The Waters Are up to My Neck

לַמְנַצֵּ֬חַ (For the one directing). עַֽל־ (According to) שׁוֹשַׁנִּ֬ים (The Lilies). לְדָוִֽד׃ (Of David).

1הוֹשִׁיעֵ֥נִי (Save me), אֱלֹהִ֑ים (O God),

כִּ֤י (for) בָ֖אוּ (have come) מַ֣יִם (the waters) עַד־ (up to) נָֽפֶשׁ׃ (the soul).

2  טָבַ֤עְתִּי׀ (I sink) בִּיוֵ֣ן (in the mire) מְ֭צוּלָה (of the deep),

וְאֵ֣ין (and there is no) מָעֳמָ֑ד (place to stand);

בָּ֥אתִי (I have come) בְמַעֲמַקֵּי־ (into the depths) מַ֝֗יִם (of the waters),

וְשִׁבֹּ֥לֶת (and a flood) שְׁטָפָֽתְנִי׃ (washes over me).

3  יָגַ֣עְתִּי (I have grown weary) בְקָרְאִי֮ (with my calling out);

נִחַ֪ר (is dry) גְּר֫וֹנִ֥י (my throat).

כָּל֥וּ (Fail) עֵינַ֑י (my eyes)

מְ֝יַחֵ֗ל (waiting) לֵאלֹהָֽי׃ (for my God).

4  רַבּ֤וּ׀ (They are many) מִשַּׂעֲר֣וֹת (than the hairs)

רֹאשִׁי֮ (of my head) שֹׂנְאַ֪י (those hating me) חִ֫נָּ֥ם (without cause);

עָצְמ֣וּ (many are) מַ֭צְמִיתַי (those seeking my destruction),

אֹיְבַ֣י (my enemies) שֶׁ֑קֶר (with deception)

אֲשֶׁ֥ר (that which). לֹא־ (Not) גָ֝זַ֗לְתִּי (I did steal),

אָ֣ז (then) אָשִֽׁיב׃ (I must return).

5  אֱ‍ֽלֹהִ֗ים (O God), אַתָּ֣ה (You) יָ֭דַעְתָּ (know) לְאִוַּלְתִּ֑י (of my foolishness),

וְ֝אַשְׁמוֹתַ֗י (and my guilt) מִמְּךָ֥ (from You) לֹא־ (not) נִכְחָֽדוּ׃ (is hidden).

6  אַל־ (Do not) יֵ֘בֹ֤שׁוּ (let them come to shame) בִ֨י׀ (because of me) קֹוֶיךָ֮ (those waiting on You),

אֲדֹנָ֥י (O Lord) יְהוִ֗ה (YHWH of) צְבָ֫א֥וֹת (hosts);

אַל־ (do not) יִכָּ֣לְמוּ (let them be disgraced) בִ֣י (because of me) htmמְבַקְשֶׁ֑יךָ (those seeking You),

אֱ֝לֹהֵ֗י (O God) יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (of Israel),

7  כִּֽי־ (It is that) עָ֭לֶיךָ (for Your sake) נָשָׂ֣אתִי (I have carried) חֶרְפָּ֑ה (scorn);

כִּסְּתָ֖ה (and has covered) כְלִמָּ֣ה (shame) פָנָֽי׃ (my face).

8  מ֭וּזָר (A stranger) הָיִ֣יתִי (I have become) לְאֶחָ֑י (to my brothers),

וְ֝נָכְרִ֗י (and a foreigner) לִבְנֵ֥י (to the sons) אִמִּֽי׃ (of my mother).

9  כִּֽי־ (For) קִנְאַ֣ת (zeal) בֵּיתְךָ֣ (for Your house) אֲכָלָ֑תְנִי (has consumed me);

וְחֶרְפּ֥וֹת (and the insults) ח֝וֹרְפֶ֗יךָ (of those insulting You) נָפְל֥וּ (have fallen) עָלָֽי׃ (on me).

10  וָאֶבְכֶּ֣ה (And I wept) בַצּ֣וֹם (in the fasting of) נַפְשִׁ֑י (my soul),

וַתְּהִ֖י (and it was) לַחֲרָפ֣וֹת (for a reproach) לִֽי׃ (to me).

11  וָאֶתְּנָ֣ה (I made) לְבוּשִׁ֣י (my clothing) שָׂ֑ק (sackcloth),

וָאֱהִ֖י (and I became) לָהֶ֣ם (to them) לְמָשָֽׁל׃ (as a byword).

