Psalms 31:22

31:22 I jumped to conclusions and said, ¹ 

“I am cut off from your presence!” ² 

But you heard my plea for mercy when I cried out to you for help.

Psalms 40:17

40:17 I am oppressed and needy! ³ 

May the Lord pay attention to me! ⁴ 

You are my helper and my deliverer!

O my God, do not delay!

Psalms 55:23

55:23 But you, O God, will bring them ⁵  down to the deep Pit. ⁶ 

Violent and deceitful people ⁷  will not live even half a normal lifespan. ⁸ 

But as for me, I trust in you.

Psalms 59:16

59:16 As for me, I will sing about your strength;

I will praise your loyal love in the morning.

For you are my refuge ⁹ 

and my place of shelter when I face trouble. ¹⁰ 

Psalms 69:13

69:13 O Lord, may you hear my prayer and be favorably disposed to me! ¹¹ 

O God, because of your great loyal love,

answer me with your faithful deliverance! ¹² 

Psalms 70:5

70:5 I am oppressed and needy! ¹³ 

O God, hurry to me! ¹⁴ 

You are my helper and my deliverer!

O Lord, ¹⁵  do not delay!

[31:22]  ¹ tn Heb “and I, I said in my haste.”

[31:22]  ² tn Heb “from before your eyes.”

[40:17]  ³ sn See Pss 35:10; 37:14.

[40:17]  ⁴ tn The prefixed verbal form may be taken as a jussive of prayer (as in the present translation; cf. NIV) or as an imperfect, “The Lord will pay attention to me” (cf. NRSV). The parallel in Ps 70:5 has, “O God, hurry to me!” For this reason some prefer to emend יַחֲשָׁב (yakhashav, “may he pay attention”) to חוּשָׁה (khushah, “hurry!”). The syntax of the Hebrew text is awkward; elsewhere when the Qal of חָשַׁב (khashav, “reckon; consider”) is collocated with the preposition -ל (lamed) and a pronominal suffix there is an accompanying direct object or additional prepositional phrase/adverbial accusative (see Gen 15:6; 2 Sam 19:19; Job 13:24; 19:11; 33:10; Pss 32:2; 41:7; Amos 6:5).

[55:23]  ⁵ tn The pronominal suffix refers to the psalmist’s enemies (see v. 19).

[55:23]  ⁶ tn Heb “well of the pit.” The Hebrew term שַׁחַת (shakhat, “pit”) is often used as a title for Sheol (see Pss 16:10; 30:9; 49:9; 103:4).

[55:23]  ⁷ tn Heb “men of bloodshed and deceit.”

[55:23]  ⁸ tn Heb “will not divide in half their days.”

[59:16]  ⁷ tn Or “my elevated place” (see Ps 18:2).

[59:16]  ⁸ tn Heb “and my shelter in the day of my distress.”

[69:13]  ⁹ tn Heb “as for me, [may] my prayer be to you, O Lord, [in] a time of favor.”

[69:13]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “O God, in the abundance of your loyal love, answer me in the faithfulness of your deliverance.”

[70:5]  ¹¹ sn See Pss 35:10; 37:14.

[70:5]  ¹² tn Ps 40:17 has “may the Lord pay attention to me.”

[70:5]  ¹³ tn Ps 40:17 has “my God” instead of “Lord.”