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.

Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not yourself from my supplication.

2 Give thought to me, and let my prayer be answered: I have been made low in sorrow;

Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise;

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.

Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me.

4 My heart is deeply wounded, and the fear of death has come on me.

My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.

5 Fear and shaking have come over me, with deep fear I am covered.

Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror has overwhelmed 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.

And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest.

7 I would go wandering far away, living in the waste land. (Selah)

Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. (Selah)

8 I would quickly take cover from the driving storm and from the violent wind.

I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest.

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.

Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife 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.

Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it.

11 Evil is there; cruel rule and deceit are ever in the streets.

Wickedness is in the midst thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her 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;

For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him:

13 But it was you, my equal, my guide, my well-loved friend.

But it was you, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance.

14 We had loving talk together, and went to the house of God in company.

We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.

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)

Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them. (Sheol h7585)

16 As for me, I will make my prayer to God, and he will be my saviour.

As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall 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.

Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.

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 has delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with 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 shall hear, and afflict them, even he that abides of old. (Selah) Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God.

20 He has put out his hand against those who were at peace with him; he has not kept his agreement.

He has put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he has broken his covenant.

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.

The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.

22 Put your cares on the Lord, and he will be your support; he will not let the upright man be moved.

Cast your burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain you: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

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, O God, shall bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in you.