Psalms 25:16-22

Context

25:16 Turn toward me and have mercy on me,

for I am alone¹ and oppressed!

25:17 Deliver me from my distress;²

rescue me from my suffering!³

25:18 See my pain and suffering!

Forgive all my sins!⁴

25:19 Watch my enemies, for they outnumber me;

they hate me and want to harm me.⁵

25:20 Protect me⁶ and deliver me!

Please do not let me be humiliated,

for I have taken shelter in you!

25:21 May integrity and godliness protect me,

for I rely on you!

25:22 O God, rescue⁷ Israel

from all their distress!⁸

[25:16] ¹tn That is, helpless and vulnerable.

[25:17] ²tc Heb “the distresses of my heart, they make wide.” The text makes little if any sense as it stands, unless this is an otherwise unattested intransitive use of the Hiphil of רָחַב (rakhav, “be wide”). It is preferable to emend the form הִרְחִיבוּ (hirkhivu; Hiphil perfect third plural “they make wide”) to הַרְחֵיב (harkhev; Hiphil imperative masculine singular “make wide”). (The final vav [ו] can be joined to the following word and taken as a conjunction.) In this case one can translate, “[in/from] the distresses of my heart, make wide [a place for me],” that is, “deliver me from the distress I am experiencing.” For the expression “make wide [a place for me],” see Ps 4:1.

[25:17] ³tn Heb “from my distresses lead me out.”

[25:18] ⁴tn Heb “lift up all my sins.”

[25:19] ⁵tn Heb “see my enemies for they are numerous, and [with] violent hatred they hate me.”

[25:20] ⁶tn Or “my life.”

[25:22] ⁷tn Or “redeem.”

[25:22] ⁸tn Heb “his distresses.”