צ Tsade

18 Our steps were closely followed

so that we could not walk in our streets.

Our end approached;n our time ran out.

Our end had come!

ק Qoph

19 Those who chased us were swifter

than eagles in the sky;o

they relentlessly pursued us over the mountains

and ambushed us in the wilderness.

ר Resh

20 The Lord’s anointed, the breath of our life,B,p

was captured in their traps.

We had said about him,

“We will live under his protection among the nations.”