1 S ave me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.

Save me, O God, for the waters have almost taken my life.

2 I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.

I have gone down into deep mud and there is no place to put my feet. I have come into deep waters and a flood comes over me.

3 I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.

I have cried until I am tired. My mouth is dry. My eyes become weak while I wait for my God.

4 T hey that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.

Those who hate me, without a reason, are more than the hairs on my head. Those who want to destroy me are powerful. I am made to return things that I did not steal.

5 O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee.

O God, You know how foolish I am. My sins are not hidden from You.

6 L et not them that wait on thee, O Lord God of hosts, be ashamed for my sake: let not those that seek thee be confounded for my sake, O God of Israel.

May those who wait for You not be put to shame because of me, O Lord God of All. May those who look for You not lose respect because of me, O God of Israel.

7 B ecause for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face.

I have been put to shame because of You. Shame has covered my face.

8 I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother’s children.

I have become a stranger to my brothers, a stranger to my mother’s sons.

9 F or the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.

For the strong desire for Your house has burned me up. And the bad things said about You have fallen on me.

10 W hen I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach.

When I cried and went without food, I was put to shame.

11 I made sackcloth also my garment; and I became a proverb to them.

When I put on clothes made from hair, they made fun of me.

12 T hey that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards.

Those who sit by the gate talk about me. And I am the song of those who drink too much.

13 B ut as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O Lord, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.

But as for me, my prayer is to You at the right time, O Lord. Answer me with Your saving truth in Your great loving-kindness, O God.

14 D eliver 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.

Take me out of the mud and do not let me go down in it. Take me away from those who hate me and from the deep waters.

15 L et not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.

Keep the flood water from covering me. Do not let the sea swallow me up. Do not let the deep hole close its mouth over me.

16 H ear me, O Lord; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.

Answer me, O Lord, for Your loving-kindness is good. Turn to me because of Your great loving-pity.

17 A nd hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble: hear me speedily.

Do not hide Your face from Your servant, for I am in trouble. Hurry to answer me.

18 D raw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it: deliver me because of mine enemies.

Come near to me and save me. Pay the price to set me free from those who hate me.

19 T hou hast known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonour: mine adversaries are all before thee.

You know how I have been put to shame by the bad things said about me. All those who hate me are before You.

20 R eproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.

Being put to shame has broken my heart, and I feel very sick. I looked for pity but there was none. I looked for someone to comfort me but there was no one.

21 T hey gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

They gave me bitter drink in my food. And because I was thirsty they gave me sour wine.

22 L et their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap.

May their table in front of them become a net. May it become a trap when they are in peace.

23 L et their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake.

May their eyes grow dark so they cannot see. And may their backs always shake.

24 P our out thine indignation upon them, and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them.

Pour out Your anger on them. May Your burning anger catch up with them.

25 L et their habitation be desolate; and let none dwell in their tents.

May their place of living be empty and may no one live in their tents.

26 F or they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded.

For they have made it hard for the one You have punished. And they talk about the pain of those You have hurt.

27 A dd iniquity unto their iniquity: and let them not come into thy righteousness.

Let their sins add up, and may they not become right with You.

28 L et them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.

May they be taken out of the book of life, and not be written down with those who are right with You.

29 B ut I am poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high.

But I am suffering and in pain. O God, may You save me and set me up on high.

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

I will praise the name of God with song. And I will give Him great honor with much thanks.

31 T his also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs.

This will please the Lord more than any ox or young bull with horns and hoofs.

32 T he humble shall see this, and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God.

Those without pride will see it and be glad. You who look for God, let your heart receive new strength.

33 F or the Lord heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners.

For the Lord hears those who are in need, and does not hate His people in prison.

34 L et the heaven and earth praise him, the seas, and every thing that moveth therein.

Let heaven and earth and the seas and all the things that move in them give thanks to Him.

35 F or God will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah: that they may dwell there, and have it in possession.

For God will save Zion and build the cities of Judah. Then His people may live there and have it for their own.

36 T he seed also of his servants shall inherit it: and they that love his name shall dwell therein.

And the children of those who obey Him will have it given to them. Those who love His name will live there.