Psalms 25:16–18
David asks God to turn to him because he is alone and afflicted
Study it word by word16Turn to me and show me favor, for I am alone and afflicted.
17The distresses of my heart have grown wide; from my straits bring me out.
18See my affliction and my suffering, and take away all my sins.
In its context
14The intimate counsel of YHWH is for those who fear him, and his covenant, to make it known to them.
15My eyes are always toward YHWH, for he will bring out of the net my feet.
…
19See my enemies, for they are many, and with a hatred of violence they hate me.
20Keep my soul and deliver me; let me not be ashamed, for I have taken refuge in you.
Its words in the original
- פְּנֵהpene· turn
Turn, turn toward something; face, look. In another form of the verb, clear, empty a place.
- חָנֵּchane· be gracious
Show favor: treat someone with a kindness he has not earned; have compassion. In another form, plead for favor.
- יָחִידyachid· only, only one
Only, alone; from there "dearly loved"; also one's life, which cannot be replaced.
- עָנִיani· poor, afflicted
Poor, afflicted: one who suffers need and has no one to defend him; also humble.
- צָרוֹתtsarot· distress
Distress, trouble, anguish; also a rival wife.
- לְבָבִlevavi· heart
Heart: the inner part of the person, where one thinks, feels and decides.
- הִרְחִיבוּhirchivu· make room, enlarge
Make wide, give ample room; enlarge.
- מְּצוּקוֹתַmetsukota· distress
Straits, narrowness; figuratively, distress, trouble.
- הוֹצִיאֵhotsie· go out, bring out
Go out, come out. In the causative form, "make go out", "bring out", "lead out", "produce".
- רְאֵהree· see
See. Also look, observe, notice, consider; in some forms, "appear" or "show".
- עָנְיִanyi· affliction
Affliction, suffering, misery.
- עֲמָלִamali· trouble, toil
Hard work, trouble, suffering.
- שָׂאsa· lift, carry, bear
Lift up, carry, bear. "Bear sin" is to suffer its consequences; said of God, "taking away" sin is forgiving it. "Lift up the eyes" is to look.
- חַטֹּאותָchatovta· sin, sin offering
Sin: missing the mark of what God asks; also the guilt and the punishment. In the laws the same word also names the sacrifice offered for sin.