Psalms 55
1 To the chief Musician. On stringed instruments: an instruction. Of David. Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication.
God, listen to my prayer, and do not turn away from me while I am pleading with you.
2 Attend unto me, and answer me: I wander about in my plaint, and I moan aloud,
Listen to me, and answer me, because I am overwhelmed by [all] my troubles.
3 Because of the voice of the enemy; because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in anger they persecute me.
My enemies cause me to be terrified; wicked people oppress me. They cause me to have great troubles; they are angry with me, and they hate me.
4 My heart is writhing within me, and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.
I am terrified, and I am very much afraid that I will die.
5 Fear and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me.
I am very fearful and I tremble/shake, and I am completely terrified.
6 And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away, and be at rest;
I said, “I wish that I had wings like a dove! If I had wings, I would fly away and find a place to rest.
7 Behold, I would flee afar off, I would lodge in the wilderness; (Selah)
I would fly far away and live in the desert.
8 I would hasten my escape from the stormy wind, from the tempest.
I would quickly find a shelter from [my enemies] [who are like] [MET] a strong wind and rainstorm.”
9 Swallow [them] up, Lord; divide their tongue: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.
Lord, confuse my enemies, and cause their plans to fail, because I see them acting violently and causing strife in the city [of Jerusalem].
10 Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof; and iniquity and mischief are in the midst of it.
During [each] day and night they march around on top of its walls, committing crimes and causing trouble.
11 Perversities are in the midst thereof; and oppression and deceit depart not from its streets.
They destroy [things] everywhere. They oppress and defraud [people] in the (marketplaces/public squares).
12 For it is not an enemy that hath reproached me — then could I have borne it; neither is it he that hateth me that hath magnified [himself] against me — then would I have hidden myself from him;
If it were an enemy who was making fun of me, I could endure it. If it were someone who hates me, who despises me, I could hide from him.
13 But it was thou, a man mine equal, mine intimate, my familiar friend. ...
But it is someone who is just like me, my companion, someone who was my friend [who is doing this to me].
14 We who held sweet intercourse together. To the house of God we walked amid the throng.
We previously had many good talks together; we walked around together in God’s temple.
15 Let death seize upon them, let them go down alive into Sheol. For wickedness is in their dwellings, in their midst. (Sheol h7585)
I desire/hope that my enemies will die suddenly; while they are still young, cause them to go down to the place where the dead people are. They they think evil things. (Sheol h7585)
16 As for me, unto God will I call; and Jehovah will save me.
But I [will] ask Yahweh, [my] God, to help me, and he will save me.
17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray and moan aloud; and he will hear my voice.
[Each] morning and [each] noontime and [each] evening I tell him what I am concerned about, and I moan, and he hears my voice.
18 He hath redeemed my soul in peace from the battle against me: for there were many about me.
I have [very] many enemies, but he will rescue me and bring me back safely from the battles that I fight.
19 God will hear, and afflict them: he that is seated of old, (Selah) ...because there is no change in them, and they fear not God.
God is the one who has ruled everything forever, and he will listen to me. He will cause my enemies to be [defeated and] disgraced, because they do not change their evil behavior and they do not revere God.
20 He hath put forth his hands against such as are at peace with him; he hath profaned his covenant.
My companion, [whom I mentioned previously], betrayed his friends and broke the agreement that he made with them.
21 Smooth were the milky [words] of his mouth, but his heart was war; his words were softer than oil, yet are they drawn swords.
What he said was [easy to listen to, like] butter [is easy to swallow] [MET], but in his inner being he hated people; his words were [soothing] like [olive] oil, [but they hurt people like] sharp swords do [MET].
22 Cast thy burden upon Jehovah, and he will sustain thee: he will never suffer the righteous to be moved.
Put your troubles in Yahweh’s hands, and he will take care of you; he will never allow righteous [people] to experience disasters.
23 And thou, O God, wilt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days. But as for me, I will confide in thee.
God, you will cause murderers [MTY] and liars to die before they have lived half as long as they expect to live; but [as for me], I will trust in you.
