A Shiggayon of David, which he sang to the Lord, concerning the words of Kush the Benyeminite.

A shigayon ["mistake"] of David, which he sang to the L rd concerning Kush [Saul] the son of Yemini. [(David here acknowledges that he was "mistaken" in asking the L rd to be delivered into the hand of his foe in requital of his offenses against Saul [viz. Sanhedrin 95a])]

O Lord my God, in Thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me:

O L rd, my G d; I have taken refuge in You. Help me against all my pursuers and save me.

lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver.

Lest he tear my soul as a lion; lest he break me and there be none to save me.

O Lord my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands;

O L rd, my G d, if I did this [(what follows)], if there is wrong in my hands,

if I have rewarded evil to him that was at peace with me; (indeed, I have rescued him that without cause is my enemy:)

If I repaid the man of my peace [(Saul, being at peace with me)], with evil, and stripped my foe (of his garment) for naught — [(I cut off the edge of his tunic to show him that I could have killed him and did not! [viz. I Samuel 24:4])] —

let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it; and let him tread down my life to the earth, and lay my honour in the dust. (Sela.)

then let the foe [Yishbi in Nov (II Samuel 21:16)] pursue my soul and overtake me, and let him trample me to the earth all of my days, and [let him lower] my honor, so that it reside forever in the dust.

Arise, O Lord, in Thy anger, lift up Thyself against the fury of my enemies: and awake for me: Thou hast commanded judgment.

Arise, O L rd, in Your wrath [(against my foes, such as Yishbi, etc., that I not be delivered into their hands)], be exalted by [executing] Your wrath against my foes, and awaken in me [the strength to execute] the judgment that You have commanded.

Let the congregation of the peoples compass Thee about: and for their sakes return Thou on high.

And if a congregation of nations [i.e., idolators] surround You [(imploring Your aid, pay them no heed, but)] return [to Your place] on high.

The Lord shall judge the peoples. Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, and according to my integrity that is in me.

O L rd, judge the peoples [with the afflictions intended for me.] Judge me [i.e., Israel], O L rd, according to my righteousness [i.e., my righteous acts] and according to the innocence that is upon me.

O let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God tries the hearts and reins.

Let their evil put an end to the evildoers, and establish the righteous one, searching [and knowing, as You do,] the hearts and reins [of men] — G d is "the Righteous One" [(and He knows who is righteous and who is not)].

My defence is of God, who saves the upright in heart.

My defense is in G d, for He helps the just of heart.

God is a righteous judge; and a God who has indignation every day.

G d is a righteous judge, and the Almighty waxes wroth every day [(when He sees the deeds of the wicked)].

If a man does not turn, then he will whet his sword; he has bent his bow, and made it ready.

If he [the wicked one] does not repent, He will whet His sword; He will tread His bow and ready it.

He has also prepared for him the instruments of death; he makes arrows for the pursuers.

And He has prepared for him the instruments of death. His arrows for the pursuers [of the righteous] has He wrought.

Behold, he travails with iniquity, and has conceived mischief, and brings forth falsehood.

He [the wicked one] labors in wickedness, and conceives wrong, and begets falsehood [i.e., he is betrayed by his own creations].

He has made a pit, and has dug it out, and has fallen into the ditch which he made.

The pit that he dug, that he excavated [for another] — he [himself] will fall into the pit that he has made.

His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.

His wrong will return to his head; his violence will descend upon his pate.

I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the Lord most high.

I shall praise the L rd when [he executes] His righteousness [i.e., His judgment against the wicked], and I will sing the name of the L rd, the Most High.