Psalms 55
1 To the chief music-maker, on Neginoth. Maschil. Of David. Give hearing to my prayer, O God; and let not your ear be shut against my request.
For the music director. With stringed instruments. A psalm (maskil) of David. God, please hear my prayer; don't ignore my cry for help!
2 Give thought to me, and let my prayer be answered: I have been made low in sorrow;
Please listen, and give me an answer. I'm terribly troubled by my problems! I'm frantic!
3 I am troubled because of the voice of the cruel ones, because of the loud cry of the evil-doers; for they put a weight of evil on me, and they are cruel in their hate for me.
For my enemies are screaming at me; the wicked are intimidating me. They rain down suffering on me, angrily assaulting me in their hatred.
4 My heart is deeply wounded, and the fear of death has come on me.
My heart thumps in agony! Terrified, I feel I'm about to die!
5 Fear and shaking have come over me, with deep fear I am covered.
I'm in a panic, trembling with fear; feelings of horror wash over me.
6 And I said, If only I had wings like a dove! for then I would go in flight from here and be at rest.
I tell myself, If only God would give me wings like a dove so I could fly away and be at peace!
7 I would go wandering far away, living in the waste land. (Selah)
I would fly far away to escape, and stay in the wilderness. (Selah)
8 I would quickly take cover from the driving storm and from the violent wind.
I would hurry to a place to hide, out of the wind, safe from the raging storm.
9 Send destruction on them, O Lord, make a division of tongues among them: for I have seen fighting and violent acts in the town.
Confuse them, Lord! Muddle what they're saying, for I see violence and conflict in the city.
10 By day and night they go round the town, on the walls; trouble and sorrow are in the heart of it.
They patrol the city walls day and night, and wickedness and trouble are within the city.
11 Evil is there; cruel rule and deceit are ever in the streets.
The ones causing destruction are inside the city; frauds and cheats are always on the streets.
12 For it was not my hater who said evil of me; that would have been no grief to me; it was not one outside the number of my friends who made himself strong against me, or I would have kept myself from him in a secret place;
The problem is that it's not an enemy who mocks me—I could stand that. It's not someone who hates me who insults me—I could avoid them.
13 But it was you, my equal, my guide, my well-loved friend.
No, it's you, a man just like me, my best friend who I know so well!
14 We had loving talk together, and went to the house of God in company.
Our friendship was so close. We used to have great talks together as we walked with everyone to the house of God.
15 Let the hand of death come on them suddenly, and let them go down living into the underworld; because evil is in their houses and in their hearts. (Sheol h7585)
May death come quickly to them; may they go down into the grave alive, because evil finds its home in them. (Sheol h7585)
16 As for me, I will make my prayer to God, and he will be my saviour.
As for me, I cry out to God, and the Lord will save me.
17 In the evening and in the morning and in the middle of the day I will make my prayer with sounds of grief; and my voice will come to his ears.
I weep and groan morning, noon, and night, and he listens to me.
18 He has taken my soul away from the attack which was made against me, and given it peace; for great numbers were against me.
He rescues me, keeping me safe and sound from my attackers, because there are so many against me.
19 God will give thought to me; he who from early times is strong will send pain and trouble on them. (Selah) Because they are unchanged, they have no fear of God.
God who has ruled from the beginning will hear me and answer them. (Selah) For they refuse to change and don't respect God.
20 He has put out his hand against those who were at peace with him; he has not kept his agreement.
As for my best friend, he attacked his friends who had no quarrel with him; he broke the promises he had made to them.
21 The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart; his words were softer than oil, but they were sharp swords.
What he says is as smooth as butter, but inside he plans war; his words are as soothing as oil, but they cut like sharp swords.
22 Put your cares on the Lord, and he will be your support; he will not let the upright man be moved.
Throw your burdens onto the Lord and he will take care of you. He will never allow those who live right to fall.
23 But you, O God, will send them down into the underworld; the cruel and the false will be cut off before half their days are ended; but I will have faith in you.
But you, God, will bring down murderers and liars, throwing them into the pit of destruction before they have even lived half their lives. As for me, I will trust in you.
