leads to a "new song" being placed in his mouth (Psalm 40:3), prompting a deep reflection on the blessedness of trusting in the Lord. The psalm then transitions into a powerful statement of obedience and willingness to do God's will, emphasizing that God desires obedience more than sacrifice (Psalm 40:6-8). Verse 10 serves as the climactic expression of this commitment to public witness, directly following David's declaration that God's law is "within my heart" (Psalm 40:8), highlighting that internal transformation naturally leads to external proclamation. The psalm concludes with a renewed plea for God's continued help and deliverance (Psalm 40:11-17).
Historical & Cultural Context: In ancient Israel, religious life was intrinsically communal, centered around assemblies at the Tabernacle or, later, the Temple. The "great congregation" (Hebrew: qâhâl) was the formal assembly of the people, where corporate worship, sacrifices, and the teaching of the Law took place. Public testimony within this assembly was not merely encouraged but expected, serving to reinforce the covenant relationship between God and His people, educate successive generations about divine acts, and strengthen communal faith. Kings, as spiritual and political leaders, bore a particular responsibility to model and lead in such public declarations, thereby affirming the nation's identity as God's chosen people and His unwavering faithfulness to them. This practice is evident in various historical accounts, such as the public reading of the Law by Ezra before the assembled people (Nehemiah 8). David's declaration in this verse is thus deeply rooted in the communal worship practices and expectations of his time, demonstrating his role as a faithful leader and worshipper.
Key Themes: The overarching theme of Psalms 40:10 is Public Proclamation and Witness. David's explicit refusal to "hide" or "conceal" God's attributes, coupled with his active "declaration," underscores the imperative for believers to openly share their faith experiences and God's truth. This highlights the communal dimension of faith, where personal encounters with divine deliverance naturally overflow into shared testimony that edifies the body of believers and draws others to God. A second crucial theme is God's Enduring Character, as David systematically enumerates five essential divine attributes: righteousness, faithfulness, salvation, lovingkindness, and truth. These are not abstract concepts but tangible realities experienced through God's active involvement in human affairs, demonstrating His covenant loyalty and His just and merciful nature. Finally, the verse powerfully articulates Gratitude and Obedience as a Response to Grace. David's public declaration is not a burdensome duty but a spontaneous, heartfelt response to God's saving grace, mirroring the pervasive call for thanksgiving and obedience found throughout the Psalms, exemplified in passages like Psalm 107.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalms 40:10 masterfully employs several literary devices to amplify its profound message. The most prominent is Parallelism, specifically showcasing both Synonymous Parallelism and Antithetical Parallelism. The first half of the verse, "I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart," is synonymously paralleled by the second half's "I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation," where "hid" and "concealed" are synonymous actions, and "righteousness" is broadly paired with "lovingkindness and truth." This structure creates a strong emphasis on the active and open nature of David's proclamation. Furthermore, the explicit positive declaration, "I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation," stands in Antithetical Parallelism to the repeated negations ("I have not hid," "I have not concealed"), powerfully highlighting the deliberate choice to speak rather than remain silent. The verse also utilizes a form of Enumeration or Listing, as David systematically itemizes God's attributes: righteousness, faithfulness, salvation, lovingkindness, and truth. This comprehensive listing underscores the multifaceted nature of God's character that is being proclaimed. The phrase "within my heart" can also be seen as a subtle Metonymy, where the heart represents the inner person or the seat of one's deepest convictions and spiritual understanding.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 40:10 profoundly articulates the biblical mandate for public witness, stemming directly from a personal experience of divine grace. It reveals that true faith is never merely a private affair but is inherently communal and missional. God's character—His righteousness, faithfulness, salvation, lovingkindness, and truth—is not meant to be hoarded or confined to individual experience but is to be proclaimed, for it is through this proclamation that His glory is revealed and His people are strengthened. This act of declaration is a natural and necessary response to God's saving work, transforming a recipient of grace into a herald of His goodness. It inextricably links the individual's spiritual journey to the corporate life of the community of faith, emphasizing that our testimonies serve to build up the "great congregation" and compellingly point the world to the living God.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 40:10 serves as a timeless call to action for every believer, echoing through the centuries with profound relevance. Just as David, having experienced God's miraculous deliverance and transformative grace, felt an undeniable compulsion to declare His attributes publicly, so too are we, as recipients of God's boundless grace and salvation through Christ, called to be His faithful witnesses. Our faith is not intended to be a hidden treasure, confined to our hearts or the privacy of our homes. Instead, it is a radiant light meant to shine brightly, a compelling story meant to be told, and an eternal truth meant to be shared with the "great congregation" of our contemporary world—be it our local church, our immediate community, our workplace, or the broader global stage. This involves not only sharing our personal testimonies of God's faithfulness in our lives but also boldly proclaiming His unchanging character: His righteousness in a world that often lacks justice, His faithfulness amidst broken promises, His salvation for those lost in sin, and His lovingkindness and truth in a culture yearning for authentic relationships and reliable foundations. Our lives, both in our words and our deeds, should be a living testament to the God we serve, demonstrating the transformative power of His presence and the redemptive nature of His love.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why is public proclamation so important in this verse?
Answer: Public proclamation is crucial because it elevates faith beyond a private, individual experience into a communal and corporate witness. In ancient Israel, the "great congregation" (Hebrew: qâhâl) was the assembled people of God, where testimonies reinforced the covenant, educated new generations about God's mighty acts, and glorified God collectively. For David, it was a profound act of gratitude and obedience, acknowledging that God's deliverance and character were too magnificent to be kept silent. This public declaration fosters corporate worship, strengthens the community of faith, and serves as an evangelistic witness to those outside the covenant, demonstrating God's active presence and power in the world. It aligns with the biblical principle that genuine faith naturally overflows into outward expression and witness, as seen in the call to "Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people" (Psalm 96:3).
What does "the great congregation" mean for believers today?
Answer: While "the great congregation" originally referred to the assembled people of Israel, for believers today, it broadly encompasses the entire body of Christ—the Church universal—and by extension, any gathering of God's people where His truth is proclaimed. This includes local church assemblies, conferences, small groups, and even broader public platforms where believers share their faith. It reminds us that our faith is not meant to be isolated but is lived out in community. Our testimonies and declarations of God's character are vital for the edification of fellow believers and as a collective witness to the world, fulfilling the call to be a "city on a hill" whose light cannot be hidden (Matthew 5:14). It emphasizes that our individual faith contributes to the collective witness of the Church.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 40:10 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. David's declaration to "not hid thy righteousness... declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation... not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth" perfectly foreshadows the incarnate Son of God. Jesus is the very embodiment of God's attributes; in Him, "grace and truth came" (John 1:14), and He perfectly revealed the Father's righteousness and lovingkindness to humanity. Unlike David, who declared what he had received from God, Jesus declared what He was and what He brought from the Father. He did not hide God's truth but boldly proclaimed the good news of the Kingdom of God, teaching openly in synagogues, on mountainsides, and by the sea, declaring salvation to all who would believe (Mark 1:15). His entire life was an unreserved public testimony to God's faithfulness and salvation, culminating in His ultimate act of obedience on the cross, which the author of Hebrews connects directly to Psalm 40:6-8, highlighting Christ's delight to do God's will and offer His body as the perfect sacrifice (Hebrews 10:5-7). Through His death and resurrection, Jesus became the ultimate demonstration of God's lovingkindness and truth, making salvation accessible to "the great congregation" of all humanity—Jew and Gentile alike. His commission to His disciples to "go and make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:19-20) is the continuation of this very mandate to declare God's faithfulness, salvation, lovingkindness, and truth to every generation until His return.