A Prayer for Deliverance from Pursuers

¹ A maskil of David. When he was in the cave. A prayer.¹ I cry out with my voice to Yahweh; I implore favor with my voice to Yahweh.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one

² I pour out my complaint before him; I declare my trouble before him.

³ When my spirit faints within me, you know my way. On the path where I walk, they have hidden a trap for me;

⁴ look to my right and see. There is no one looking out for me; there is no escape for me;¹ no one cares for my soul.²

1. Hebrew “a refuge has perished from me”
2. Or “life”

⁵ I cry out to you, O Yahweh. I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.”

⁶ Attend to my cry, for I am brought very low. Deliver me from my pursuers, for they are stronger than I.

⁷ Bring me¹ out of prison, that I may give thanks to your name. The righteous will encircle me, because you will deal bountifully with me.

1. Hebrew “my soul”