Psalms 55
1 Give ear to my prayer, O God, and hide not thyself from my supplication.
For the leader. With stringed instruments. A maskil of David. Listen, God, to my prayer. Don’t hide yourself from my pleading.
2 Attend to me, and answer me. I am restless in my complaint, and moan,
Hear me, and answer; for bitter is my lament.
3 because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked. For they cast iniquity upon me, and in anger they persecute me.
I am wild with the noise of the foe, with the clamour of the ungodly; for they hurl disaster upon me, and attack me with fury.
4 My heart is greatly pained within me, and the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
My heart shudders within me, terrors of deaths press on me,
5 Fearfulness and trembling have come upon me, and horror has overwhelmed me.
fear and trembling attack me, and horror wraps me round.
6 And I said, O that I had wings like a dove! Then I would fly away, and be at rest.
O for the wings of a dove: I would fly away and rest.
7 Lo, then I would wander far off. I would lodge in the wilderness. (Selah)
I would wander far away, find refuge in the wilderness. (Selah)
8 I would hasten myself to a shelter from the stormy wind and tempest.
I would find myself a shelter from raging wind and tempest.
9 Destroy, O Lord, divide their tongue, for I have seen violence and strife in the city.
Confuse them, Lord, upset their plans; for I see violence and strife in the city.
10 Day and night they go about it, upon the walls of it. Iniquity and mischief also are in the midst of it.
By day and by night they make their rounds on the city walls, while within is crime and trouble,
11 Wickedness is in the midst of it. Oppression and deceit depart not from its streets.
within is ruin. Her market-place is never free of deceit and tyranny.
12 For it was not an enemy who reproached me. Then I could have borne it. Neither was it he who hated me that magnified himself against me. Then I would have hid myself from him.
The taunts were not those of a foe that I could have borne; the disdain was not that of an enemy I could have shunned them:
13 But it was thou, a man my equal, my companion, and my familiar friend.
but it was you, my equal, my dear and familiar friend.
14 We took sweet counsel together. We walked in the house of God with the throng.
We used to be so close, together we walked in God’s house with the crowd.
15 Let death come suddenly upon them. Let them go down alive into Sheol. For wickedness is in their dwelling, in the midst of them. (Sheol h7585)
May death suddenly take them, may they go down to Sheol alive, for evil lives in their homes and their hearts. (Sheol h7585)
16 As for me, I will call upon God, and Jehovah will save me.
But I will call on God, the Lord will save me.
17 Evening, and morning, and at noonday, I will complain and moan. And he will hear my voice.
Evening and morning and noon I lament and moan. He will hear my voice;
18 He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me, for there were many by me.
though I am attacked by many he will rescue me, unharmed from the war.
19 God will hear, and respond to them, (even he who abides of old), (Selah) men who have no changes, and who fear not God.
God, who sits on his ancient throne will hear and will humble them, for they never change, they never fear God. (Selah)
20 He has put forth his hands against such as were at peace with him. He has profaned his covenant.
My friend turned against me, betrayed his word.
21 His mouth was smooth as butter, but his heart was war. His words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords.
His mouth was smoother than butter, but war filled his heart. His words were softer than oil, but sharper than swords.
22 (Cast thy burden upon Jehovah, and he will sustain thee. He will never allow the righteous man to be moved.)
Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you. He will never let the righteous be shaken.
23 But thou, O God, will bring them down into the pit of destruction. Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days, but I will trust in thee.
But you, God, will hurl them down to the deepest pit. Bloody and treacherous people will not live out half their days; but I will trust you.
