Psalms

O LORD, rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.

1LORD, please do not correct me while you are angry. Do not punish me while you are furious.

2For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore.

2Your arrows have sunk deep into me, and your hand presses down hard on me.

3There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin.

3No part of my body is healthy, because you are angry. My bones have no rest, because of my sin.

4For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.

4My sins have risen over my head like water. They are a load too heavy for me to carry.

5My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness.

5My wounds smell bad and are full of infection, because I acted so foolishly.

6I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.

6I am bent over and pushed low. All day long I walk around grieving.

7For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh.

7My body burns with pain, and no part of me is healthy.

8I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart.

8I feel numb and completely crushed. I groan out loud because my heart is so troubled.

9Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee.

9Lord, you see everything I long for. You hear every groan I make.

10My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me.

10My heart pounds and my strength is gone. Even the light in my eyes has faded.

11My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off.

11The people I love and my friends stay away from my sores. My relatives keep their distance.

NoteThe KJV word "lovers" here means people who love him — family and close friends — not romantic partners.

12They also that seek after my life lay snares for me: and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long.

12People who want me dead set traps for me. People who want to hurt me talk about ruining me and plot lies all day.

13But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth.

13But I act like a deaf man who does not hear. I am like a man who cannot speak and keeps his mouth shut.

14Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs.

14I am like someone who does not hear a word, and who has no answer to give back.

15For in thee, O LORD, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.

15I am waiting for you, LORD. You will answer me, Lord my God.

16For I said, Hear me, lest otherwise they should rejoice over me: when my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against me.

16I said this because I do not want them to gloat over me, or to brag when my foot slips.

17For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me.

17I am about to fall down, and my pain never leaves me.

18For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.

18I admit what I did wrong. I am truly sorry for my sin.

19But mine enemies are lively, and they are strong: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied.

19My enemies are full of life and strong. Many people hate me for no reason at all.

Note"Lively" in the KJV means full of life and energy, not cheerful or fun.

20They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries; because I follow the thing that good is.

20People who pay back my good with evil fight against me, because I try to do what is right.

21Forsake me not, O LORD: O my God, be not far from me.

21Do not leave me, LORD. My God, do not stay far away from me.

22Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.

22Hurry and help me, Lord. You are the one who saves me.