The Waters Are up to My Neck

¹For the choirmaster. To the tune of “Lilies.” Of David.

Save me, O God,

for the waters are up to my neck.

²I have sunk into the miry depths,

where there is no footing;

I have drifted into deep waters,

where the flood engulfs me.

³I am weary from my crying;

my throat is parched.

My eyes fail,

looking for my God.

⁴Those who hate me without cause

outnumber the hairs of my head;

many are those who would destroy me —

my enemies for no reason.^a

Though I did not steal,

I must repay.

⁵You know my folly, O God,

and my guilt is not hidden from You.

⁶May those who hope in You not be ashamed through me,

O Lord GOD of Hosts;

may those who seek You not be dishonored through me,

O God of Israel.

⁷For I have endured scorn for Your sake,

and shame has covered my face.

⁸I have become a stranger to my brothers

and a foreigner to my mother’s sons,

⁹because zeal for Your house has consumed me,^b

and the insults of those who insult You have fallen on me.^c

¹⁰I wept and fasted,

but it brought me reproach.

¹¹I made sackcloth my clothing,

and I was sport to them.

¹²Those who sit at the gate mock me,

and I am the song of drunkards.

¹³But my prayer to You, O LORD,

is for a time of favor.

In Your abundant loving devotion, O God,

answer me with Your sure salvation.

¹⁴Rescue me from the mire

and do not let me sink;

deliver me from my foes

and out of the deep waters.

¹⁵Do not let the floods engulf me

or the depths swallow me up;

let not the Pit close its mouth over me.

¹⁶Answer me, O LORD,

for Your loving devotion is good;

turn to me in keeping with Your great compassion.

¹⁷Hide not Your face from Your servant,

for I am in distress.

Answer me quickly!

¹⁸Draw near to my soul and redeem me;

ransom me because of my foes.

¹⁹You know my reproach, my shame and disgrace.

All my adversaries are before You.

²⁰Insults have broken my heart,

and I am in despair.

I looked for sympathy, but there was none,

for comforters, but I found no one.

²¹They poisoned my food with gall

and gave me vinegar to quench my thirst.

²²May their table become a snare;

may it be a retribution and a trap.^d

²³May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see,

and their backs be bent forever.^e

²⁴Pour out Your wrath upon them,

and let Your burning anger overtake them.

²⁵May their place be deserted;

let there be no one to dwell in their tents.^f

²⁶For they persecute the one You struck

and recount the pain of those You wounded.

²⁷Add iniquity to their iniquity;

let them not share in Your righteousness.

²⁸May they be blotted out of the Book of Life

and not listed with the righteous.

²⁹But I am in pain and distress;

let Your salvation protect me, O God.

³⁰I will praise God’s name in song

and exalt Him with thanksgiving.

³¹And this will please the LORD more than an ox,

more than a bull with horns and hooves.

³²The humble will see and rejoice.

You who seek God, let your hearts be revived!

³³For the LORD listens to the needy

and does not despise His captive people.

³⁴Let heaven and earth praise Him,

the seas and everything that moves in them.

³⁵For God will save Zion

and rebuild the cities of Judah,

that they may dwell there and possess it.

³⁶The descendants of His servants will inherit it,

and those who love His name will settle in it.