Mazmur 39:12

39:12 Hear my prayer, O Lord!

Listen to my cry for help!

Do not ignore my sobbing! ¹ 

For I am dependent on you, like one residing outside his native land;

I am at your mercy, just as all my ancestors were. ² 

Mazmur 54:2

54:2 O God, listen to my prayer!

Pay attention to what I say! ³ 

Mazmur 61:1

Psalm 61 ⁴ 

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

61:1 O God, hear my cry for help!

Pay attention to my prayer!

Mazmur 64:1

Psalm 64 ⁵ 

For the music director; a psalm of David.

64:1 Listen to me, ⁶  O God, as I offer my lament!

Protect ⁷  my life from the enemy’s terrifying attacks. ⁸ 

[39:12]  ¹ tn Heb “do not be deaf to my tears.”

[39:12]  ² tn Heb “For a resident alien [am] I with you, a sojourner like all my fathers.”

[39:12]  sn Resident aliens were dependent on the mercy and goodwill of others. The Lord was concerned that resident aliens be treated properly. See Deut 24:17-22, Ps 146:9.

[54:2]  ³ tn Heb “to the words of my mouth.”

[61:1]  ⁴ sn Psalm 61. The psalmist cries out for help and expresses his confidence that God will protect him.

[64:1]  ⁵ sn Psalm 64. The psalmist asks God to protect him from his dangerous enemies and then confidently affirms that God will destroy his enemies and demonstrate his justice in the sight of all observers.

[64:1]  ⁶ tn Heb “my voice.”

[64:1]  ⁷ tn The imperfect verbal form is used here to express the psalmist’s request.

[64:1]  ⁸ tn Heb “from the terror of [the] enemy.” “Terror” is used here metonymically for the enemy’s attacks that produce fear because they threaten the psalmist’s life.