12  יָשִׂ֣יחוּ (Meditate) בִ֭י (against me) יֹ֣שְׁבֵי (those sitting) שָׁ֑עַר (at the gate),

וּ֝נְגִינ֗וֹת (and I am the song) שׁוֹתֵ֥י (of those drinking) שֵׁכָֽר׃ (wine).

13  וַאֲנִ֤י (And I)— תְפִלָּתִֽי־ (my prayer is) לְךָ֨׀ (to You), יְהוָ֡ה (O YHWH),

עֵ֤ת (in the time) רָצ֗וֹן (of favor), אֱלֹהִ֥ים (O God),

בְּרָב־ (in the abundance) חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ (of Your loving devotion),

עֲ֝נֵ֗נִי (may You answer me) בֶּאֱמֶ֥ת (in the truth) יִשְׁעֶֽךָ׃ (of Your salvation).

14  הַצִּילֵ֣נִי (Deliver me) מִ֭טִּיט (from the mire),

וְאַל־ (that not) אֶטְבָּ֑עָה (I should sink);

אִנָּצְלָ֥ה (may I be delivered) מִ֝שֹּֽׂנְאַ֗י (from those hating me)

וּמִמַּֽעֲמַקֵּי־ (and out of the depths) מָֽיִם׃ (of the waters).

15  אַל־ (Do not) תִּשְׁטְפֵ֤נִי׀ (let engulf me) שִׁבֹּ֣לֶת (the flood) מַ֭יִם (of waters),

וְאַל־ (and not) תִּבְלָעֵ֣נִי (let swallow me up) מְצוּלָ֑ה (the deep);

וְאַל־ (and do not) תֶּאְטַר־ (let shut) עָלַ֖י (over me) בְּאֵ֣ר (the pit) פִּֽיהָ׃ (its mouth).

16  עֲנֵ֣נִי (Answer me), יְ֭הוָה (O YHWH);

כִּי־ (for) ט֣וֹב (good is) חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ (Your loving devotion);

כְּרֹ֥ב (according to the abundance) רַ֝חֲמֶ֗יךָ (of Your tender mercies) פְּנֵ֣ה (turn) אֵלָֽי׃ (to me).

17  וְאַל־ (And not) תַּסְתֵּ֣ר (should You hide) פָּ֭נֶיךָ (Your face) מֵֽעַבְדֶּ֑ךָ (from Your servant),

כִּֽי־ (for) צַר־ (distress is) לִ֝֗י (unto me);

מַהֵ֥ר (hurry) עֲנֵֽנִי׃ (to answer me).

18  קָרְבָ֣ה (Draw near) אֶל־ (to) נַפְשִׁ֣י (my soul) גְאָלָ֑הּ (and redeem it);

לְמַ֖עַן (on account) אֹיְבַ֣י (of my enemies) פְּדֵֽנִי׃ (may You ransom me).

19  אַתָּ֤ה (You) יָדַ֗עְתָּ (know) חֶרְפָּתִ֣י (my scorn), וּ֭בָשְׁתִּי (and my shame), וּכְלִמָּתִ֑י (and my disgrace);

נֶ֝גְדְּךָ֗ (are before You) כָּל־ (are all) צוֹרְרָֽי׃ (my adversaries).

20  חֶרְפָּ֤ה׀ (Reproach) שָֽׁבְרָ֥ה (has broken) לִבִּ֗י (my heart),

וָֽאָ֫נ֥וּשָׁה (and I am sick).

וָאֲקַוֶּ֣ה (I looked) לָנ֣וּד (for a bemoaner), וָאַ֑יִן (and there was none),

וְ֝לַמְנַחֲמִ֗ים (and for comforters), וְלֹ֣א (and none) מָצָֽאתִי׃ (I found).

21  וַיִּתְּנ֣וּ (And they gave) בְּבָרוּתִ֣י (for my food) רֹ֑אשׁ (gall),

וְ֝לִצְמָאִ֗י (and for my thirst) יַשְׁק֥וּנִי (they made me drink) חֹֽמֶץ׃ (vinegar).

22  יְהִֽי־ (Let become) שֻׁלְחָנָ֣ם (their table) לִפְנֵיהֶ֣ם (before them) לְפָ֑ח (a snare),

וְלִשְׁלוֹמִ֥ים (their prosperity)— לְמוֹקֵֽשׁ׃ (be for a trap).

