1 S ave me, O God, For the waters have threatened my life.

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

2 I have sunk in deep mire, and there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, and a flood overflows 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 with my crying; my throat is parched; My 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 hose who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head; Those who would destroy me are powerful, being wrongfully my enemies; What I did not steal, I then have to restore.

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, it is You who knows my folly, And my wrongs are not hidden from You.

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

6 M ay those who wait for You not be ashamed through me, O Lord God of hosts; May those who seek You not be dishonored through me, 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 Your sake I have borne reproach; Dishonor has covered my face.

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

8 I have become estranged from my brothers And an alien to my mother’s sons.

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

9 F or zeal for Your house has consumed me, And the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on 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 in my soul with fasting, It became my reproach.

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

11 W hen I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them.

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

12 T hose who sit in the gate talk about me, And I am 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 to You, O Lord, at an acceptable time; O God, in the greatness of Your lovingkindness, Answer me with Your saving truth.

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 from the mire and do not let me sink; May I be delivered from my foes and from 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 M ay the flood of water not overflow me Nor the deep swallow me up, Nor the pit shut its mouth on 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 A nswer me, O Lord, for Your lovingkindness is good; According to the greatness of Your compassion, turn to me,

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

17 A nd do not hide Your face from Your servant, For I am in distress; answer me quickly.

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

18 O h draw near to my soul and redeem it; Ransom me because of my enemies!

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

19 Y ou know my reproach and my shame and my dishonor; All my adversaries are before You.

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 has broken my heart and I am so sick. And I looked for sympathy, 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 also gave me gall for my food And for 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 M ay their table before them become a snare; And when they are in peace, may 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 M ay their eyes grow dim so that they cannot see, And make their loins shake continually.

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

24 P our out Your indignation on them, And may Your burning anger overtake them.

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

25 M ay their camp be desolate; May none dwell in their tents.

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

26 F or they have persecuted him whom You Yourself have smitten, And they tell of the pain of those whom You have 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 to their iniquity, And may they not come into Your righteousness.

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

28 M ay they be blotted out of the book of life And may they not be recorded 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 afflicted and in pain; May Your salvation, O God, set me securely 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 song And magnify Him with thanksgiving.

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

31 A nd it will please the Lord better than an ox Or a young bull with horns and hoofs.

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

32 T he humble have seen it and are glad; You who seek God, let your heart revive.

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 hears the needy And does not despise His who are prisoners.

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

34 L et heaven and earth praise Him, The seas and everything that moves in them.

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 build the cities of Judah, That they may dwell there and possess it.

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 descendants of His servants will inherit it, And those who love His name will dwell in it.

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