1: God, God, save me! I'm in over my head,
2: Quicksand under me, swamp water over me; I'm going down for the third time.
3: I'm hoarse from calling for help, Bleary-eyed from searching the sky for God.
4: I've got more enemies than hairs on my head; Sneaks and liars are out to knife me in the back. What I never stole Must I now give back?
5: God, you know every sin I've committed; My life's a wide-open book before you.
6: Don't let those who look to you in hope Be discouraged by what happens to me, Dear Lord! GOD of the armies! Don't let those out looking for you Come to a dead end by following me--Please, dear God of Israel!
7: Because of you I look like an idiot, I walk around ashamed to show my face.
8: My brothers shun me like a bum off the street; My family treats me like an unwanted guest.
9: I love you more than I can say. Because I'm madly in love with you, They blame me for everything they dislike about you.
10: When I poured myself out in prayer and fasting, All it got me was more contempt.
11: When I put on a sad face, They treated me like a clown.
12: Now drunks and gluttons Make up drinking songs about me.
13: And me? I pray. GOD, it's time for a break! God, answer in love! Answer with your sure salvation!
14: Rescue me from the swamp, Don't let me go under for good, Pull me out of the clutch of the enemy; This whirlpool is sucking me down.
15: Don't let the swamp be my grave, the Black Hole Swallow me, its jaws clenched around me.
16: Now answer me, GOD, because you love me; Let me see your great mercy full-face.
17: Don't look the other way; your servant can't take it. I'm in trouble. Answer right now!
18: Come close, God; get me out of here. Rescue me from this deathtrap.
19: You know how they kick me around--Pin on me the donkey's ears, the dunce's cap.
20: I'm broken by their taunts, Flat on my face, reduced to a nothing. I looked in vain for one friendly face. Not one. I couldn't find one shoulder to cry on.
21: They put poison in my soup, Vinegar in my drink.
22: Let their supper be bait in a trap that snaps shut; May their best friends be trappers who'll skin them alive.
23: Make them become blind as bats, Give them the shakes from morning to night.
24: Let them know what you think of them, Blast them with your red-hot anger.
25: Burn down their houses, Leave them desolate with nobody at home.
26: They gossiped about the one you disciplined, Made up stories about anyone wounded by God.
27: Pile on the guilt, Don't let them off the hook.
28: Strike their names from the list of the living; No rock-carved honor for them among the righteous.
29: I'm hurt and in pain; Give me space for healing, and mountain air.
30: Let me shout God's name with a praising song, Let me tell his greatness in a prayer of thanks.
31: For GOD, this is better than oxen on the altar, Far better than blue-ribbon bulls.
32: The poor in spirit see and are glad--Oh, you God--seekers, take heart!
33: For GOD listens to the poor, He doesn't walk out on the wretched.
34: You heavens, praise him; praise him, earth; Also ocean and all things that swim in it.
35: For God is out to help Zion, Rebuilding the wrecked towns of Judah. Guess who will live there--The proud owners of the land?
36: No, the children of his servants will get it, The lovers of his name will live in it. A David prayer