LXIX. Book II. A Cry of Distress, and Imprecation on Adversaries. 1909-14. The Book of Psalms. The Harvard Classics

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The Book of Psalms.
The Harvard Classics. 1909–14.

Book II

LXIX

A Cry of Distress, and Imprecation on Adversaries

For the Chief Musician; set to Shoshannim. 1 A Psalm of David.


[1]	SAVE me, O God; For the waters are come in unto my soul.
[2]	I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.
[3]	I am weary with my crying; my throat is dried: Mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.
[4]	They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head: They that would cut me off, being mine enemies wrongfully, 2 are mighty: That which I took not away I have to restore.
[5]	O God, thou knowest my foolishness; And my sins 3 are not hid from thee.
[6]	Let not them that wait for thee be put to shame through me, O Lord Jehovah of hosts: Let not those that seek thee be brought to dishonor through me, O God of Israel.
[7]	Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; Shame hath covered my face.
[8]	I am become a stranger unto my brethren, And an alien unto my mother’s children.
[9]	For the zeal of thy house hath eaten me up; And the reproaches of them that reproach thee are fallen upon me.
[10]	When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, That was to my reproach.
[11]	When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword unto them.
[12]	They that sit in the gate talk of me; And I am the song of the drunkards.
[13]	But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O Jehovah, in an acceptable time: O God, in the abundance of thy lovingkindness, Answer me in the truth of thy salvation.
[14]	Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: Let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.
[15]	Let not the waterflood overwhelm me, Neither let the deep swallow me up; And let not the pit shut its mouth upon me.
[16]	Answer me, O Jehovah; for thy lovingkindness is good: According to the multitude of thy tender mercies turn thou unto me.
[17]	And hide not thy face from thy servant; For I am in distress; answer me speedily.
[18]	Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it: Ransom me because of mine enemies.
[19]	Thou knowest my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonor: Mine adversaries are all before thee.
[20]	Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full 4 of heaviness: And I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; And for comforters, but I found none.
[21]	They gave me also gall for my food; And in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
[22]	Let their table before them become a snare; And when they are in peace, let it become a trap.
[23]	Let their eyes be darkened, so that they cannot see; And make their loins continually to shake.
[24]	Pour out thine indignation upon them, And let the fierceness of thine anger overtake them.
[25]	Let their habitation 5 be desolate; Let none dwell in their tents.
[26]	For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; And they tell of the sorrow 6 of those whom thou hast wounded.
[27]	Add iniquity unto their iniquity; And let them not come into thy righteousness.
[28]	Let them be blotted out of the book of life, 7 And not be written with the righteous.
[29]	But I am poor and sorrowful: 8 Let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high.
[30]	I will praise the name of God with a song, And will magnify him with thanksgiving.
[31]	And it will please Jehovah better than an ox, Or a bullock that hath horns and hoofs.
[32]	The meek have seen it, and are glad: Ye that seek after God, let your heart live.
[33]	For Jehovah heareth the needy, And despiseth not his prisoners.
[34]	Let heaven and earth praise him, The seas, and everything that moveth therein.
[35]	For God will save Zion, and build the cities of Judah; And they shall abide there, and have it in possession.
[36]	The seed also of his servants shall inherit it; And they that love his name shall dwell therein.

Note 1. That is, Lilies. [back]

Note 2. Heb. falsely. [back]

Note 3. Heb. guiltinesses. [back]

Note 4. Or, sore sick. [back]

Note 5. Or, encampment. [back]

Note 6. Or, pain. [back]

Note 7. Or, the living. [back]

Note 8. Or, in pain. [back]

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