Psalms 55
1 Unto the end. In verses, the understanding of David. Listen to my prayer, O God, and despise not my supplication.
To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil, [A Psalm] of David. Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication.
2 Be attentive to me, and heed me. I have been grieved in my training, and I have been disturbed
Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise;
3 at the voice of the adversary and at the tribulation of the sinner. For they have diverted iniquities toward me, and they have been harassing me with rage.
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 has become disturbed within me, and the dread of death has fallen over me.
My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.
5 Fear and trembling have overwhelmed me, and darkness has buried me.
Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me.
6 And I said, “Who will give me wings like the dove, so that I may fly away and take rest?”
And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! [for then] would I fly away, and be at rest.
7 Behold, I have fled far away, and I linger in solitude.
Lo, [then] would I wander far off, [and] remain in the wilderness. (Selah)
8 I waited for him who saved me from a weak-minded spirit and from a tempest.
I would hasten my escape from the windy storm [and] tempest.
9 Cast them down, O Lord, and divide their tongues. For I have seen iniquity and contradiction in the city.
Destroy, O Lord, [and] divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.
10 Day and night, iniquity will surround it upon its walls, and hardship is in its midst,
Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: mischief also and sorrow [are] in the midst of it.
11 with injustice. And usury and deceit have not fallen away from its streets.
Wickedness [is] in the midst thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her streets.
12 For if my enemy had spoken evil about me, certainly, I would have sustained it. And if he who hated me had been speaking great things against me, I would perhaps have hidden myself from him.
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 Truly, you are a man of one mind: my leader and my acquaintance,
But [it was] thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance.
14 who took sweet food together with me. In the house of God, we walked side-by-side.
We took sweet counsel together, [and] walked unto the house of God in company.
15 Let death come upon them, and let them descend alive into Hellfire. For there is wickedness in their dwellings, in their midst. (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 But I have cried out to God, and the Lord will save me.
As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.
17 Evening and morning and midday, I will discourse and announce, and he will heed my voice.
Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.
18 He will redeem my soul in peace from those who draw near to me. For, among the many, they were with me.
He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle [that was] against me: for there were many with me.
19 God will hear, and He who is before time will humble them. For there is no change with them, and they have not feared God.
God shall hear, and afflict them, even he that abideth of old. (Selah) Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God.
20 He has stretched forth his hand in retribution. They have contaminated his covenant.
He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant.
21 They were divided by the wrath of his countenance, and his heart has drawn near. His words are smoother than oil, and they are arrows.
[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 Cast your cares upon the Lord, and he will nurture you. He will not allow the just to be tossed about forever.
Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
23 Truly, O God, you will lead them away into the well of death. Bloody and deceitful men will not divide their days in half. But I will hope in you, O Lord.
But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee.
