Psalms 55

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

TO THE OVERSEER. WITH STRINGED INSTRUMENTS. AN INSTRUCTION OF DAVID. Give ear, O God, [to] my prayer, And do not hide from my supplication.

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

Attend to me, and answer me, I mourn in my (meditation) and make a noise,

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 an enemy, Because of the oppression of the wicked, For they cause sorrow to move against me, And in anger they hate me.

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

My heart is pained within me, And terrors of death have fallen on me.

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

Fear and trembling come to me, And horror covers me.

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

And I say, “Who gives to me a pinion as a dove?” I fly away and rest,

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

Behold, I move far off, I lodge in a wilderness. (Selah)

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

I hurry escape for myself, From a rushing wind, from a whirlwind.

9 Cast down, O Lord, and divide their tongues; for I have seen iniquity and contradiction in the city.

Swallow up, O Lord, divide their tongue, For I saw violence and strife in a city.

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

By day and by night they go around it, on its walls. Both iniquity and perverseness [are] in its midst,

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

Mischiefs [are] in its midst. Fraud and deceit do not depart from its street.

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 an enemy does not reproach me, or I bear [it], He who is hating me Has not magnified himself against me, Or I hide from him.

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

But you, a man—as my equal, My familiar friend, and my acquaintance.

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

When together we sweeten counsel, We walk into the house of God in company.

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)

Desolations [are] on them, They go down [to] Sheol—alive, For wickedness [is] in their dwelling, in their midst. (Sheol h7585)

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

I call to God, and YHWH saves me.

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

Evening, and morning, and noon, I meditate, and make a noise, and He hears 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 has ransomed my soul in peace From him who is near to me, For with the multitude they were with me.

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

God hears and afflicts them, And He sits of old. (Selah) Because they have no changes, and do not fear God,

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

He has sent forth his hands against his well-wishers, He has defiled 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.

His mouth has been sweeter than honey, And his heart [is] war! His words have been softer than oil, And they [are] drawn [swords].

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

Cast on YHWH that which He has given you, And He sustains you, He does not permit the moving of the righteous forever.

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.

And You, O God, bring them down To a pit of destruction, Men of blood and deceit do not reach to half their days, And I trust in You!