Psalms 9:13

9:13 when they prayed: ¹ 

“Have mercy on me, ²  Lord!

See how I am oppressed by those who hate me, ³ 

O one who can snatch me away ⁴  from the gates of death!

Psalms 25:19

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

they hate me and want to harm me. ⁵ 

Psalms 31:7

31:7 I will be happy and rejoice in your faithfulness,

because you notice my pain

and you are aware of how distressed I am. ⁶ 

Psalms 119:153

ר (Resh)

119:153 See my pain and rescue me!

For I do not forget your law.

Lamentations 5:1

The People of Jerusalem Pray:

5:1 ⁷ O Lord, reflect on ⁸  what has happened to us;

consider ⁹  and look at ¹⁰  our disgrace.

[9:13]  ¹ tn The words “when they prayed,” though not represented in the Hebrew text, are supplied in the translation for clarification. The petition in vv. 13-14 is best understood as the cry for help which the oppressed offered to God when the nations threatened. The Lord answered this request, prompting the present song of thanksgiving.

[9:13]  ² tn Or “show me favor.”

[9:13]  ³ tn Heb “see my misery from the ones who hate me.”

[9:13]  ⁴ tn Heb “one who lifts me up.”

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

[31:7]  ⁶ tn Heb “you know the distresses of my life.”

[5:1]  ⁷ sn The speaking voice is now that of a choir singing the community’s lament in the first person plural. The poem is not an alphabetic acrostic like the preceding chapters but has 22 verses, the same as the number of letters in the Hebrew alphabet.

[5:1]  ⁸ tn The basic meaning of זָכַר (zakhar) is “to remember, call to mind” (HALOT 270 s.v. I זכר). Although often used of recollection of past events, זָכַר (zakhar, “to remember”) can also describe consideration of present situations: “to consider, think about” something present (BDB 270 s.v. 5), hence “reflect on,” the most appropriate nuance here. Verses 1-6 describe the present plight of Jerusalem. The parallel requests הַבֵּיט וּרְאֵה (habbet urÿ’eh, “Look and see!”) have a present-time orientation as well. See also 2:1; 3:19-20.

[5:1]  ⁹ tn Heb “Look!” Although often used in reference to visual perception, נָבַט (navat, “to look”) can also refer to cognitive consideration and mental attention shown to a situation: “to regard” (e.g., 1 Sam 16:7; 2 Kgs 3:14), “to pay attention to, consider” (e.g., Isa 22:8; Isa 51:1, 2).

[5:1]  ¹⁰ tn Although normally used in reference to visual sight, רָאָה (ra’ah) is often used in reference to cognitive processes and mental observation. See the note on “Consider” at 2:20.