1 S ave me, God, for the waters have come up to my neck!

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

2 I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold. I have 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 with my crying. My throat is dry. My eyes fail, looking 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 want to cut me off, being my enemies wrongfully, are mighty. I have to restore what I didn’t take 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 G od, you know my foolishness. My sins aren’t hidden from you.

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

6 D on’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.

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. Shame has covered my face.

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

8 I have become a stranger to my brothers, an alien to 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 your house consumes me. 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 and I fasted, that was to 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. 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, Yahweh, in an acceptable time. God, in the abundance of your loving kindness, answer me in the truth of your 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 don’t let me sink. Let me be delivered from those who 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 D on’t let the flood waters overwhelm me, neither let the deep swallow me up. Don’t let 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, Yahweh, for your loving kindness is good. According to the multitude of your tender mercies, turn to me.

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

17 D on’t hide your face from your servant, for I am in distress. Answer me speedily!

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

18 D raw 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, my shame, and my dishonor. My adversaries are all 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 full of heaviness. I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; 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. 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 before them become a snare. May it become a retribution and 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, so that they can’t see. Let their backs be continually bent.

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

24 P our out your indignation on them. Let the fierceness of your anger overtake them.

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

25 L et their habitation be desolate. Let no one 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 you have wounded. They tell of the sorrow of those whom you have hurt.

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

27 C harge them with crime upon crime. Don’t let them come into your 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 life, 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 in pain and distress. Let your salvation, God, protect me.

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 I t will please Yahweh better than an ox, or a bull that has 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 after God, let your heart live.

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

33 F or Yahweh hears the needy, and doesn’t despise his captive people.

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 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 build the cities of Judah. They shall settle there, and own 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 children also of his servants shall inherit it. Those who 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.