Psalms 61:1

Easy-to-Read Version

To the director: With stringed instruments. A song of David.

God, hear my cry for help. Listen to my prayer.

Parallel Translations

New Living Translation

For the choir director: A psalm of David, to be accompanied by stringed instruments.

O God, listen to my cry! Hear my prayer!

English Revised Version
For the Chief Musician; on a stringed instrument. A Psalm of David. Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.

Update Bible Version
For the Chief Musician; on a stringed instrument. [A Psalm] of David. Hear my cry, O God; Attend to my prayer.

New Century Version

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. Of David.

God, hear my cry; listen to my prayer.

New English Translation

For the music director; to be played on a stringed instrument; written by David.

O God, hear my cry for help! Pay attention to my prayer!

Webster's Bible Translation
To the chief Musician upon Neginah, [A Psalm] of David. Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer.

World English Bible
<> Hear my cry, God. Listen to my prayer.

Amplified Bible
Hear my cry, O God; Listen to my prayer.

English Standard Version

To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. Of David.

Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer;

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
The titil of the sixtithe salm. To the victorie on orgun, to Dauid hym silf. God, here thou my biseching; yyue thou tent to my preyer.

Berean Standard Bible
For the choirmaster. With stringed instruments. Of David. Hear my cry, O God, attend to my prayer.

Contemporary English Version

(A psalm by David for the music leader. Use with stringed instruments.)

Please listen, God, and answer my prayer!

American Standard Version

For the Chief Musician; on a stringed instrument. A Psalm of David.

Hear my cry, O God; Attend unto my prayer.

Bible in Basic English
Let my cry come to you, O God; let your ears be open to my prayer.

Complete Jewish Bible
For the leader. With stringed instruments. By David:

Darby Translation

To the chief Musician. On a stringed instrument. [A Psalm] of David.

Hear, O God, my cry; attend unto my prayer.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
For the Leader; with string-music. [A Psalm] of David.

King James Version (1611)
[To the chiefe Musician vpon Neginah. A Psalme of Dauid.] Heare my cry, O God, attend vnto my prayer.

New Life Bible
Hear my cry, O God. Listen to my prayer.

New Revised Standard

To the leader: with stringed instruments. Of David.

Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer.

Geneva Bible (1587)
To him that excelleth on Neginoth. A Psalme of Dauid. Heare my cry, O God: giue eare vnto my prayer.

George Lamsa Translation
HEAR my cry, O God; attend to my prayer.

Good News Translation
Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer!

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Hear, O God, my loud cry, Attend unto my prayer:

Douay-Rheims Bible
(60-1) <Unto the end, in hymns, for David.> (60-2) Hear, O God, my supplication: be attentive to my prayer.

Revised Standard Version
To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Psalm of David. Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer;

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Heare my crying O Lorde: geue eare vnto my prayer.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
O God, hearken to my petition; attend to my prayer.

Christian Standard Bible®
God, hear my cry;pay attention to my prayer.

Hebrew Names Version
<> Hear my cry, God. Listen to my prayer.

King James Version
Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.

Lexham English Bible

For the music director, upon stringed instruments. Of David.

Hear, O God, my cry; attend to my prayer.

Literal Translation
To the chief musician. On stringed instruments. Of David. Hear my cry, O God, and attend to my prayer.

Young's Literal Translation
To the Overseer, on stringed instruments. -- By David. Hear, O God, my loud cry, attend to my prayer.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Heare my crienge (o God) geue hede vnto my prayer.

THE MESSAGE
A David Psalm God, listen to me shout, bend an ear to my prayer. When I'm far from anywhere, down to my last gasp, I call out, "Guide me up High Rock Mountain!"

New American Standard Bible
Hear my cry, God; Give Your attention to my prayer.

New King James Version
To the Chief Musician. On a stringed instrument. [fn] A Psalm of David. Hear my cry, O God;Attend to my prayer.

New American Standard Bible (1995)

For the choir director; on a stringed instrument. A Psalm of David.

Hear my cry, O God; Give heed to my prayer.

Legacy Standard Bible
Hear my cry of lamentation, O God;Give heed to my prayer.

Contextual Overview

¹

To the director: With stringed instruments. A song of David.

God, hear my cry for help. Listen to my prayer. ² From a faraway land I call to you for help. I feel so weak and helpless! Carry me to a high rock where no one can reach me. ³ You are my place of safety, a strong tower that protects me from my enemies. ⁴ I want to live in your tent forever. I want to hide where you can protect me. Selah

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Hear: Psalms 5:1-3, Psalms 17:1, Psalms 28:2, Psalms 55:1, Psalms 55:2, Psalms 130:2, Philippians 4:6

Reciprocal: Psalms 119:145 - cried Lamentations 3:25 - good Ezekiel 36:3 - swallowed

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Hear my cry, O God,.... Being in distress; and which was vocally expressed with great fervency and importunity;

attend unto my prayer; which psalm was made by him, and not for him; inwrought in his heart by the Spirit of God, and put up by him with a true heart and full assurance of faith, and related to his own case in particular. Aben Ezra thinks that the former word designs public prayer, vocally and openly expressed; and that this intends prayer in the heart, or mental prayer; both the Lord hears and attends unto, and is here requested; which is marvellous grace and condescension in him.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Hear my cry, O God - See the notes at Psalms 5:2. The word rendered cry in this place sometimes denotes a joyful shout - a shout of triumph; but the connection makes it certain that it here refers to the voice of prayer. It is implied that it was audible prayer, or that the psalmist gave utterance to his desires in words. It is language such as would be produced by deep distress; when a sad and burdened heart gives vent to its feelings in a loud cry for mercy.

Attend unto my prayer - Give ear; incline the ear to me, Psalms 5:1; Psalms 17:1, Psalms 17:6; Psalms 39:12; Psalms 71:2.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

PSALM LXI

The psalmist's prayer for those who were banished from their

own land, and from the ordinances of God, 1, 2.

He praises God for his past mercies, 3;

purposes to devote himself entirely to his service, 4, 5.

He prays for the king, 6, 7;

and promises to perform his vow to the Lord daily, 8.

NOTES ON PSALM LXI

The title, To the chief Musician upon Neginath, נגינת. The verb נגן nagan signifies to strike or play on a musical instrument, especially one of the stringed kind; but the נגינות neginoth, as it is written in about thirty MSS., may signify either the players on the instruments or the instruments themselves. The Psalm appears to have been written about the close of the captivity, and the most judicious interpreters refer it to that period. On this supposition the notes are formed.

Verse Psalms 61:1. Hear my cry, O God — In the midst of a long and painful captivity, oppressed with suffering, encompassed with cruel enemies and insolent masters, I address my humble prayer to THEE, O my God.