For the Chief Musician. To the tune of "Lilies." By David.

1 Save me, God,

for the waters have come up to my neck!

2 I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold.

I have come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.

3 I am weary with my crying.

My throat is dry.

My eyes fail looking for my God.

4 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 God, you know my foolishness.

My sins aren’t hidden from you.

6 Don’t let those who wait for you be shamed through me, Lord Yahweh of Armies.

Don’t let those who seek you be brought to dishonor through me, God of Israel.

7 Because for your sake, I have borne reproach.

Shame has covered my face.

8 I have become a stranger to my brothers,

an alien to my mother’s children.

9 For the zeal of your house consumes me.

The reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.

10 When I wept and I fasted,

that was to my reproach.

11 When I made sackcloth my clothing,

I became a byword to them.

12 Those who sit in the gate talk about me.

I am the song of the drunkards.

13 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 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 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 Answer me, Yahweh, for your loving kindness is good.

According to the multitude of your tender mercies, turn to me.

17 Don’t hide your face from your servant,

for I am in distress.

Answer me speedily!

18 Draw near to my soul and redeem it.

Ransom me because of my enemies.

19 You know my reproach, my shame, and my dishonor.

My adversaries are all before you.

20 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 They also gave me poison for my food.

In my thirst, they gave me vinegar to drink.

22 Let their table before them become a snare.

May it become a retribution and a trap.

23 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they can’t see.

Let their backs be continually bent.

24 Pour out your indignation on them.

Let the fierceness of your anger overtake them.

25 Let their habitation be desolate.

Let no one dwell in their tents.

26 For they persecute him whom you have wounded.

They tell of the sorrow of those whom you have hurt.

27 Charge them with crime upon crime.

Don’t let them come into your righteousness.

28 Let them be blotted out of the book of life,

and not be written with the righteous.

29 But I am in pain and distress.

Let your salvation, God, protect me.

30 I will praise the name of God with a song,

and will magnify him with thanksgiving.

31 It will please Yahweh better than an ox,

or a bull that has horns and hoofs.

32 The humble have seen it, and are glad.

You who seek after God, let your heart live.

33 For Yahweh hears the needy,

and doesn’t despise his captive people.

34 Let heaven and earth praise him;

the seas, and everything that moves therein!

35 For God will save Zion, and build the cities of Judah.

They shall settle there, and own it.

36 The children also of his servants shall inherit it.

Those who love his name shall dwell therein.

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

2 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 I have been wearied with my calling, Burnt hath been my throat, Consumed have been mine eyes, waiting for my God.

4 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 O God, Thou -- Thou hast known Concerning my overturn, And my desolations from Thee have not been hid.

6 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 For because of Thee I have borne reproach, Shame hath covered my face.

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

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

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

11 And I make my clothing sackcloth, And I am to them for a simile.

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

13 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 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 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 Answer me, O Jehovah, for good [is] Thy kindness, According to the abundance Of Thy mercies turn Thou unto me,

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

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

19 Thou -- Thou hast known my reproach, And my shame, and my blushing, Before Thee [are] all mine adversaries.

20 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 And they give for my food gall, And for my thirst cause me to drink vinegar.

22 Their table before them is for a snare, And for a recompence -- for a trap.

23 Darkened are their eyes from seeing, And their loins continually shake Thou.

24 Pour upon them Thine indignation, And the fierceness of Thine anger doth seize them.

25 Their tower is desolated, In their tents there is no dweller.

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

27 Give punishment for their iniquity, And they enter not into Thy righteousness.

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

29 And I [am] afflicted and pained, Thy salvation, O God, doth set me on high.

30 I praise the name of God with a song, And I magnify Him with thanksgiving,

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

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

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

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

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

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