Psalms

Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.

1Save me, God. The water has risen up to my neck.

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

2I am sinking in deep mud with nothing to stand on. I am out in deep water, and the flood is covering me.

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

3I am worn out from crying. My throat is dry. My eyes ache from looking for my God.

4They 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.

4People who hate me for no reason are more than the hairs on my head. Many strong enemies want to destroy me, and I gave them no cause. They make me pay back what I never stole.

Note"Then I restored that which I took not away" means he is forced to pay back things he never took in the first place.

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

5God, you know the foolish things I have done. My sins are not hidden from you.

6Let 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.

6Lord GOD, commander of heaven's armies, do not let people who wait for you be ashamed because of me. God of Israel, do not let people who look for you be disgraced because of me.

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

7I have been insulted for your sake. Shame covers my face.

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

8My own brothers treat me like a stranger. My mother's sons treat me like a foreigner.

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

9My love for your house burns inside me like a fire. When people insult you, the insults land on me.

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

10I cried and went without food to humble myself, and people mocked me for it.

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

11I dressed in rough cloth to show my sorrow, and they turned me into a joke.

NoteSackcloth was rough, scratchy cloth made from goat hair. People wore it to show deep sadness. "I became a proverb to them" means people used him as an example in their jokes.

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

12The leaders who sit at the city gate talk against me. Drunks make up songs about me.

NoteThe gate of a city was where leaders and judges sat to make decisions, so "they that sit in the gate" means the important men of the town.

13But 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.

13But I keep praying to you, LORD. Answer me at the right time. God, in your great love, answer me with your sure help.

14Deliver 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.

14Pull me out of the mud. Do not let me sink. Save me from those who hate me and from the deep water.

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

15Do not let the flood cover me. Do not let the deep water swallow me. Do not let the pit close its mouth over me.

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

16Answer me, LORD, because your love is good. Turn to me, because your mercy is great.

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

17Do not hide your face from me, your servant. I am in trouble. Answer me quickly.

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

18Come close to me and set me free. Rescue me, because my enemies are near.

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

19You know how I am insulted, shamed, and disgraced. You see everyone who is against me.

20Reproach 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.

20Insults have broken my heart. I feel crushed. I looked for someone to pity me, but no one did. I looked for comfort and found none.

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

21They put bitter poison in my food. When I was thirsty, they gave me sour wine to drink.

Note"Meat" in 1611 English meant food of any kind, not just animal meat. Gall was a bitter, poisonous plant. The vinegar here was cheap, sour wine.

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

22Let the table where they eat become a trap. Let the safe, full meal turn into a snare.

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

23Let their eyes go dark so they cannot see. Make their backs bend and shake.

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

24Pour out your anger on them. Let your burning anger catch up with them.

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

25Let the place where they live stand empty. Let no one live in their tents.

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

26They chase down the man you have already struck. They talk about the pain of those you have wounded.

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

27Charge them with sin on top of sin. Do not let them share in your goodness.

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

28Let their names be wiped out of the book of the living. Do not let them be listed with people who do right.

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

29But I am hurting and sad. God, save me and lift me up to a safe place.

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

30I will praise God's name with a song. I will honor him by giving thanks.

31This also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs.

31That will please the LORD more than an ox, more than a full-grown bull with horns and hooves.

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

32Humble people will see it and be glad. You who look for God, may your hearts come alive.

33For the LORD heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners.

33The LORD listens to people in need. He does not turn his back on his people who are in chains.

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

34Let heaven and earth praise him, and the seas, and every creature that moves in them.

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

35God will save Zion and rebuild the towns of Judah. His people will live there and own the land.

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

36The children of his servants will receive it. Those who love his name will make their home there.