A Ma῾alot Poem. In my distress I cried to the Lord, and he heard me.

A song of ascents to the L rd [(recited by the Levites on the fifteen steps descending from the Israelite's court to the women's court [(so that there are fifteen "songs of ascents")]. When I was in distress, I called and He answered me.

Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue.

O L rd, rescue my soul from lying lips [(from those who hunt men with wicked libels)], from deceitful tongue.

What shall be given to thee? or what shall be done to thee, thou false tongue?

What [additional safeguard (aside from the teeth and the lips)] will He assign to you, and what will He add unto you, O deceitful tongue?

Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of the broom tree.

[You are like] the sharpened arrows of a warrior [(killing from afar)], with coals of the broom [(which, though extinguished on the outside, still burn on the inside)].

Woe is me, that I sojourn in Meshekh, that I dwell in the tents of Qedar!

Woe unto me [(Israel) who by cause of such slander] have dwelt [in the exile of] Meshech, have lived among the tent [-dwellers] of Kedar.

My soul has long dwelt with haters of peace.

Long has my soul lived with the haters of peace.

I am a man of peace: but when I speak, they are for war.

I am [for] peace [with them]; but when I speak [peace with them], they [come] to war [with me].