Cast Your Burden upon Yahweh
(2 Samuel 17:15–29)

לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ (For the one directing). בִּנְגִינֹ֗ת (With stringed instruments). מַשְׂכִּ֥יל (A Maskil) לְדָוִֽד׃ (of David).

1הַאֲזִ֣ינָה (Turn your ear), אֱ֭לֹהִים (O God), תְּפִלָּתִ֑י (to my prayer),

וְאַל־ (and not) תִּ֝תְעַלַּ֗ם (shall You hide Yourself) מִתְּחִנָּתִֽי׃ (from my supplication).

2  הַקְשִׁ֣יבָה (Be attentive) לִּ֣י (to me) וַעֲנֵ֑נִי (and answer me).

אָרִ֖יד (For I am restless) בְּשִׂיחִ֣י (in my complaint),

וְאָהִֽימָה׃ (and make a noise), 3  מִקּ֤וֹל (from the voice) אוֹיֵ֗ב (of the enemy),

מִפְּנֵ֣י (from the face) עָקַ֣ת (of the oppression) רָשָׁ֑ע (of the wicked).

כִּי־ (For) יָמִ֥יטוּ (they bring down) עָלַ֥י (upon me) אָ֝֗וֶן (trouble),

וּבְאַ֥ף (and in anger) יִשְׂטְמֽוּנִי׃ (they hate me).

4  לִ֭בִּי (My heart) יָחִ֣יל (is writhing) בְּקִרְבִּ֑י (within me),

וְאֵימ֥וֹת (and the terrors) מָ֝֗וֶת (of death) נָפְל֥וּ (have fallen) עָלָֽי׃ (upon me).

5  יִרְאָ֣ה (Fear) וָ֭רַעַד (and trembling) יָ֣בֹא (have come) בִ֑י (upon me),

וַ֝תְּכַסֵּ֗נִי (and has covered me) פַּלָּצֽוּת׃ (shuddering).

6  וָאֹמַ֗ר (And I said), מִֽי־ (Who), יִתֶּן־ (shall give) לִּ֣י (to me) אֵ֭בֶר (a wing) כַּיּוֹנָ֗ה (like a dove)!

אָע֥וּפָה (That I might fly away), וְאֶשְׁכֹּֽנָה׃ (and be at rest).

7  הִ֭נֵּה (Behold), אַרְחִ֣יק (I would go far off) נְדֹ֑ד (wandering),

אָלִ֖ין (and would lodge) בַּמִּדְבָּ֣ר (in the wilderness).

סֶֽלָה׃ (Selah)

8  אָחִ֣ישָׁה (I would hurry) מִפְלָ֣ט (to shelter) לִ֑י (for myself)

מֵר֖וּחַ (wind) סֹעָ֣ה (from the rushing), מִסָּֽעַר׃ (from the tempest).

9  בַּלַּ֣ע (Swallow up), אֲ֭דֹנָי (O Lord), פַּלַּ֣ג (divide) לְשׁוֹנָ֑ם (their tongues),

כִּֽי־ (for) רָאִ֨יתִי (I have seen) חָמָ֖ס (violence) וְרִ֣יב (and strife) בָּעִֽיר׃ (in the city).

10  יוֹמָ֤ם (Day) וָלַ֗יְלָה (and night) יְסוֹבְבֻ֥הָ (they go around it) עַל־ (on) חוֹמֹתֶ֑יהָ (its walls),

וְאָ֖וֶן (and iniquity) וְעָמָ֣ל (and trouble) בְּקִרְבָּֽהּ׃ (are within it).

11  הַוּ֥וֹת (Disasters are) בְּקִרְבָּ֑הּ (within it),

וְֽלֹא־ (and not) יָמִ֥ישׁ (do depart) מֵ֝רְחֹבָ֗הּ (from its streets) תֹּ֣ךְ (oppression) וּמִרְמָֽה׃ (and deceit).

12  כִּ֤י (For) לֹֽא־ (it is not) אוֹיֵ֥ב (an enemy) יְחָֽרְפֵ֗נִי (who scorns me),

וְאֶ֫שָּׂ֥א (or I could bear it),

לֹֽא־ (and not) מְ֭שַׂנְאִי (one hating me) עָלַ֣י (who against me) הִגְדִּ֑יל (wielded power),

וְאֶסָּתֵ֥ר (or I could hide myself) מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ (from him).

