For the Chief Musician; set to Shoshannim.
A Psalm
of David.
1 Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.
2 I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.
3 I am weary with my crying; my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.
4 They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would cut me off, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.
5 O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee.
6 Let not them that wait on thee be ashamed through me, O LordGODof hosts: let not those that seek thee be brought to dishonour through me, O God of Israel.
7 Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face.
8 I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother’s children.
9 For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproach thee are fallen upon me.
10 When I wept,and chastenedmy soul with fasting, that was to my reproach.
11 When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a proverb unto them.
12 They that sit in the gate talk of me; andI amthe song of the drunkards.
13 But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, OLord, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy, answer me in the truth of thy salvation.
14 Deliver 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.
15 Let not the waterflood overwhelm me, neither let the deep swallow me up; and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.
16 Answer me, OLord; for thy lovingkindness is good: according to the multitude of thy tender mercies turn thou unto me.
17 And hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in distress; answer me speedily.
18 Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it: ransom me because of mine enemies.
19 Thou knowest my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonour: mine adversaries are all before thee.
20 Reproach 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.
21 They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
22 Let their table before them become a snare; and when they are in peace,let it becomea trap.
23 Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake.
24 Pour out thine indignation upon them, and let the fierceness of thine anger overtake them.
25 Let their habitation be desolate; let none dwell in their tents.
26 For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; and they tell of the sorrow of those whom thou hast wounded,
27 Add iniquity unto their iniquity: and let them not come into thy righteousness.
28 Let them be blotted out of the book of life, and not be written with the righteous.
29 But I am poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high.
30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.
31 And it shall please theLordbetter than an ox,ora bullock that hath horns and hoofs.
32 The meek have seen it, and are glad: ye that seek after God, let your heart live.
33 For theLordheareth the needy, and despiseth not his prisoners.
34 Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas, and every thing that moveth therein.
35 For God will save Zion, and build the cities of Judah; and they shall abide there, and have it in possession.
36 The seed also of his servants shall inherit it; and they that love his name shall dwell therein.