The Lantern

Psalms69

Save me, O God, For waters have entered as far as the life;

I have sunk in deep swamp, Where there is no place to stand, I have come into abysses of waters, Where a flood hath overflowed me;

I am weary with mine outcry, Parched is my throat,—Mine eyes have become dim, through waiting for my God.

More than the hairs of my head, Are they who hate me without cause,—Firmer than my bones, Are they who are my foes for false cause,—What I had not plundered, then, had I to restore.

O God, thou, hast known my folly, And, my wrong-doings, from thee, have not been hid.

Let them not be ashamed, through me, Who have waited for thee, O My Lord, Yahweh of hosts,—Let them not be confounded, through me, Who are seeking thee, O God of Israel!

Because, for thy sake, have I borne reproach, Confusion hath covered my face;

One estranged, have I become, to my own brethren, Yea, an alien, to the sons of my own mother;

Because, zeal for thy house, hath eaten me up, And, the reproaches of them who have reproached thee, have fallen upon me.

When I have humbled my soul with fasting, Then hath it turned to my reproach;

When I have made my clothing of sackcloth, Then have I served them for a by-word;

They who sit in the gate talk against me,—And [against me are] the songs of them who imbibe strong drink.

But, as for me, my prayer shall be unto thee, O Yahweh, in a time of acceptance, O God, in the abounding of thy lovingkindness, answer me with thy saving faithfulness.

Rescue me out of the mire, lest I sink, Let me be rescued, From my haters, and, From abysses of waters:

Let not a flood of waters overflow me, And let not the depth swallow me up, Neither let the well close, over me, her mouth.

Answer me, O Yahweh, for good is thy lovingkindness, According to the abounding of thy compassions, turn thou towards me:

Then do not hide thy face from thy servant, Because I am in distress, haste thou—answer me!

Oh draw near unto my soul—redeem it, Because of mine enemies, ransom me.

Thou, knowest my reproach, and my shame, and my confusion, Before thee, are all mine adversaries.

Reproach hath broken my heart, and I am weak,—Though I waited for one to pity me, yet there was none, And for comforters, yet I found not any.

But they put in my food—poison! And, for my thirst, they gave for my drink—vinegar!

Let their table, before them, become a snare, And unto their friends, a lure;

Let their eyes become too dim to see, And, their loins, continually cause thou to shake;

Pour out over them thine indignation, And let, the glow of thine anger, overtake them:

Let their encampment become desolate, In their tents, be there none to dwell:

For, whom, thou thyself, hadst smitten, they pursued, And, unto the pain of thy wounded ones, they must needs add.

Lay punishment on their iniquity, And let them not enter into thy righteousness;

Let them be blotted out of the book of life, And, with the righteous, let them not be enrolled.

I, then, am humbled and in pain, Thy salvation, O God, may it set me on high.

I will praise the Name of God with a song, And will magnify him with thanksgiving;

So shall it be more pleasing to Yahweh than a bullock of the herd, Showing horn [and] divided hoof.

The humbled have seen—they rejoice! Ye seekers of God, let your heart, then, revive;

For, a Hearkener to the needy, is Yahweh, And, his prisoners, hath he not despised.

Let the heavens and the earth, praise him, The seas, and everything that creepeth therein.

For, God, will save Zion, And build the cities of Judah, So shall men dwell there, and possess it:

Yea, the seed of his servants, shall inherit it, And, the lovers of his Name, shall settle down therein.