מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד לְהַזְכִּיר

A psalm by David, to remind. This psalm was apparently meant to remind God, as it were, of how the psalmist suffered. It seems to have been written when the psalmist was gravely ill and in great physical pain. At the time, his enemies were convinced that his death was imminent, and they were hopeful that they would soon be able to celebrate his downfall.

ה' אַל בְּקֶצְפְּךָ תוֹכִיחֵנִי ובַחֲמָתְךָ תְיַסְּרֵנִי

The psalmist begins by pleading to God for relief from his pain: Lord, do not rebuke me with Your fury and chastise me with Your burning anger.

כִּי חִצֶּיךָ נִחֲתוּ בִי וַתִּנְחַת עָלַי יָדֶךָ

Your arrows have pierced me, a metaphorical description of God punishing him with pain and illness, and Your hand has come down upon me with a severe blow.

אֵין מְתֹם בִּבְשָׂרִי מִפְּנֵי זַעְמֶךָ אֵין שָׁלוֹם בַּעֲצָמַי מִפְּנֵי חַטָּאתִי

There is nothing whole in my body, no part of my body is well, because of Your anger; and there is no tranquility in any of my bones, because of my sin. This is not a complaint but a plea for mercy. The psalmist admits that he is suffering justly because of his sins, but he nevertheless prays for healing.

כִּי עֲוֹנֹתַי עָבְרוּ רֹאשִׁי כְּמַשָּׂא כָבֵד יִכְבְּדוּ מִמֶּנִּי

My iniquities are so numerous, it is as if they have piled up and have risen above my head; like an onerous burden, they are too heavy for me.

הִבְאִישׁוּ נָמַקּוּ חַבּוּרֹתָי מִפְּנֵי אִוַּלְתִּי

My wounds stink and fester because of my folly. All this is punishment for my sins.

נַעֲוֵיתִי שַׁחֹתִי עַד מְאֹד כָל הַיּוֹם קֹדֵר הִלָּכְתִּי

I am greatly bent over and bowed; I walk about in gloom the entire day because of my pain.

כִּי כְסָלַי מָלְאוּ נִקְלֶה וְאֵין מְתֹם בִּבְשָׂרִי

My loins can barely support me. I feel as if they are filled with refuse; there is nothing whole and healthy in all my flesh.

נְפוּגוֹתִי וְנִדְכֵּיתִי עַד מְאֹד שָׁאַגְתִּי מִנַּהֲמַת לִבִּי

I am depleted and utterly crushed; I roar from my heart’s agitation.

אֲדֹנָי נֶגְדְּךָ כָל תַּאֲוָתִי וְאַנְחָתִי מִמְּךָ לֹא נִסְתָּרָה

Yet the psalmist immediately realizes that there is no reason for him to cry out in pain: My Lord, all my desires are known before You, and even my muffled sighs are not hidden from You.

לִבִּי סְחַרְחַר עֲזָבַנִי כֹחִי וְאוֹר עֵינַי גַּם הֵם אֵין אִתִּי

My heart races, my heartbeat is irregular, and my strength fails me; in my sickness and weakness it seems that even the light of my eyes has left me.

אֹהֲבַי וְרֵעַי מִנֶּגֶד נִגְעִי יַעֲמֹדוּ וּקְרוֹבַי מֵרָחֹק עָמָדוּ

I suffer not only physically but also from lack of support: My friends and companions stand aloof from my affliction, and those who are close to me keep their distance. They do not come forward to help.

וַיְנַקְשׁוּ מְבַקְשֵׁי נַפְשִׁי וְדֹרְשֵׁי רָעָתִי דִּבְּרוּ הַוּוֹת וּמִרְמוֹת כָּל הַיּוֹם יֶהְגּוּ

Moreover, those who seek my life lay snares for me. As they assume that my situation is hopeless, they feel free to plot against me. Those who wish me ill speak of devastation against me, uttering deceit about me all day long.

וַאֲנִי כְחֵרֵשׁ לֹא אֶשְׁמָע וּכְאִלֵּם לֹא יִפְתַּח פִּיו

And I, out of weakness, like one who is deaf, do not hear. I am like a mute who does not open his mouth.

וָאֱהִי כְּאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר לֹא שֹׁמֵעַ וְאֵין בְּפִיו תּוֹכָחוֹת

Indeed, I am like a man who does not hear, a man with no power to rebuke in response to their affronts.

כִּי לְךָ ה' הוֹחָלְתִּי אַתָּה תַעֲנֶה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהָי

My silence is not only a result of my weakness; it also stems from my faith, for in You, Lord, I place my hope; Lord my God, in my stead You will answer those who taunt me, since I am unable to do so.

כִּי אָמַרְתִּי פֶּן יִשְׂמְחוּ לִי בְּמוֹט רַגְלִי עָלַי הִגְדִּילוּ

For I said: Lest they rejoice and become exalted over me when my leg falters.

כִּי אֲנִי לְצֶלַע נָכוֹן וּמַכְאוֹבִי נֶגְדִּי תָמִיד

For I am poised to stumble; my pain is always before me.

כִּי עֲוֹנִי אַגִּיד אֶדְאַג מֵחַטָּאתִי

I will tell of my iniquity and openly admit it; I am anxious because of my sin. For this reason, I do not complain that my punishment and suffering are unjustified.

וְאֹיְבַי חַיִּים עָצֵמוּ

My enemies grow mighty; many are those who hate me without cause.

וְרַבּוּ שׂנְאַי שָׁקֶר וּמְשַׁלְּמֵי רָעָה תַּחַת טוֹבָה יִשְׂטְנוּנִי תַּחַת רָדְפִי טוֹב

Those rendering evil for good, who repay the good I did for them with hostility, despise me because I pursue goodness. The word yistenuni encompasses both hatred and accusation. It is not uncommon behavior for beneficiaries of aid to turn against their benefactors rather than show gratitude.

אַל תַּעַזְבֵנִי ה' אֱלֹהַי אַל תִּרְחַק מִמֶּנִּי

Do not forsake me, Lord. My God, do not distance Yourself from me.

חוּשָׁה לְעֶזְרָתִי אֲדֹנָי תְּשׁוּעָתִי

Make haste to help me, Lord, my salvation.