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.
For the chief musician; on stringed instruments. A maschil of David. Give ear to my prayer, God; and do not hide yourself from my plea.
2 Attend to me and answer me. I am restless in my complaint, and distraught
Pay attention to me and answer me; I have no rest in 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.
because of the voice of my enemies, because of the oppression of the wicked; for they bring trouble on me and persecute me in anger.
4 My heart murmurs within me, and the terrors of death assail me.
My heart trembles within me, and the terrors of death have fallen on me.
5 Fear and trembling grip me, and horror has overwhelmed me.
Fearfulness and trembling have come on me, and horror has overwhelmed me.
6 I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and find rest.
I said, “Oh, if only I had wings like a dove! Then would I fly away and be at rest.
7 How far away I would flee! In the wilderness I would remain.
See, then I would wander far away; I would stay in the wilderness. (Selah)
8 I would hurry to my shelter, far from this raging tempest.”
I would hurry to a shelter from the stormy wind and tempest.”
9 O Lord, confuse and confound their speech, for I see violence and strife in the city.
Devour them, Lord, confuse their language! For I have seen violence and strife in the city.
10 Day and night they encircle the walls, while malice and trouble lie within.
Day and night they go about on its walls; iniquity and mischief are in the middle of it.
11 Destruction is within; oppression and deceit never leave the streets.
Wickedness is in the middle of it; oppression and deceit do not leave its streets.
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.
For it was not an enemy who rebuked me, then I could have borne it; neither was it he who hated me who raised himself up against me, then I would have hidden myself from him.
13 But it is you, a man like myself, my companion and close friend.
But it was you, a man equal to myself, my companion and my close friend.
14 We shared sweet fellowship together; we walked with the crowd into the house of God.
We had sweet fellowship together; we walked in the house of God with the throng.
15 Let death seize them by surprise; let them go down to Sheol alive, for evil is with them in their homes. (Sheol h7585)
Let death come suddenly on them; let them go down alive to Sheol, for wickedness is where they live, right among them. (Sheol h7585)
16 But I call to God, and the LORD saves me.
As for me, I will call on God, and Yahweh will save me.
17 Morning, noon, and night, I cry out in distress, and He hears my voice.
In the evening, morning and at noonday I complain and moan; he will hear my voice.
18 He redeems my soul in peace from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me.
He will safely rescue my life from the battle that was against me, for those who fought against me were many.
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, the one who rules from eternity, will hear them and humiliate them. (Selah) They never change, and they do not fear God.
20 My companion attacks his friends; he violates his covenant.
My friend has raised his hands against those who were at peace with him; he has not respected the covenant that he had.
21 His speech is smooth as butter, but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, yet they are swords unsheathed.
His mouth was smooth as butter, but his heart was hostile; his words were softer than oil, yet they were actually drawn swords.
22 Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken.
Place your burdens on Yahweh, and he will sustain you; he will never allow a righteous person to totter.
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.
But you, God, will bring the wicked down into the pit of destruction; bloodthirsty and deceitful men will not live even half as long as others, but I will trust in you.
