Study Desk

A psalm of David when he fled from his son Absalom.^(a)

Lord , how my foes increase! There are many who attack me.^(b)

Many say about me, "There is no help for him in God."^(c) Selah

But You, Lord , are a shield around me,^(d) my glory,^(e) and the One who lifts up my head.^(f)

I cry aloud to the Lord , and He answers me from His holy mountain.^(g) Selah

I lie down and sleep; I wake again because the Lord sustains me.^(h)

I am not afraid of the thousands of people who have taken their stand against me on every side.⁽ⁱ⁾

Rise up, Lord !^(j) Save me, my God! You strike all my enemies on the cheek;^(k) You break the teeth of the wicked.^(l)

Salvation belongs to the Lord ;^(m) may Your blessing be on Your people.⁽ⁿ⁾ Selah

For the choir director: according to "The Lilies."^[a] Davidic.

Save me, God, for the water has risen to my neck.^(a)

I have sunk in deep mud, and there is no footing; I have come into deep waters, and a flood sweeps over me.^(b)

I am weary from my crying; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God.^(c)

Those who hate me without cause are more numerous than the hairs of my head; my deceitful enemies, who would destroy me, are powerful.^(d) Though I did not steal, I must repay.^(e)

God, You know my foolishness, and my guilty acts are not hidden from You.^(f)

Do not let those who put their hope in You be disgraced because of me, Lord God of Hosts; do not let those who seek You be humiliated because of me, God of Israel.^(g)

For I have endured insults because of You, and shame has covered my face.^(h)

I have become a stranger to my brothers and a foreigner to my mother's sons⁽ⁱ⁾

because zeal for Your house has consumed me,^(j) and the insults of those who insult You have fallen on me.^(k)

I mourned and fasted, but it brought me insults.^(l)

I wore sackcloth as my clothing, and I was a joke to them.

Those who sit at the city gate talk about me, and drunkards make up songs about me.^(m)

But as for me, Lord , my prayer to You is for a time of favor. In Your abundant, faithful love, God, answer me with Your sure salvation.⁽ⁿ⁾

Rescue me from the miry mud; don't let me sink. Let me be rescued from those who hate me and from the deep waters.^(o)

Don't let the floodwaters sweep over me or the deep swallow me up; don't let the Pit close its mouth over me.^(p)

Answer me, Lord , for Your faithful love is good; in keeping with Your great compassion, turn to me.^(q)

Don't hide Your face from Your servant, for I am in distress. Answer me quickly!^(r)

Draw near to me and redeem me; ransom me because of my enemies.^(s)

You know the insults I endure— my shame and disgrace. You are aware of all my adversaries.^(t)

Insults have broken my heart, and I am in despair. I waited for sympathy, but there was none; for comforters, but found no one.^(u)

Instead, they gave me gall^[b] for my food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.^(v)

Let their table set before them be a snare, and let it be a trap for their allies.^(w)

Let their eyes grow too dim to see, and let their loins continually shake.^(x)

Pour out Your rage on them, and let Your burning anger overtake them.^(y)

Make their fortification desolate; may no one live in their tents.^(z)

For they persecute the one You struck and talk about the pain of those You wounded.^(aa)

Add guilt to their guilt; do not let them share in Your righteousness.^(ab)

Let them be erased from the book of life and not be recorded with the righteous.^(ac)

But as for me—poor and in pain— let Your salvation protect me, God.^(ad)

I will praise God's name with song and exalt Him with thanksgiving.^(ae)

That will please Yahweh more than an ox, more than a bull with horns and hooves.^(af)

The humble will see it and rejoice. You who seek God, take heart!^(ag)

For the Lord listens to the needy and does not despise His own who are prisoners.^(ah)

Let heaven and earth praise Him, the seas and everything that moves in them,^(ai)

for God will save Zion and build up^[c] the cities of Judah. They will live there and possess it.^(aj)

The descendants of His servants will inherit it, and those who love His name will live in it.^(ak)