Psalms 55
1 Unto the end, in verses, understanding for David. Hear, O God, my prayer, and despise not my supplication:
For the Chief Musician; on stringed instruments. Maschil of David. Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication.
2 Be attentive to me and hear me. I am grieved in my exercise; and am troubled,
Attend unto me, and answer me: I am restless in my complaint, and moan;
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, because of the oppression of the wicked; for they cast iniquity upon me, and in anger they persecute me.
4 My heart is troubled within me: and the fear of death is fallen upon me.
My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.
5 Fear and trembling are come upon me: and darkness hath covered me.
Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me.
6 And I said: Who will give me wings like a dove, and I will fly and be at rest?
And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! then would I fly away, and be at rest.
7 Lo, I have gone far off flying away; and I abode in the wilderness.
Lo, then would I wander far off, I would lodge in the wilderness. (Selah)
8 I waited for him that hath saved me from pusillanimity of spirit, and a storm.
I would haste me to a shelter from the stormy wind 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 tongue: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.
10 Day and night shall iniquity surround it upon its walls: and in the midst thereof are labour,
Day and night they go about upon the walls thereof: iniquity also and mischief are in the midst of it.
11 And injustice. And usury and deceit have not departed from its streets.
Wickedness is in the midst thereof: oppression and guile depart not from her 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 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 But thou a man of one mind, my guide, and my familiar,
But it was thou, a man mine equal, my companion, and my familiar friend.
14 Who didst take sweetmeats together with me: in the house of God we walked with consent.
We took sweet counsel together, we walked in the house of God with the throng.
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 suddenly upon them, let them go down alive into the pit: for wickedness is in their dwelling, in the midst of them. (Sheol h7585)
16 But I have cried 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 at noon I will speak and declare: and he shall hear my voice.
Evening, and morning, and at noonday, will I complain, and moan: 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 hath redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for they were many [that strove] 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 shall hear, and answer them, even he that abideth of old, (Selah) [the men] who have no changes, and who fear not God.
20 He hath stretched forth his hand to repay. They have defiled his covenant,
He hath put forth his hands against such as were at peace with him: he hath 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.
His mouth was smooth as butter, but his heart was war: his words were softer than oil, yet were they 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 thy burden 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 into the pit of destruction: bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee.
