Psalms 55
1 For the end, amongst Hymns of instruction by David. Listen, O God, to my prayer; and disregard not my supplication.
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.
2 Attend to me, and listen to me: I was grieved in my (meditation) and troubled;
Give thought to me, and let my prayer be answered: I have been made low in sorrow;
3 because of the voice of the enemy, and because of the oppression of the sinner: for they brought iniquity against me, and were wrathfully angry with me.
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.
4 My heart was troubled within me; and the fear of death fell upon me.
My heart is deeply wounded, and the fear of death has come on me.
5 Fear and trembling came upon me, and darkness covered me.
Fear and shaking have come over me, with deep fear I am covered.
6 And I said, O that I had wings as [those] of a dove! then would I flee away, and be at rest.
And I said, If only I had wings like a dove! for then I would go in flight from here and be at rest.
7 Behold! I have fled afar off, and lodged in the wilderness. (Pause)
I would go wandering far away, living in the waste land. (Selah)
8 I waited for him that should deliver me from distress of spirit and tempest.
I would quickly take cover from the driving storm and from the violent wind.
9 Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen iniquity and gain saying in the city.
Send destruction on them, O Lord, make a division of tongues among them: for I have seen fighting and violent acts in the town.
10 Day and night he shall go round about it upon its walls: iniquity and sorrow and unrighteousness [are] in the midst of it;
By day and night they go round the town, on the walls; trouble and sorrow are in the heart of it.
11 and usury and craft have not failed from its streets.
Evil is there; cruel rule and deceit are ever in the streets.
12 For if an enemy had reproached me, I would have endured it; and if one who hated [me] had spoken vauntingly against me, I would have hid myself from him.
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;
13 But you, O man like minded, my guide, and my acquaintance,
But it was you, my equal, my guide, my well-loved friend.
14 who in companionship with me sweetened [our] food: we walked in the house of God in concord.
We had loving talk together, and went to the house of God in company.
15 Let death come upon them, and let them go down alive into Hades, for iniquity is in their dwellings, in the midst of them. (Sheol h7585)
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)
16 I cried to God, and the Lord listened to me.
As for me, I will make my prayer to God, and he will be my saviour.
17 Evening, and morning, and at noon I will declare and make known [my wants]: and he shall hear my voice.
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.
18 He shall deliver my soul in peace from them that draw near to me: for they were with me in many [cases].
He has taken my soul away from the attack which was made against me, and given it peace; for great numbers were against me.
19 God shall hear, and bring them low, [even] he that has existed from eternity. (Pause) For they suffer no reverse, and [therefore] they have not feared God.
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.
20 He has reached forth his hand for retribution; they have profaned his covenant.
He has put out his hand against those who were at peace with him; he has not kept his agreement.
21 They were scattered at the anger of his countenance, and his heart drew near them. His words were smoother than oil, yet are they darts.
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.
22 Cast your care upon the Lord, and he shall sustain you; he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
Put your cares on the Lord, and he will be your support; he will not let the upright man be moved.
23 But you, O God, shall bring them down to the pit of destruction; bloody and crafty men shall not live out half their days; but I will hope in you, O Lord.
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.
