Psalms 70:5

70:5 I am oppressed and needy! ¹ 

O God, hurry to me! ² 

You are my helper and my deliverer!

O Lord, ³  do not delay!

Psalms 142:4-6

142:4 Look to the right and see!

No one cares about me. ⁴ 

I have nowhere to run; ⁵ 

no one is concerned about my life. ⁶ 

142:5 I cry out to you, O Lord;

I say, “You are my shelter,

my security ⁷  in the land of the living.”

142:6 Listen to my cry for help,

for I am in serious trouble! ⁸ 

Rescue me from those who chase me,

for they are stronger than I am.

Psalms 143:9

143:9 Rescue me from my enemies, O Lord!

I run to you for protection. ⁹ 

[70:5]  ¹ sn See Pss 35:10; 37:14.

[70:5]  ² tn Ps 40:17 has “may the Lord pay attention to me.”

[70:5]  ³ tn Ps 40:17 has “my God” instead of “Lord.”

[142:4]  ⁴ tn Heb “there is no one who recognizes me.”

[142:4]  ⁵ tn Heb “ a place of refuge perishes from me.”

[142:4]  ⁶ tn Heb “there is no one who seeks for the sake of my life.”

[142:5]  ⁷ tn Heb “my portion.” The psalmist compares the Lord to landed property, which was foundational to economic stability in ancient Israel.

[142:6]  ⁸ tn Heb “for I am very low.”

[143:9]  ⁹ tn Heb “to you I cover,” which makes no sense. The translation assumes an emendation to נַסְתִּי (nastiy, “I flee,” a Qal perfect, first singular form from נוּס, nos). Confusion of kaf (כ) and nun (נ) is attested elsewhere (see P. K. McCarter, Textual Criticism [GBS], 48). The collocation of נוּס (“flee”) with אֶל (’el, “to”) is well-attested.