^{1 Ref} <To the chief music-maker; put to Shoshannim. Of David.> Be my saviour, O God; because the waters have come in, even to my neck.

^{2 Ref} My feet are deep in the soft earth, where there is no support; I have come into deep waters, the waves are flowing over me.

^{3 Ref} I am tired with my crying; my throat is burning: my eyes are wasted with waiting for my God.

^{4 Ref} Those who have hate for me without cause are greater in number than the hairs of my head; those who are against me, falsely desiring my destruction, are very strong; I gave back what I had not taken away.

^{5 Ref} O God, you see how foolish I am; and my wrongdoing is clear to you.

^{6 Ref} Let not those who have hope in you be put to shame because of me, O Lord God of armies: let not those who are waiting for you be made low because of me, O God of Israel.

^{7 Ref} I have been wounded with sharp words because of you; my face has been covered with shame.

^{8 Ref} I have become strange to my brothers, and like a man from a far country to my mother's children.

^{9 Ref} I am on fire with passion for your house; and the hard things which are said about you have come on me.

^{10 Ref} My bitter weeping, and my going without food, were turned to my shame.

^{11 Ref} When I put on the clothing of grief, they said evil of me.

^{12 Ref} I am a cause of wonder to those in authority; a song to those who are given to strong drink.

^{13 Ref} But as for me, let my prayer be made to you, O Lord, at a time when you are pleased; O God, give me an answer in your great mercy, for your salvation is certain.

^{14 Ref} Take me from the grip of the sticky earth, so that I may not go down into it; let me be lifted up from the deep waters.

^{15 Ref} Let me not be covered by the flowing waters; let not the deep waters go over my head, and let me not be shut up in the underworld.

^{16 Ref} Give an answer to my words, O Lord; for your mercy is good: be turned to me, because of your great pity.

^{17 Ref} Let not your face be covered from your servant, for I am in trouble; quickly give me an answer.

^{18 Ref} Come near to my soul, for its salvation: be my saviour, because of those who are against me.

^{19 Ref} You have seen my shame, how I was laughed at and made low; my haters are all before you.

^{20 Ref} My heart is broken by bitter words, I am full of grief; I made a search for some to have pity on me, but there was no one; I had no comforter.

^{21 Ref} They gave me poison for my food; and bitter wine for my drink.

^{22 Ref} Let their table before them be for their destruction; let their feasts become a net to take them.

^{23 Ref} Let their eyes be blind so that they may not see; let their bodies for ever be shaking.

^{24 Ref} Let your curse come on them; let the heat of your wrath overtake them.

^{25 Ref} Give their houses to destruction, and let there be no one in their tents.

^{26 Ref} Because they are cruel to him against whom your hand is turned; they make bitter the grief of him who is wounded by you.

^{27 Ref} Let their punishment be increased; let them not come into your righteousness.

^{28 Ref} Let their names be taken from the book of the living, let them not be numbered with the upright.

^{29 Ref} But I am poor and full of sorrow; let me be lifted up by your salvation, O Lord.

^{30 Ref} I will give praise to the name of God with a song; I will give glory to him for what he has done.

^{31 Ref} This will be more pleasing to the Lord than an ox, or a young ox of full growth.

^{32 Ref} The poor will see it and be glad: you who are lovers of God, let your hearts have life.

^{33 Ref} For the ears of the Lord are open to the poor, and he takes thought for his prisoners.

^{34 Ref} Let the heavens and the earth give praise to him, the seas, and everything moving in them.

^{35 Ref} For God will be the saviour of Zion, and the builder of the towns of Judah; so that it may be their resting-place and heritage.

^{36 Ref} The seed of his servants will have their part in it, and there the lovers of his name will have rest.

^{1 Ref} To the Overseer. -- `On the Lilies,' by David. Save me, O God, for come have waters unto the soul.

^{2 Ref} I have sunk in deep mire, And there is no standing, I have come into the depths of the waters, And a flood hath overflown me.

^{3 Ref} I have been wearied with my calling, Burnt hath been my throat, Consumed have been mine eyes, waiting for my God.

^{4 Ref} Those hating me without cause Have been more than the hairs of my head, Mighty have been my destroyers, My lying enemies, That which I took not away -- I bring back.

^{5 Ref} O God, Thou -- Thou hast known Concerning my overturn, And my desolations from Thee have not been hid.

^{6 Ref} Let not those waiting on Thee be ashamed because of me, O Lord, Jehovah of Hosts, Let not those seeking Thee Blush because of me, O God of Israel.

^{7 Ref} For because of Thee I have borne reproach, Shame hath covered my face.

^{8 Ref} A stranger I have been to my brother, And a foreigner to sons of my mother.

^{9 Ref} For zeal for Thy house hath consumed me, And the reproaches of Thy reproachers Have fallen upon me.

^{10 Ref} And I weep in the fasting of my soul, And it is for a reproach to me.

^{11 Ref} And I make my clothing sackcloth, And I am to them for a simile.

^{12 Ref} Those sitting at the gate meditate concerning me, And those drinking strong drink, Play on instruments.

^{13 Ref} And I -- my prayer `is' to Thee, O Jehovah, A time of good pleasure, O God, In the abundance of Thy kindness, Answer me in the truth of Thy salvation.

^{14 Ref} Deliver me from the mire, and let me not sink, Let me be delivered from those hating me, And from deep places of waters.

^{15 Ref} Let not a flood of waters overflow me, Nor let the deep swallow me up, Nor let the pit shut her mouth upon me.

