Verse 1
"To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, A Psalm of David."
To the chief Musician — the director of music who led the singing in the Temple. Upon Shoshannim — a musical direction; "Shoshannim" literally means lilies, the name of a melody or six-stringed instrument for the psalm.
Verse 2
"Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul."
Save me — deliver me from danger. The waters have risen to the throat and neck, the seat of breath and life — the point of drowning, the edge of death.
Verse 3
"I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me."
The mire is thick, clinging mud; the deep is the abyss. No standing — no foothold to grip. The flood-current has swept me away; this flood is a rushing torrent, not an ear of grain.
Verse 4
"I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God."
Weary of my crying — worn out from endless calling. My throat is dried — parched and hoarse, scorched from much shouting. Mine eyes fail — run dry from too much waiting for my God.
Verse 5
"They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away."
They that hate me without a cause — for no reason, with no wrong done. They that would destroy me are mighty; "destroy" is from a root meaning to cut off, silence and annihilate. Mine enemies wrongfully twist my case with falsehood. What I never stole I am forced to repay, an image of injustice.
Verse 6
"O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee."
Thou knowest my foolishness — you know my folly, the corrupt error David confesses to his Maker. My sins are not hid from thee — my guilt is not concealed; to be hid means to vanish, and nothing vanishes from you.
Verse 7
"Let not them that wait on thee, O Lord GOD of hosts, be ashamed for my sake: let not those that seek thee be confounded for my sake, O God of Israel."
Them that wait on thee — those who hope in and long for you; let them not be shamed by me. O Lord GOD of hosts — Master of all the hosts. Those that seek thee seek your presence; let them not be confounded — a word from shame and reproach. He fears his humiliation might shame those who trust in you.
Verse 8
"Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face."
For thy sake I have borne reproach — for your sake I have suffered reproach and insult. Shame hath covered my face — the disgrace of humiliation wrapped his face.
Verse 9
"I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children."
A stranger unto my brethren — estranged from my brothers, pushed away as a foreigner. An alien unto my mother's children — even his closest kin treat him as an outsider.
Through every verse David's cry from the depths sounds — a soul drowning in waters and haters, never abandoning prayer.