The Meaning of Psalms 40:9 Explained

Psalms 40:9

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

YLT: I have proclaimed tidings of righteousness In the great assembly, lo, my lips I restrain not, O Jehovah, Thou hast known.

Darby: I have published righteousness in the great congregation: behold, I have not withheld my lips, Jehovah, thou knowest.

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Psalms 40:9 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 40:1-10 - A Joyous Testimony
This psalm follows appropriately on the two former, in which the psalmist had been detailing his sufferings. Here he celebrates deliverance. But a Greater than David is here. Hebrews 10:5-7 puts Psalms 40:6-8 upon the lips of Christ, and we hear His voice speaking through these olden words.
In deep distress, Psalms 40:1-3, what can the soul do but wait patiently until the Lord inclines and hears? The horrible pit is a "pit of roaring;" that is, a ravine where the deep waters rush and roar. What Jeremiah experienced literally, Jeremiah 38:6, we pass through spiritually. But God will leave no child of His there; He will lift him to stand on the rock, his mouth filled with songs.
When we are delivered let us set our gladness to music and embody it in renewed consecration, Psalms 40:4-10. Let us not hide God's love in our hearts, but tell it out. The bored ear, Psalms 40:6, in reference to Exodus 21:6, means obedience forever, absolute consecration, the glad submission of the will. This is dearer to God than the most elaborate ceremonial or ritual. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 40

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

What do the individual words in Psalms 40:9 mean?

I have proclaimed the good news of righteousness in the assembly great indeed my lips not I do restrain Yahweh You know
בִּשַּׂ֤רְתִּי צֶ֨דֶק ׀ בְּקָ֘הָ֤ל רָ֗ב הִנֵּ֣ה שְׂ֭פָתַי לֹ֣א אֶכְלָ֑א יְ֝הוָ֗ה אַתָּ֥ה יָדָֽעְתָּ

בִּשַּׂ֤רְתִּי  I  have  proclaimed  the  good  news 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: בָּשַׂר  
Sense: to bear news, bear tidings, publish, preach, show forth.
צֶ֨דֶק ׀  of  righteousness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: צֶדֶק  
Sense: justice, rightness, righteousness.
בְּקָ֘הָ֤ל  in  the  assembly 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: קָהָל  
Sense: assembly, company, congregation, convocation.
רָ֗ב  great 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רַב 
Sense: much, many, great.
הִנֵּ֣ה  indeed 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
שְׂ֭פָתַי  my  lips 
Parse: Noun, fdc, first person common singular
Root: שָׂפָה  
Sense: lip, language, speech, shore, bank, brink, brim, side, edge, border, binding.
אֶכְלָ֑א  I  do  restrain 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: כָּלָא 
Sense: to restrict, restrain, withhold, shut up, keep back, refrain, forbid.
יְ֝הוָ֗ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
יָדָֽעְתָּ  know 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.