Psalms 55
1 For the choirmaster. With stringed instruments. A Maskil of David. Listen to my prayer, O God, and do not ignore my plea.
God, listen to my prayer, and do not turn away from me while I am pleading with you.
2 Attend to me and answer me. I am restless in my complaint, and distraught
Listen to me, and answer me, because I am overwhelmed by [all] my troubles.
3 at the voice of the enemy, at the pressure of the wicked. For they release disaster upon me and revile me in their anger.
My enemies cause me to be terrified; wicked people oppress me. They cause me to have great troubles; they are angry with me, and they hate me.
4 My heart murmurs within me, and the terrors of death assail me.
I am terrified, and I am very much afraid that I will die.
5 Fear and trembling grip me, and horror has overwhelmed me.
I am very fearful and I tremble/shake, and I am completely terrified.
6 I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and find rest.
I said, “I wish that I had wings like a dove! If I had wings, I would fly away and find a place to rest.
7 How far away I would flee! In the wilderness I would remain.
I would fly far away and live in the desert.
8 I would hurry to my shelter, far from this raging tempest.”
I would quickly find a shelter from [my enemies] [who are like] [MET] a strong wind and rainstorm.”
9 O Lord, confuse and confound their speech, for I see violence and strife in the city.
Lord, confuse my enemies, and cause their plans to fail, because I see them acting violently and causing strife in the city [of Jerusalem].
10 Day and night they encircle the walls, while malice and trouble lie within.
During [each] day and night they march around on top of its walls, committing crimes and causing trouble.
11 Destruction is within; oppression and deceit never leave the streets.
They destroy [things] everywhere. They oppress and defraud [people] in the (marketplaces/public squares).
12 For it is not an enemy who insults me; that I could endure. It is not a foe who rises against me; from him I could hide.
If it were an enemy who was making fun of me, I could endure it. If it were someone who hates me, who despises me, I could hide from him.
13 But it is you, a man like myself, my companion and close friend.
But it is someone who is just like me, my companion, someone who was my friend [who is doing this to me].
14 We shared sweet fellowship together; we walked with the crowd into the house of God.
We previously had many good talks together; we walked around together in God’s temple.
15 Let death seize them by surprise; let them go down to Sheol alive, for evil is with them in their homes. (Sheol h7585)
I desire/hope that my enemies will die suddenly; while they are still young, cause them to go down to the place where the dead people are. They they think evil things. (Sheol h7585)
16 But I call to God, and the LORD saves me.
But I [will] ask Yahweh, [my] God, to help me, and he will save me.
17 Morning, noon, and night, I cry out in distress, and He hears my voice.
[Each] morning and [each] noontime and [each] evening I tell him what I am concerned about, and I moan, and he hears my voice.
18 He redeems my soul in peace from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me.
I have [very] many enemies, but he will rescue me and bring me back safely from the battles that I fight.
19 God will hear and humiliate them— the One enthroned for the ages— (Selah) because they do not change and they have no fear of God.
God is the one who has ruled everything forever, and he will listen to me. He will cause my enemies to be [defeated and] disgraced, because they do not change their evil behavior and they do not revere God.
20 My companion attacks his friends; he violates his covenant.
My companion, [whom I mentioned previously], betrayed his friends and broke the agreement that he made with them.
21 His speech is smooth as butter, but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, yet they are swords unsheathed.
What he said was [easy to listen to, like] butter [is easy to swallow] [MET], but in his inner being he hated people; his words were [soothing] like [olive] oil, [but they hurt people like] sharp swords do [MET].
22 Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken.
Put your troubles in Yahweh’s hands, and he will take care of you; he will never allow righteous [people] to experience disasters.
23 But You, O God, will bring them down to the Pit of destruction; men of bloodshed and deceit will not live out half their days. But I will trust in You.
God, you will cause murderers [MTY] and liars to die before they have lived half as long as they expect to live; but [as for me], I will trust in you.
