Psalms

Psalm 69:17–21

¹⁷Hide not Your face from Your servant,

for I am in distress.

Answer me quickly!

¹⁸Draw near to my soul and redeem me;

ransom me because of my foes.

¹⁹You know my reproach, my shame and disgrace.

All my adversaries are before You.

²⁰Insults have broken my heart,

and I am in despair.

I looked for sympathy, but there was none,

for comforters, but I found no one.

²¹They poisoned my food with gall

and gave me vinegar to quench my thirst.

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Hide	תַּסְתֵּ֣ר	tas·têr	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect Jussive - second person masculine singular	H5641 hide, conceal
not	וְאַל־	wə·’al-	Conjunctive waw; Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
Your face	פָּ֭נֶיךָ	pā·ne·ḵā	Noun - common plural construct; second person masculine singular	H6440 face, before
from Your servant	מֵֽעַבְדֶּ֑ךָ	mê·‘aḇ·de·ḵā	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H5650 slave, servant
for	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
I am in distress	צַר־	ṣar-	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H6887 bind, tie up, be restricted, narrow, scant, cramped
Answer	עֲנֵֽנִי׃	‘ă·nê·nî	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular; first person common singular	H6030 answer, respond
me	לִ֝֗י	lî	Preposition; first person common singular
quickly	מַהֵ֥ר	ma·hêr	Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine singular	H4116 hasten

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Draw near	קָרְבָ֣ה	qā·rə·ḇāh	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular; third person feminine singular	H7126 come near, approach
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
my soul	נַפְשִׁ֣י	nap̄·šî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
and redeem me	גְאָלָ֑הּ	ḡə·’ā·lāh	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular; third person feminine singular	H1350 redeem, act as kinsman
ransom me	פְּדֵֽנִי׃	pə·ḏê·nî	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular; first person common singular	H6299 ransom
because of	לְמַ֖עַן	lə·ma·‘an	Preposition	H4616 purpose, intent
my foes	אֹיְבַ֣י	’ō·yə·ḇay	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H341 be hostile to

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
You	אַתָּ֤ה	’at·tāh	Pronoun - second person masculine singular	H859 thou
know	יָדַ֗עְתָּ	yā·ḏa‘·tā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H3045 know
my reproach	חֶרְפָּתִ֣י	ḥer·pā·ṯî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H2781 reproach
my shame	וּ֭בָשְׁתִּי	ū·ḇā·šə·tî	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H1322 shame
and disgrace	וּכְלִמָּתִ֑י	ū·ḵə·lim·mā·ṯî	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H3639 insult, reproach, ignominy
All	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
my adversaries	צוֹרְרָֽי׃	ṣō·wr·rāy	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H6887 bind, tie up, be restricted, narrow, scant, cramped
are before You	נֶ֝גְדְּךָ֗	neḡ·də·ḵā	Preposition; second person masculine singular	H5048 what is conspicuous or in front

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Insults	חֶרְפָּ֤ה׀	ḥer·pāh	Noun - feminine singular	H2781 reproach
have broken	שָֽׁבְרָ֥ה	šā·ḇə·rāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H7665 break, break in pieces
my heart	לִבִּ֗י	lib·bî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H3820 inner man, mind, will, heart
and I am in despair	וָֽאָ֫נ֥וּשָׁה	wā·’ā·nū·šāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular; third person feminine singular	H5136 be sick
I looked	וָאֲקַוֶּ֣ה	wā·’ă·qaw·weh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular	H6960 wait for
for sympathy	לָנ֣וּד	lā·nūḏ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H5110 move to and fro, wander, flutter, shew grief
but there was none	וָאַ֑יִן	wā·’a·yin	Conjunctive waw; Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
for comforters	וְ֝לַמְנַחֲמִ֗ים	wə·lam·na·ḥă·mîm	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article; Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural	H5162 be sorry, console
but I found	מָצָֽאתִי׃	mā·ṣā·ṯî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H4672 attain to, find
no one	וְלֹ֣א	wə·lō	Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
They poisoned	וַיִּתְּנ֣וּ	way·yit·tə·nū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H5414 give, put, set
my food	בְּבָרוּתִ֣י	bə·ḇā·rū·ṯî	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H1267 food
with gall	רֹ֑אשׁ	rōš	Noun - masculine singular	H7219 head
and gave me vinegar	חֹֽמֶץ׃	ḥō·meṣ	Noun - masculine singular	H2558 vinegar
to quench	יַשְׁק֥וּנִי	yaš·qū·nî	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural; first person common singular	H8248 quaff, irrigate, furnish a potion to
my thirst	וְ֝לִצְמָאִ֗י	wə·liṣ·mā·’î	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H6772 thirst