# General Information:

Parallelism is common in Hebrew poetry. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/writing-poetry]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism]])

# For the chief musician

"This is for the director of music to use in worship"

# The rhythm of the deer

This may refer to a style of music.

# A psalm of David

Possible meanings are 1) David wrote the psalm or 2) the psalm is about David or 3) the psalm is in the style of David's psalms.

# My God, my God

The writer repeats "My God" to emphasize that he is desperate for God to hear him.

# my God, why have you abandoned me?

The writer uses a question to emphasize that he feels like God has abandoned him. It may be best to leave this as a question. It can also be translated as a statement. AT: "my God, I feel like you have abandoned me!" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]])

# you abandoned me

"you left me all alone"

# Why are you so far from saving me and far from the words of my anguish?

Again the writer uses a question to emphasize that he feels like God is far away from him. It may be best to leave this as a question. It can also be translated as a statement. AT: "You are far from saving me and far from the words of my anguish!" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]])

# far from the words of my anguish

The writer feeling like God is not listening to him is spoken of as if God were far from his words of anguish. AT: "why do you not listen when I speak to you about the anguish I feel" or "I have told you about my suffering but you do not come to me" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# in the daytime ... at night

The writer uses the words "daytime" and "night" to mean he prays to God all the time. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-merism]])

# I am not silent

This can be stated in positive form. AT: "I still speak" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-litotes]])