To the chief Musician for strings, A Maskil of David.

For the conductor of the singing, a maskil of David.

Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not Thyself from my supplication.

Hear, O G d, my prayer, and do not turn aside from my plaint.

Attend to me, and answer me: I sob in my complaint, and make moan;

Listen to me, and answer me. I wail in my plaint, and I moan.

because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they persecute me.

Over the shout of the foe, the oppression of the wicked. For they [Doeg and Achitofel] impute wrong [(transgressions subject to the death penalty)] to me, and they hate me with rancor.

My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.

My heart worries within me, and the horrors of death have fallen upon me.

Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror has overwhelmed me.

Fear and trembling have come upon me and trepidation has covered me.

And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then I would fly away, and be at rest.

And I said: Would that I were given the wings of a dove! I would fly [far away] and dwell [in safety].

Lo, then I would wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. (Sela.)

I would wander far away [from my foes] and abide in the desert forever.

I would hasten to find a refuge for myself from the windy storm and the tempest.

I would hasten [to find] a refuge for myself from the raging wind, from the whirlwind.

Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.

Destroy [the foe], O L rd; divide [i.e., confound] their tongues, for I have seen [(instigated by them)] violence and strife in the city.

Day and night they go about it upon its walls: mischief also and trouble are in the midst of it.

Day and night they [(violence and strife)] encompass its walls, and iniquity and wrong is within it.

Wickedness is in the midst of it: oppression and fraud depart not from her streets.

Destruction is within it, and blows and deceit do not depart from its streets.

For it was not an enemy who taunted me; then I could have borne it: nor was it one who hated me who did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him:

For a foe would never shame me and I bore it [(but I would kill him)], and my enemy never vaunted himself against me and I hid [(but now, perforce I must bear it, for you [Doeg/Achitofel] are great in Torah)].

but it was Thou, a man my equal, my companion, and my familiar friend.

You are a man of my standing, my prince and my exalted one.

We took sweet counsel together, and walked to the house of God in company.

Together we would "sweeten counsel" [in Torah]. In the house of G d [(the study halls)] we would walk in a throng.

Let death spread its oblivion upon them, and let them go down alive into She᾽ol: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.

May He incite [the angel of] death against them, for there are evils in their dwellings, in their midst.

As for me, I will call upon God; and the Lord shall save me.

I will call to G d and the L rd will help me.

Evening, and morning, and at noon, I pray, and cry aloud: and he hears my voice.

Evening, morning, and afternoon [(the three daily prayers)], I will plead and moan, and He will hear my voice.

He has delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many who strove with me.

He has always redeemed my soul for peace in my battles, because of the many who were with me [i.e., who prayed for me, viz. I Samuel 18:16].

God who is enthroned from olden time, shall hear and afflict them (Sela;) those who dread no changes, and do not fear God.

May the Almighty hear [their prayers] and answer them, the Dweller [of the world] from time immemorial. For they [(the wicked ones, who pursue me)] do not give heart to their passing [from the world], and they do not fear G d.

He has put forth his hands against such as are at peace with him: he has broken his covenant.

He [Achitofel] stretched out his hands against his ally; he violated his covenant [with me].

The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords.

Smooth were the "butterings" of his mouth, but his heart was for war. His words were softer than oil, but they were curses.

Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

[And the Holy Spirit answers:] Cast your burden upon the L rd, and He will sustain you. He will never allow the righteous one to falter.

But Thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in Thee.

[David responds:] And You, O G d, bring them down to the pit of destruction. May men of blood and deceit not live out half their days — and I will trust in You.