This Messianic Psalm expresses in striking terms the agony of our blessed Lord as well as other scenes in the sufferings of his life.  The curse formulas must be understood as our Lord's lamentation at the ingratitude of the Jewish people and as a prophecy of the subjection and dispersion of this people.  As the Psalm comes to an end, we are reminded of the Saviour's consolation in the garden:  "And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him" (Luke 22:43).

Suffering

Salvum me fac, Deus: * quóniam intravérunt aquæ usque ad ánimam meam.
2  Infíxus sum in limo profúndi: * et non est substántia.
3  Veni in altitúdinem maris: * et tempéstas demérsit me.
4  Laborávi clamans, raucæ factæ sunt fauces meæ: * defecérunt óculi mei, dum spero in Deum meum.
5  Multiplicáti sunt super capíllos cápitis mei, * qui odérunt me gratis.
6  Confortáti sunt qui persecúti sunt me inimíci mei injúste: * quæ non rápui, tunc exsolvébam.
7  Deus, tu scis insipiéntiam meam: * et delícta mea a te non sunt abscóndita.
8  Non erubéscant in me qui exspéctant te, Dómine, * Dómine virtútum
9  Non confundántur super me * qui quærunt te, Deus Israël.
10  Quóniam propter te sustínui oppróbrium: * opéruit confúsio fáciem meam.
11  Extráneus factus sum frátribus meis, * et peregrínus fíliis matris meæ.
12  Quóniam zelus domus tuæ comédit me: * et oppróbria exprobrántium tibi cecidérunt super me.
13  Et opérui in jejúnio ánimam meam: * et factum est in oppróbrium mihi.
14  Et pósui vestiméntum meum cilícium: * et factus sum illis in parábolam.
15  Advérsum me loquebántur, qui sedébant in porta: * et in me psallébant qui bibébant vinum.
16  Ego vero oratiónem meam ad te, Dómine: * tempus benepláciti, Deus.

Save me, O God; * for the waters are come in, even unto my soul.
2  I stick fast in the deep mire, * and there is no sure standing.
3  I am come into the depths of the sea, * and a tempest hath overwhelmed me.
4  I am weary of crying; my jaws are made dry; * my sight faileth me whilst I put my trust in my God.
5  They that hate me without a cause * are made more than the hairs of my head.
6  Mine enemies are grown mighty, who have wrongfully persecuted me : * I paid them the things that I never took.
7  God, thou knowest my simpleness, * and my faults are not hid from thee.
8  Let not them be ashamed for me that look unto thee, O Lord : * the Lord of Hosts.
9  Let them not be confounded through me, * that seek thee, O God of Israel.
10  Because for thy sake have I suffered reproof; * shame hath covered my face.
11  I am become a stranger unto my brethren, * even an alien unto my mother's children.
12  For the zeal of thine house hath even eaten me: * and the rebukes of them that rebuked thee are fallen upon me.
13  And I covered my soul with fasting, * and that was turned to my reproof.
14  And I made sackcloth my garment, * and I became a byword unto them.
15  They that sat in the gate spoke against me, * and they that drink wine made songs upon me.
16  But, Lord, I make my prayer unto thee * in an acceptable time, O God.

Plea amid sufferings

17  In multitúdine misericórdiæ tuæ exáudi me, * in veritáte salútis tuæ:
18  Eripe me de luto, ut non infígar: * líbera me ab iis, qui odérunt me, et de profúndis aquárum.
19  Non me demérgat tempéstas aquæ, neque absórbeat me profúndum: * neque úrgeat super me púteus os suum.
20  Exáudi me, Dómine, quóniam benígna est misericórdia tua: * secúndum multitúdinem miseratiónum tuárum réspice in me.
21  Et ne avértas fáciem tuam a púero tuo: * quóniam tríbulor, velóciter exáudi me.
22  Inténde ánimæ meæ, et líbera eam: * propter inimícos meos éripe me.
23  Tu scis impropérium meum, et confusiónem meam, * et reveréntiam meam.
24  In conspéctu tuo sunt omnes qui tríbulant me: * impropérium exspectávit cor meum, et misériam.
25  Et sustínui qui simul contristarétur, et non fuit: * et qui consolarétur, et non invéni.
26  Et dedérunt in escam meam fel: * et in siti mea potavérunt me acéto.