^{16 Ref} Answer me, O Jehovah, for good `is' Thy kindness, According to the abundance Of Thy mercies turn Thou unto me,

^{17 Ref} And hide not Thy face from Thy servant, For I am in distress -- haste, answer me.

^{18 Ref} Be near unto my soul -- redeem it, Because of mine enemies ransom me.

^{19 Ref} Thou -- Thou hast known my reproach, And my shame, and my blushing, Before Thee `are' all mine adversaries.

^{20 Ref} Reproach hath broken my heart, and I am sick, And I look for a bemoaner, and there is none, And for comforters, and I have found none.

^{21 Ref} And they give for my food gall, And for my thirst cause me to drink vinegar.

^{22 Ref} Their table before them is for a snare, And for a recompence -- for a trap.

^{23 Ref} Darkened are their eyes from seeing, And their loins continually shake Thou.

^{24 Ref} Pour upon them Thine indignation, And the fierceness of Thine anger doth seize them.

^{25 Ref} Their tower is desolated, In their tents there is no dweller.

^{26 Ref} For they have pursued him Thou hast smitten, And recount of the pain of Thy pierced ones.

^{27 Ref} Give punishment for their iniquity, And they enter not into Thy righteousness.

^{28 Ref} They are blotted out of the book of life, And with the righteous are not written.

^{29 Ref} And I `am' afflicted and pained, Thy salvation, O God, doth set me on high.

^{30 Ref} I praise the name of God with a song, And I magnify Him with thanksgiving,

^{31 Ref} And it is better to Jehovah than an ox, A bullock -- horned -- hoofed.

^{32 Ref} The humble have seen -- they rejoice, Ye who seek God -- and your heart liveth.

^{33 Ref} For Jehovah hearkeneth unto the needy, And His bound ones He hath not despised.

^{34 Ref} The heavens and earth do praise Him, Seas, and every moving thing in them.

^{35 Ref} For God doth save Zion, And doth build the cities of Judah, And they have dwelt there, and possess it.

^{36 Ref} And the seed of His servants inherit it, And those loving His name dwell in it!

^{1 Ref} > Save me, God, For the waters have come up to my neck!

^{2 Ref} I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold. I have come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.

^{3 Ref} I am weary with my crying. My throat is dry. My eyes fail, looking for my God.

^{4 Ref} Those who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head. Those who want to cut me off, being my enemies wrongfully, are mighty. I have to restore what I didn't take away.

^{5 Ref} God, you know my foolishness. My sins aren't hidden from you.

^{6 Ref} Don't let those who wait for you be shamed through me, Lord Yahweh of Hosts. Don't let those who seek you be brought to dishonor through me, God of Israel.

^{7 Ref} Because for your sake, I have borne reproach. Shame has covered my face.

^{8 Ref} I have become a stranger to my brothers, An alien to my mother's children.

^{9 Ref} For the zeal of your house consumes me. The reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.

^{10 Ref} When I wept and I fasted, That was to my reproach.

^{11 Ref} When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them.

^{12 Ref} Those who sit in the gate talk about me. I am the song of the drunkards.

^{13 Ref} But as for me, my prayer is to you, Yahweh, in an acceptable time. God, in the abundance of your loving kindness, answer me in the truth of your salvation.

^{14 Ref} Deliver me out of the mire, and don't let me sink. Let me be delivered from those who hate me, and out of the deep waters.

^{15 Ref} Don't let the flood waters overwhelm me, Neither let the deep swallow me up. Don't let the pit shut its mouth on me.

^{16 Ref} Answer me, Yahweh, for your loving kindness is good. According to the multitude of your tender mercies, turn to me.

^{17 Ref} Don't hide your face from your servant, For I am in distress. Answer me speedily!

^{18 Ref} Draw near to my soul, and redeem it. Ransom me because of my enemies.

^{19 Ref} You know my reproach, my shame, and my dishonor. My adversaries are all before you.

^{20 Ref} Reproach has broken my heart, and I am full of heaviness. I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; For comforters, but I found none.

^{21 Ref} They also gave me gall for my food. In my thirst, they gave me vinegar to drink.

^{22 Ref} Let their table before them become a snare. May it become a retribution and a trap.

^{23 Ref} Let their eyes be darkened, so that they can't see. Let their backs be continually bent.

^{24 Ref} Pour out your indignation on them. Let the fierceness of your anger overtake them.

^{25 Ref} Let their habitation be desolate. Let no one dwell in their tents.

^{26 Ref} For they persecute him whom you have wounded. They tell of the sorrow of those whom you have hurt.

^{27 Ref} Charge them with crime upon crime. Don't let them come into your righteousness.

^{28 Ref} Let them be blotted out of the book of life, And not be written with the righteous.

^{29 Ref} But I am in pain and distress. Let your salvation, God, protect me.

^{30 Ref} I will praise the name of God with a song, And will magnify him with thanksgiving.

^{31 Ref} It will please Yahweh better than an ox, Or a bull that has horns and hoofs.

^{32 Ref} The humble have seen it, and are glad. You who seek after God, let your heart live.

^{33 Ref} For Yahweh hears the needy, And doesn't despise his captive people.

^{34 Ref} Let heaven and earth praise him; The seas, and everything that moves therein!

^{35 Ref} For God will save Zion, and build the cities of Judah. They shall settle there, and own it.

^{36 Ref} The children also of his servants shall inherit it. Those who love his name shall dwell therein.