Commentary on Psalms - Volume 5

To the Chief Musician upon Shoshannim. Of David

1Save me, O God! For entered have the waters even to my soul.

2I am sunk into deep mire where there is no standing place; I am come into the depths of waters, And the floods of water have overflowed me.

3I am weary with crying, Hoarse is my throat become therewith; Failed have my eyes with waiting for my God.

4More in number than the hairs of my head are those who hate me without cause: Increased are those who desire to destroy me, [even] my lying adversaries: That which I took not by violence, then I restored it.

5O God! thou knowest my foolishness, And my faults from thee are not hidden.

6Let not those be ashamed in me that wait for thee, O Lord, Jehovah of armies! Let not those be put to shame in me who seek thee, O God of Israel!

7For on thy account I have suffered reproach; Shame hath covered my face.

8A stranger I have been to my brethren, And an alien I am become to the children of my mother.

9For the zeal of thy house hath eaten me up; And the reproaches of those who reproached thee have fallen upon me.

10And I wept, my soul fasted; And that was for a reproach to me.

11And I made my garment sackcloth; And I was to them for a jest.

12Defame me do those who sit in the gate; And I am the songs of those who drink intoxicating liquor.

13But as for me my prayer [is] to thee, O Jehovah! In thetime of thy favor, O God! In the multitude of thy mercy answer me, In the truth of thy salvation.

14Rescue me from the mire that I may not sink; That I may be delivered from my adversaries, And from the depths of waters.

15Let not the flood of waters overflow me; And let not the deep swallow me up; And let not the pit dose its mouth upon me.

16Answer me, O Jehovah! for good is thy mercy: In the multitude of thy compassions look upon me.

17And hide not thy face from thy servant, for I am afflicted: Hasten! answer me!

18Draw near to my soul, redeem it: On account of my adversaries deliver me.

19Thou knowest my reproach, and my confusion, and my ignominy: Before thee are all my adversaries.

20Reproach hath broken my heart, and I am afflicted; And I looked for some one to show compassion, but there was none; For comforters, but I found them not.

21And they put into my meat gall, And in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

22Let their table be before them for a snare; And their prosperity for a net;

23Darkened let be their eyes, that they may not see; And cause their loins continually to tremble.

24Pour out upon them thy wrath; And let the fury of thy indignation take hold of them.

25Let their palace be desolate; In their tents let there not be a dweller.

26For him whom thou hast smitten they have persecuted; And to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded they have added.

27Add iniquity to their iniquity; And let them not enter into thy righteousness.

28Let them be blotted out of the book of the living; And with the righteous let them not be written.

29But as for me I am poor and sorrowful: Thy salvation shall exalt me.

30I will praise the name of God in a song, And I will magnify him with thanksgiving.

31And this will please Jehovah More than a young bullock that hath horns and hoofs.

32Seen it have the afflicted, And they shall rejoice at it who seek God; And live shall your heart.

33For hearkened hath Jehovah to the afflicted; And his prisoners he hath not despised.

34Praise him let heaven and earth; The seas and whatever creepeth in them.

35For God will save Zion, And will build the cities of Judah; And they shall dwell there, And possess it by inheritance.

36And the seed of his servants shall inherit it; And they who love his name shall dwell in it.