17  Hear me, O God, in the multitude of thy mercy, * even in the truth of thy salvation.
18  Take me out of the mire, that I sink not; * O let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.
19  Let not the water-flood drown me, neither let the deep swallow me up; * and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.
20  Hear me, O Lord, for thy mercy is kind; * look upon me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.
21  And hide not thy face from thy servant; * for I am in trouble, O haste thee, and hear me.
22  Draw nigh unto my soul, and save it; * O deliver me, because of mine enemies.
23  Thou knowest my reproof, and my shame, * and my dishonour.
24  Mine adversaries are all in thy sight : * my heart hath expected rebuke, and I am wretched.
25  And I looked for one that would grieve together with me, but there was no man, * neither found I any to comfort me.
26  They gave me gall to eat; * and when I was thirsty they gave me vinegar to drink.

Punishment of enemies

27  Fiat mensa eórum coram ipsis in láqueum, * et in retributiónes, et in scándalum.
28  Obscuréntur óculi eórum ne vídeant: * et dorsum eórum semper incúrva.
29  Effúnde super eos iram tuam: * et furor iræ tuæ comprehéndat eos.
30  Fiat habitátio eórum desérta: * et in tabernáculis eórum non sit qui inhábitet.
31  Quóniam quem tu percussísti, persecúti sunt: * et super dolórem vúlnerum meórum addidérunt.
32  Appóne iniquitátem super iniquitátem eórum: * et non intrent in justítiam tuam.
33  Deleántur de libro vivéntium: * et cum justis non scribántur.

27  Let their table be made a snare before them; * and a recompense, and a stumbling block.
28  Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; * and ever bow thou down their backs.
29  Pour out thine indignation upon them, * and let thy wrathful displeasure take hold of them.
30  Let their habitation be void, * and no man to dwell in their tents.
31  For they have persecuted him whom thou hast smitten; * and they have added to the grief of my wounds.
32  Add thou wickedness upon their wickedness, * and let them not come into thy righteousness.
33  Let them be wiped out of the book of the living, * and not be written among the righteous.

Thanksgiving and a promise

34  Ego sum pauper et dolens: * salus tua, Deus, suscépit me.
35  Laudábo nomen Dei cum cántico: * magnificábo eum in laude:
36  Et placébit Deo super vítulum novéllum: * córnua producéntem et úngulas.
37  Vídeant páuperes et læténtur: * quærite Deum, et vivet ánima vestra.
38  Quóniam exaudívit páuperes Dóminus: * et vinctos suos non despéxit.

34  But I am poor and in heaviness, * thy salvation, O God, hath lifted me up.
35  I will praise the Name of God with a song, * and magnify him with praise.
36  This also shall please the Lord better than a young calf * that bringeth forth horns and hoofs.
37  The poor shall consider this, and be glad: * Seek ye after God, and your soul shall live.
38  For the Lord hath heard the poor, * and hath not despised his prisoners.

Finale

39  Laudent illum cæli et terra, * mare et ómnia reptília in eis.
40  Quóniam Deus salvam fáciet Sion: * et ædificabúntur civitátes Juda.
41  Et inhabitábunt ibi, * et hereditáte acquírent eam.
42  Et semen servórum ejus possidébit eam: * et qui díligunt nomen ejus, habitábunt in ea.

39  Let heaven and earth praise him: * the sea, and all that creepeth therein.
40  For God will save Sion, * and build the cities of Judah.
41  And men shall dwell there, * and acquire it as an inheritance.
42  And the seed of his servants shall possess it; * and they that love his Name shall dwell therein.