Psalms

Psalm 71:9–13

⁹Do not discard me in my old age;

do not forsake me when my strength fails.

¹⁰For my enemies speak against me,

and those who lie in wait for my life conspire,

¹¹saying, “God has forsaken him;

pursue him and seize him,

for there is no one to rescue him.”

¹²Be not far from me, O God.

Hurry, O my God, to help me.

¹³May the accusers of my soul

be ashamed and consumed;

may those who seek my harm

be covered with scorn and disgrace.

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
Do not	אַֽל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
discard me	תַּ֭שְׁלִיכֵנִי	taš·lî·ḵê·nî	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular; first person common singular	H7993 throw, fling, cast
in my old age	זִקְנָ֑ה	ziq·nāh	Noun - feminine singular	H2209 old age
do not	אַֽל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
forsake me	תַּעַזְבֵֽנִי׃	ta·‘az·ḇê·nî	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular; first person common singular	H5800 leave, forsake, loose
when my strength	כֹּ֝חִ֗י	kō·ḥî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H3581 strength, power
fails	כִּכְל֥וֹת	kiḵ·lō·wṯ	Preposition-k; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H3615 be complete, at an end, finished, accomplished, spent

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
my enemies	אוֹיְבַ֣י	’ō·wy·ḇay	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H341 be hostile to
speak	אָמְר֣וּ	’ā·mə·rū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H559 utter, say
against me	לִ֑י	lî	Preposition; first person common singular
and those who lie in wait	וְשֹׁמְרֵ֥י	wə·šō·mə·rê	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct	H8104 keep, watch, preserve
for my life	נַ֝פְשִׁ֗י	nap̄·šî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
conspire	נוֹעֲצ֥וּ	nō·w·‘ă·ṣū	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural	H3289 advise, counsel

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
saying	לֵ֭אמֹר	lê·mōr	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H559 utter, say
God	אֱלֹהִ֣ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
has forsaken him	עֲזָב֑וֹ	‘ă·zā·ḇōw	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine singular	H5800 leave, forsake, loose
pursue him	רִֽדְפ֥וּ	riḏ·p̄ū	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural	H7291 pursue, chase, persecute
and seize him	וְ֝תִפְשׂ֗וּהוּ	wə·ṯip̄·śū·hū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural; third person masculine singular	H8610 lay hold of, wield
for	כִּי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
there is no	אֵ֥ין	’ên	Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
one to rescue him	מַצִּֽיל׃	maṣ·ṣîl	Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular	H5337 strip, plunder

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Be not	אַל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
far	תִּרְחַ֣ק	tir·ḥaq	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H7368 be, or become, far, distant
from me	מִמֶּ֑נִּי	mim·men·nî	Preposition; first person common singular	H4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not
O God	אֱ֭לֹהִים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
Hurry	חִישָׁה׃	ḥī·šå̄h	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular; third person feminine singular	H2439 haste, make haste
O my God	אֱ֝לֹהַ֗י	’ĕ·lō·hay	Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H430 God
to help me	לְעֶזְרָ֥תִי	lə·‘ez·rā·ṯî	Preposition-l; Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H5833 help, succour, assistance

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
May the accusers	שֹׂטְנֵ֪י	śō·ṭə·nê	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct	H7853 be or act as adversary
of my soul	נַ֫פְשִׁ֥י	nap̄·šî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
be ashamed	יֵבֹ֣שׁוּ	yê·ḇō·šū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H954 be ashamed
consumed	יִכְלוּ֮	yiḵ·lū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H3615 be complete, at an end, finished, accomplished, spent
may those who seek	מְ֝בַקְשֵׁ֗י	mə·ḇaq·šê	Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural construct	H1245 seek
my harm	רָעָתִֽי׃	rā·‘ā·ṯî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H7451 bad, evil
be covered	יַֽעֲט֣וּ	ya·‘ă·ṭū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H5844 wrap oneself, enwrap envelop oneself
with scorn	חֶ֭רְפָּה	ḥer·pāh	Noun - feminine singular	H2781 reproach
and disgrace	וּכְלִמָּ֑ה	ū·ḵə·lim·māh	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular	H3639 insult, reproach, ignominy