Read the Bible

¹ God, save me,
    because the water has risen to my neck.
² I'm sinking down into the mud,
    and there is nothing to stand on.
I am in deep water,
    and the flood covers me.
³ I am tired from calling for help;
    my throat is sore.
My eyes are tired from waiting
    for God to help me.
⁴ There are more people who hate me for no reason than hairs on my head;
    powerful enemies want to destroy me for no reason.
They make me pay back
    what I did not steal.

⁵ God, you know what I have done wrong;
    I cannot hide my guilt from you.
⁶ Lord God All-Powerful,
    do not let those who hope in you be ashamed because of me.
God of Israel,
    do not let your worshipers be disgraced because of me.
⁷ For you, I carry this shame,
    and my face is covered with disgrace.
⁸ I am like a stranger to my closest relatives
    and a foreigner to my mother's children.
⁹ My strong love for your Temple completely controls me.
    When people insult you, it hurts me.
¹⁰ When I cry and fast,
    they make fun of me.
¹¹ When I wear clothes of sadness,
    they joke about me.
¹² They make fun of me in public places,
    and the drunkards make up songs about me.

¹³ But I pray to you, Lord, for favor.
God, because of your great love, answer me.
    You are truly able to save.
¹⁴ Pull me from the mud,
    and do not let me sink.
Save me from those who hate me
    and from the deep water.
¹⁵ Do not let the flood drown me
    or the deep water swallow me
    or the grave close its mouth over me.
¹⁶ Lord, answer me because your love is so good.
    Because of your great kindness, turn to me.
¹⁷ Do not hide from me, your servant.
    I am in trouble. Hurry to help me!
¹⁸ Come near and save me;
    rescue me from my enemies.

¹⁹ You see my shame and disgrace.
    You know all my enemies and what they have said.
²⁰ Insults have broken my heart
    and left me weak.
I looked for sympathy, but there was none;
    I found no one to comfort me.
²¹ They put poison in my food
    and gave me vinegar to drink.

²² Let their own feasts cause their ruin;
    let their feasts trap them and pay them back.
²³ Let their eyes be closed so they cannot see
    and their backs be forever weak from troubles.
²⁴ Pour your anger out on them;
    let your anger catch up with them.
²⁵ May their place be empty;
    leave no one to live in their tents.
²⁶ They chase after those you have hurt,
    and they talk about the pain of those you have wounded.
²⁷ Charge them with crime after crime,
    and do not let them have anything good.
²⁸ Wipe their names from the book of life,
    and do not list them with those who do what is right.

²⁹ I am sad and hurting.
    God, save me and protect me.

³⁰ I will praise God in a song
    and will honor him by giving thanks.
³¹ That will please the Lord more than offering him cattle,
    more than sacrificing a bull with horns and hoofs.
³² Poor people will see this and be glad.
    Be encouraged, you who worship God.
³³ The Lord listens to those in need
    and does not look down on captives.

³⁴ Heaven and earth should praise him,
    the seas and everything in them.
³⁵ God will save Jerusalem
    and rebuild the cities of Judah.
Then people will live there and own the land.
³⁶ The descendants of his servants will inherit that land,
    and those who love him will live there.