Psalms 55

1 Unto the end, in verses, understanding for David. Hear, O God, my prayer, and despise not my supplication:

For the end, among Hymns of instruction by David. Hearken, O God, to my prayer; and disregard not my supplication.

2 Be attentive to me and hear me. I am grieved in my exercise; and am troubled,

Attend to me, and hearken to me: I was grieved in my (meditation) and troubled;

3 At the voice of the enemy, and at the tribulation of the sinner. For they have cast iniquities upon me: and in wrath they were troublesome to me.

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.

4 My heart is troubled within me: and the fear of death is fallen upon me.

My heart was troubled within me; and the fear of death fell upon me.

5 Fear and trembling are come upon me: and darkness hath covered me.

Fear and trembling came upon me, and darkness covered me.

6 And I said: Who will give me wings like a dove, and I will fly and be at rest?

And I said, O that I had wings as [those] of a dove! then would I flee away, and be at rest.

7 Lo, I have gone far off flying away; and I abode in the wilderness.

Lo! I have fled afar off, and lodged in the wilderness. (Pause)

8 I waited for him that hath saved me from pusillanimity of spirit, and a storm.

I waited for him that should deliver me from distress of spirit and tempest.

9 Cast 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 iniquity and gain saying in the city.

10 Day and night shall iniquity surround it upon its walls: and in the midst thereof are labour,

Day and night he shall go round about it upon its walls: iniquity and sorrow and unrighteousness [are] in the midst of it;

11 And injustice. And usury and deceit have not departed from its streets.

and usury and craft have not failed from its streets.

12 For if my enemy had reviled me, I would verily have borne with it. And if he that hated me had spoken great things against me, I would perhaps have hidden myself from him.

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.

13 But thou a man of one mind, my guide, and my familiar,

But thou, O man like minded, my guide, and my acquaintance,

14 Who didst take sweetmeats together with me: in the house of God we walked with consent.

who in companionship with me sweetened [our] food: we walked in the house of God in concord.

15 Let death come upon them, and let them go down alive into hell. For there is wickedness in their dwellings: in the midst of them. (Sheol h7585)

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)

16 But I have cried to God: and the Lord will save me.

I cried to God, and the Lord hearkened to me.

17 Evening and morning, and at noon I will speak and declare: and he shall hear my voice.

Evening, and morning, and at noon I will declare and make known [my wants]: and he shall hear my voice.

18 He shall redeem my soul in peace from them that draw near to me: for among many they were with me.

He shall deliver my soul in peace from them that draw nigh to me: for they were with me in many [cases].

19 God shall hear, and the Eternal shall humble them. For there is no change with them, and they have not feared God:

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.

20 He hath stretched forth his hand to repay. They have defiled his covenant,

He has reached forth his hand for retribution; they have profaned his covenant.

21 They are divided by the wrath Of his countenance, and his heart hath drawn near. His words are smoother than oil, and the same are darts.

They were scattered at the anger of his countenance, and his heart drew nigh them. His words were smoother than oil, yet are they darts.

22 Cast thy care upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall not suffer the just to waver for ever.

Cast thy care upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee; he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

23 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, O Lord.

But thou, O God, shalt bring them down to the pit of destruction; bloody and crafty men shall not live out half their days; but I will hope in thee, O Lord.