Psalms 80:5

80:5 You have given them tears as food; ¹ 

you have made them drink tears by the measure. ² 

Psalms 102:9

102:9 For I eat ashes as if they were bread, ³ 

and mix my drink with my tears, ⁴ 

Psalms 102:2

102:2 Do not ignore me in my time of trouble! ⁵ 

Listen to me! ⁶ 

When I call out to you, quickly answer me!

Psalms 16:1

Psalm 16 ⁷ 

A prayer ⁸  of David.

16:1 Protect me, O God, for I have taken shelter in you. ⁹ 

[80:5]  ¹ tn Heb “you have fed them the food of tears.”

[80:5]  ² tn Heb “[by] the third part [of a measure].” The Hebrew term שָׁלִישׁ (shalish, “third part [of a measure]”) occurs only here and in Isa 40:12.

[102:9]  ³ sn Mourners would sometimes put ashes on their head or roll in ashes as a sign of mourning (see 2 Sam 13:19; Job 2:8; Isa 58:5).

[102:9]  ⁴ tn Heb “weeping.”

[102:2]  ⁵ tn Heb “do not hide your face from me in the day of my trouble.” The idiom “to hide the face” can mean “to ignore” (see Pss 10:11; 13:1; 51:9) or carry the stronger idea of “to reject” (see Pss 29:7; 30:7; 88:14).

[102:2]  ⁶ tn Heb “turn toward me your ear.”

[16:1]  ⁷ sn Psalm 16. The psalmist seeks divine protection because he has remained loyal to God. He praises God for his rich blessings, and is confident God will vindicate him and deliver him from death.

[16:1]  ⁸ tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew term מִכְתָּם (mikhtam) is uncertain. HALOT 582-83 s.v. defines it as “inscription.”

[16:1]  ⁹ tn The Hebrew perfect verbal form probably refers here to a completed action with continuing results (see 7:1; 11:1).