23  תֶּחְשַׁ֣כְנָה (Let grow dark) עֵ֭ינֵיהֶם (their eyes) מֵרְא֑וֹת (from seeing),

וּ֝מָתְנֵ֗יהֶם (and their loins) תָּמִ֥יד (continually) הַמְעַֽד׃ (may they tremble).

24  שְׁפָךְ־ (Pour out) עֲלֵיהֶ֥ם (upon them) זַעְמֶ֑ךָ (Your indignation),

וַחֲר֥וֹן (and the burning) אַ֝פְּךָ֗ (of Your anger) יַשִּׂיגֵֽם׃ (may it overtake them).

25  תְּהִי־ (Let become) טִֽירָתָ֥ם (their encampment) נְשַׁמָּ֑ה (desolate);

בְּ֝אָהֳלֵיהֶ֗ם (in their tents) אַל־ (not) יְהִ֥י (shall there be) יֹשֵֽׁב׃ (one dwelling).

26  כִּֽי־ (For) אַתָּ֣ה (You), אֲשֶׁר־ (the one whom) הִכִּ֣יתָ (You struck), רָדָ֑פוּ (they pursue),

וְאֶל־ (and) מַכְא֖וֹב (the pain) חֲלָלֶ֣יךָ (of those You pierced) יְסַפֵּֽרוּ׃ (they recount).

27  תְּֽנָה־ (May You add) עָ֭וֺן (iniquity) עַל־ (to) עֲוֺנָ֑ם (their iniquity),

וְאַל־ (and do not) יָ֝בֹ֗אוּ (let them come) בְּצִדְקָתֶֽךָ׃ (into Your righteousness).

28  יִ֭מָּחֽוּ (May they be blotted out) מִסֵּ֣פֶר (from the book) חַיִּ֑ים (of the living),

וְעִ֥ם (and with) צַ֝דִּיקִ֗ים (the righteous) אַל־ (do not) יִכָּתֵֽבוּ׃ (let them be written).

29  וַ֭אֲנִי (And I am) עָנִ֣י (afflicted) וְכוֹאֵ֑ב (and pained);

יְשׁוּעָתְךָ֖ (Your salvation), אֱלֹהִ֣ים (O God), תְּשַׂגְּבֵֽנִי׃ (set me on high).

30  אֲהַֽלְלָ֣ה (I will praise) שֵׁם־ (the name) אֱלֹהִ֣ים (of God) בְּשִׁ֑יר (with a song),

וַאֲגַדְּלֶ֥נּוּ (and will I magnify Him) בְתוֹדָֽה׃ (with thanksgiving).

31  וְתִיטַ֣ב (And it is better) לַֽ֭יהוָה (to YHWH) מִשּׁ֥וֹר (than an ox),

פָּ֗ר (a bull) מַקְרִ֥ן (horned) מַפְרִֽיס׃ (and hoofed).

32  רָא֣וּ (Have seen) עֲנָוִ֣ים (the humble) יִשְׂמָ֑חוּ (they rejoice)—

דֹּרְשֵׁ֥י (you seeking) אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים (God)— וִיחִ֥י (and shall live) לְבַבְכֶֽם׃ (your⁺ heart).

33  כִּֽי־ (For) שֹׁמֵ֣עַ (listens) אֶל־ (to) אֶבְיוֹנִ֣ים (the needy) יְהוָ֑ה (YHWH),

וְאֶת־ (and) אֲ֝סִירָ֗יו (His captives) לֹ֣א (he has not) בָזָֽה׃ (despised).

34  יְֽ֭הַלְלוּהוּ (Let shout praise to Him) שָׁמַ֣יִם (the heavens) וָאָ֑רֶץ (and earth),

יַ֝מִּ֗ים (the seas), וְֽכָל־ (and every) רֹמֵ֥שׂ (moving thing) בָּֽם׃ (in them).

35  כִּ֤י (For) אֱלֹהִ֨ים׀ (God) י֘וֹשִׁ֤יעַ (will save) צִיּ֗וֹן (Zion)

וְ֭יִבְנֶה (and He will rebuild) עָרֵ֣י (the cities) יְהוּדָ֑ה (of Judah),

וְיָ֥שְׁבוּ (that they may dwell) שָׁ֝֗ם (there) וִירֵשֽׁוּהָ׃ (and possess it).

36  וְזֶ֣רַע (And the seed) עֲ֭בָדָיו (of His servants) יִנְחָל֑וּהָ (will inherit it),

וְאֹהֲבֵ֥י (and those loving) שְׁ֝מ֗וֹ (His name) יִשְׁכְּנוּ־ (will settle) בָֽהּ׃ (in it).