1. To the director: To the tune of "The Lilies." A song of David. God, save me from all my troubles! The rising water has reached my neck.
2. I have nothing to stand on. I am sinking down, down into the mud. I am in deep water, and the waves are about to cover me.
3. I am getting weak from calling for help. My throat is sore. I have waited and looked for your help until my eyes are hurting.
4. I have more enemies than the hairs on my head. They hate me for no reason. They try hard to destroy me. My enemies tell lies about me. They say I stole from them, and they demand that I pay for things I did not steal.
5. God, you know my faults. I cannot hide my sins from you.
6. My Lord God All-Powerful, don't let me embarrass your followers. God of Israel, don't let me bring disgrace to those who worship you.
7. My face is covered with shame. I carry this shame for you.
8. My own brothers treat me like a stranger. They act as if I came from a foreign land.
9. My strong devotion to your Temple is destroying me. Those who insult you are also insulting me.
10. When I spend time crying and fasting, they make fun of me.
11. When I wear sackcloth to show my sorrow, they tell jokes about me.
12. They talk about me in public places. The beer drinkers make up songs about me.
13. As for me, Lord, this is my prayer to you: Please accept me! God, I want you to answer me with love. I know I can trust you to save me.
14. Pull me from the mud, and don't let me sink down deeper. Save me from those who hate me. Save me from this deep water.
15. Don't let the waves drown me. Don't let the deep sea swallow me or the grave close its mouth on me.
16. Answer me, Lord, from the goodness of your faithful love. Out of your great kindness turn to me and help me!
17. Don't turn away from your servant. I am in trouble, so hurry and help me!
18. Come save my soul. Rescue me from my enemies.
19. You know the shame I have suffered. You know all my enemies. You saw how they humiliated me.
20. I feel the pain of their insults. The shame makes me feel like dying! I wanted some sympathy, but there was none. I waited for someone to comfort me, but no one came.
21. They gave me poison, not food. They gave me vinegar, not wine.
22. Their tables are covered with food. Let their fellowship meals destroy them.
23. Let them go blind and their backs become weak.
24. Show them how angry you are. Let them feel what your anger can do.
25. Make their homes empty. Don't let anyone live there.
26. They try to hurt people you have already punished. They tell everyone about the suffering you gave them.
27. Punish them for the bad things they have done. Don't show them how good you can be.
28. Erase their names from the book of life. Don't let their names appear on the list of those who do what is right.
29. I am sad and hurting. God, lift me up and save me!
30. I will praise God's name in song. I will honor him by giving him thanks.
31. The Lord will be happier with this than with the offering of an ox or a full-grown bull as a sacrifice.
32. Poor people, you came to worship God. You will be happy to know these things.
33. The Lord listens to poor, helpless people. He does not turn away from those who are in prison.
34. Praise him, heaven and earth! Sea and everything in it, praise him!
35. God will save Zion. He will rebuild the cities of Judah. The people will settle there again and own the land.
36. The descendants of his servants will get that land. Those who love his name will live there.