אָהַבְתִּי כִּי יִשְׁמַע ה' אֶת קוֹלִי תַּחֲנוּנָי

I am happy, for the Lord heard my voice, my pleas. This opening verse summarizes the main theme of the psalm. The psalmist is joyful not only because he was rescued but also because God listened to his prayer.

כִּי הִטָּה אָזְנוֹ לִי וּבְיָמַי אֶקְרָא

For He inclined His ear to me, and in all my days of hardship and adversity I call out to Him.

אֲפָפוּנִי חֶבְלֵי מָוֶת וּמְצָרֵי שְׁאוֹל מְצָאוּנִי צָרָה וְיָגוֹן אֶמְצָא

Cords of death were wrapped around me; agonies of the grave assailed me when I encountered distress and sorrow.

וּבְשֵׁם ה' אֶקְרָא אָנָּה ה' מַלְּטָה נַפְשִׁי

In those situations, I called in the name of the Lord: Please, Lord, save my life.

חַנּוּן ה' וְצַדִּיק וֵאלֹהֵינוּ מְרַחֵם

The Lord is gracious and righteous, and our God is merciful.

שֹׁמֵר פְּתָאיִם ה'דַּלֹּתִי וְלִי יְהוֹשִׁיעַ

The Lord protects the simple. The word petayim, translated here as “the simple,” refers to people who are naïve and therefore likely to be enticed [mitpateh] into troublesome situations. Since they do not know how to protect themselves, God protects them so they do not come to too much harm. I was brought low, and He saved me.

שׁוּבִי נַפְשִׁי לִמְנוּחָיְכִי כִּי ה' גָּמַל עָלָיְכִי

Return, my soul, to restfulness, for the Lord has helped you.

כִּי חִלַּצְתָּ נַפְשִׁי מִמָּוֶת אֶת עֵינִי מִן דִּמְעָה אֶת רַגְלִי מִדֶּחִי

For You rescued me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from obstruction.

אֶתְהַלֵּךְ לִפְנֵי ה' בְּאַרְצוֹת הַחַיִּים

Now that I have been saved from peril, I walk before the Lord in the land of the living, without concern for my survival.

הֶאֱמַנְתִּי כִּי אֲדַבֵּר אֲנִי עָנִיתִי מְאֹד

I believed in You as I spoke my words of prayer before You, when I was suffering greatly.

אֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי בְחָפְזִי כָּל הָאָדָם כֹּזֵב

In my haste, I said: All men are false. Suffering is a subjective experience that is often exacerbated by the sense of being alone and abandoned, and many people in distress jump to the mistaken conclusion that no one around them cares. In truth, even in the darkest hours, people have at least a few loyal friends who will not abandon them. But this may not be immediately apparent, and the seeming lack of support can lead to despondency.

מָה אָשִׁיב לַה' כָּל תַּגְמוּלוֹהִי עָלָי

The psalmist now turns to words of praise: What shall I give to the Lord in return for all the good He rendered me?

כּוֹס יְשׁוּעוֹת אֶשָּׂא וּבְשֵׁם ה' אֶקְרָא

I will lift a cup of salvation, referring to a cup of wine that is raised in a public toast of thanksgiving, and I will call in the name of the Lord with words of thanks for Him.

נְדָרַי לַה' אֲשַׁלֵּם נֶגְדָה נָּא לְכָל עַמּוֹ

Now that I have been delivered from danger, I will fulfill my vows to the Lord, which I undertook in my times of distress. When possible, I will fulfill them in the presence of all His people, in order to publicize God’s kindness to me and to inspire others.

יָקָר בְּעֵינֵי ה'הַמָּוְתָה לַחֲסִידָיו

Weighty in the eyes of the Lord is the death of His devoted ones. God does not want to bring death to those who love Him.

אָנָּה ה' כִּי אֲנִי עַבְדֶּךָ אֲנִי עַבְדְּךָ בֶּן אֲמָתֶךָ פִּתַּחְתָּ לְמוֹסֵרָי

With this in mind, the psalmist issues his plea: I beseech You, Lord, to come to my aid, for I am Your servant, your servant the son of Your handmaid. The phrase “I am Your servant, the son of Your handmaid” describes an individual born into a family of slaves who has never known any personal independence. But in contrast to the demeaning human institution of slavery, servitude to God is uplifting and liberating. In fact, the result has been that You have loosened my bonds. You have freed me from all my suffering and pain.

לְךָ אֶזְבַּח זֶבַח תּוֹדָה וּבְשֵׁם ה' אֶקְרָא

I will offer a thanksgiving offering to You for saving me from peril, and I will call in the name of the Lord with cries of thanksgiving.

נְדָרַי לַה' אֲשַׁלֵּם נֶגְדָה נָּא לְכָל עַמּוֹ

I will fulfill my sacrificial vows to the Lord in the presence of all His people.

בְּחַצְרוֹת בֵּית ה' בְּתוֹכֵכִי יְרוּשָׁלִָם הַלְלוּיָהּ

These vows, which include thanksgiving sacrifices, will be fulfilled in the main place of public gathering for the people of Israel, in the courtyards of the House of the Lord, in your midst, Jerusalem. Halleluya.