en_tn_condensed/psa/022/001.md

# General Information:

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

# For the chief musician; set to "The rhythm of the deer." A psalm of David

This is a superscription that tells about the psalm. Some scholars say that this is part of the scripture and some say that it is not. (See "What are Superscriptions in Psalms" in [Introduction to Psalms](../front/intro.md).)

# 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.

# 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. Alternate translation: "my God, I feel like you have abandoned me!" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/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. Alternate translation: "You are far from saving me and far from the words of my anguish!" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/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. Alternate translation: "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/jit/figs-metaphor]])