Though I have done nothing wrong, ¹  they are anxious to attack. ²  Spring into action and help me! Take notice of me! ³ 

They ¹  reached up to the sky, then dropped into the depths. The sailors’ strength ²  left them ³  because the danger was so great. ⁴ 

If a scourge brings sudden death, ¹  he mocks ²  at the despair ³  of the innocent. ⁴ 

Then God took note of ¹  Rachel. He paid attention to her and enabled her to become pregnant. ² 

You must not lend him your money at interest and you must not sell him food for profit. ¹ 

When the messengers went to Gibeah (where Saul lived) ¹  and informed the people of these matters, all the people wept loudly. ² 

“And now my soul pours itself out within me; ¹  days of suffering take hold of me.

lest the Lord see it, and be displeased, ¹  and turn his wrath away from him. ² 

¹ O Lord, reflect on ²  what has happened to us; consider ³  and look at ⁴  our disgrace.

So we cried out to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, and he ¹  heard us and saw our humiliation, toil, and oppression.

The Lord will judge his people, and will change his plans concerning ¹  his servants; when he sees that their power has disappeared, and that no one is left, whether confined or set free.

He says to himself, ¹  “God overlooks it; he does not pay attention; he never notices.” ² 

O God, invincible warrior, ¹  come back! Look down from heaven and take notice! Take care of this vine,

Pure and undefiled religion before ¹  God the Father ²  is this: to care for orphans and widows in their misfortune and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

My heart cries out because of Moab’s plight, ¹  and for the fugitives ²  stretched out ³  as far as Zoar and Eglath Shelishiyah. For they weep as they make their way up the ascent of Luhith; they loudly lament their demise on the road to Horonaim. ⁴ 

For I, the Lord, affirm ¹  that the time will come when I will reverse the plight ²  of my people, Israel and Judah,’ says the Lord. ‘I will bring them back to the land I gave their ancestors ³  and they will take possession of it once again.’” ⁴ 

מ (Mem) With what can I equate ¹  you? To what can I compare you, O Daughter Jerusalem? To what can I liken you ²  so that ³  I might comfort you, O Virgin Daughter Zion? Your wound is as deep ⁴  as the sea. ⁵  Who can heal you? ⁶ 

One of his advisers replied, “Pick some men and have them take five of the horses that are left in the city. (Even if they are killed, their fate will be no different than that of all the Israelite people – we’re all going to die!) ¹  Let’s send them out so we can know for sure what’s going on.” ² 

I will make myself available to you,’ ¹  says the Lord. ²  ‘Then I will reverse your plight ³  and will regather you from all the nations and all the places where I have exiled you,’ says the Lord. ⁴  ‘I will bring you back to the place from which I exiled you.’

“‘Then I passed by you and watched you, noticing ¹  that you had reached the age for love. ²  I spread my cloak ³  over you and covered your nakedness. I swore a solemn oath to you and entered into a marriage covenant with you, declares the sovereign Lord, and you became mine.