13  וְאַתָּ֣ה (And it was you), אֱנ֣וֹשׁ (a man) כְּעֶרְכִּ֑י (like me in rank),

אַ֝לּוּפִ֗י (my companion), וּמְיֻדָּֽעִי׃ (and one known by me)—

14  אֲשֶׁ֣ר (with whom) יַ֭חְדָּו (together) נַמְתִּ֣יק (we would take sweet) ס֑וֹד (counsel);

בְּבֵ֥ית (in the house) אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים (of God) נְהַלֵּ֥ךְ (we walked) בְּרָֽגֶשׁ׃ (in the throng).

15  יַשִּׁימָוֶת (Devastation is) עָלֵ֗ימוֹ (upon them);

יֵרְד֣וּ (may they go down) שְׁא֣וֹל (to Sheol) חַיִּ֑ים (alive),

כִּֽי־ (for) רָע֖וֹת (evils are) בִּמְגוּרָ֣ם (in their dwellings), בְּקִרְבָּֽם׃ (within them).

16  אֲ֭נִי (I) אֶל־ (to) אֱלֹהִ֣ים (God); אֶקְרָ֑א (will call)

וַ֝יהוָ֗ה (and YHWH) יוֹשִׁיעֵֽנִי׃ (will save me).

17  עֶ֤רֶב (Evening) וָבֹ֣קֶר (and morning) וְ֭צָהֳרַיִם (and noon) אָשִׂ֣יחָה (I meditate) וְאֶהֱמֶ֑ה (and cry aloud),

וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע (and He hears) קוֹלִֽי׃ (my voice).

18  פָּ֘דָ֤ה (He has redeemed) בְשָׁל֣וֹם (in complete safety) נַ֭פְשִׁי (my soul) מִקֲּרָב־ (from the battle) לִ֑י (toward me)—

כִּֽי־ (though) בְ֝רַבִּ֗ים (many) הָי֥וּ (there were) עִמָּדִֽי׃ (against me).

19  יִשְׁמַ֤ע׀ (Will hear) אֵ֨ל׀ (God) וְֽיַעֲנֵם֮ (and afflict them),

וְיֹ֤שֵׁ֥ב (even He who sits) קֶ֗דֶם (of old).

סֶ֥לָה (Selah)

אֲשֶׁ֤ר (with whom) אֵ֣ין (not are there any) חֲלִיפ֣וֹת (changes) לָ֑מוֹ (for Him),

וְלֹ֖א (and not) יָרְא֣וּ (have they feared) אֱלֹהִֽים׃ (God).

20  שָׁלַ֣ח (He has stretched out) יָ֭דָיו (his hands) בִּשְׁלֹמָ֗יו (against those united with him);

חִלֵּ֥ל (he has profaned) בְּרִיתֽוֹ׃ (his covenant).

21  חָלְק֤וּ׀ (Has been smoother) מַחְמָאֹ֣ת (than butter) פִּיו֮ (is his mouth),

וּֽקֲרָב־ (and war) לִ֫בּ֥וֹ (is in his heart);

רַכּ֖וּ (have been softer) דְבָרָ֥יו (his words) מִשֶּׁ֗מֶן (than oil),

וְהֵ֣מָּה (and they are) פְתִחֽוֹת׃ (drawn swords).

22  הַשְׁלֵ֤ךְ (Cast) עַל־ (upon) יְהוָ֨ה׀ (YHWH) יְהָבְךָ֮ (your burden),

וְה֪וּא (and He) יְכַ֫לְכְּלֶ֥ךָ (will sustain you);

לֹא־ (not) יִתֵּ֖ן (give) לְעוֹלָ֥ם (forever) מ֗וֹט (to be shaken) לַצַּדִּֽיק׃ (a righteous one).

23  וְאַתָּ֤ה (And You), אֱלֹהִ֨ים׀ (O God), תּוֹרִדֵ֬ם׀ (will bring them down)

לִבְאֵ֬ר (to the Pit) שַׁ֗חַת (of destruction);

אַנְשֵׁ֤י (men) דָמִ֣ים (of blood) וּ֭מִרְמָה (and deceit)

לֹא־ (not) יֶחֱצ֣וּ (will live even half) יְמֵיהֶ֑ם (their days).

וַ֝אֲנִ֗י (And I) אֶבְטַח־ (will trust) בָּֽךְ׃ (in You).