To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.

For the conductor, a psalm of David.

How long wilt Thou forget me O Lord? forever? how long wilt Thou hide Thy face from me?

How long [("How long" is stated four times, on behalf of all of Israel, alluding to the four kingdoms of the exile — Bavel, Paras, Yavan, and Edom)], O L rd, will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?

How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

How long shall I devise counsel in my soul [to escape] the sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my foe have ascendancy over me?

Look, and hear me, O Lord my God: lighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;

Look, and answer me, O L rd my G d, and enlighten my eyes [against my foes], lest I sleep [the sleep of] death.

lest my enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those who trouble me rejoice when I am moved.

Lest my foe say: I have prevailed against him; [lest] my oppressors rejoice when I incline [to fall].

But I have trusted in Thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in Thy salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Whenever I have trusted in Your lovingkindness, my heart has rejoiced in Your saving. [Now, too,] I shall sing to the L rd, when He bestows His lovingkindness upon me.