Psalms 55
1 Unto the end, in verses, understanding for David. Hear, O God, my prayer, and despise not my supplication:
God, listen to my prayer, and do not turn away from me while I am pleading with you.
2 Be attentive to me and hear me. I am grieved in my exercise; and am troubled,
Listen to me, and answer me, because I am overwhelmed by [all] my troubles.
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.
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 troubled within me: and the fear of death is 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 darkness hath covered me.
I am very fearful and I tremble/shake, and I am completely terrified.
6 And I said: Who will give me wings like a dove, and I will fly 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 Lo, I have gone far off flying away; and I abode in the wilderness.
I would fly far away and live in the desert.
8 I waited for him that hath saved me from pusillanimity of spirit, and a storm.
I would quickly find a shelter from [my enemies] [who are like] [MET] a strong wind and rainstorm.”
9 Cast down, O Lord, and divide their tongues; for I have seen iniquity and contradiction 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 shall iniquity surround it upon its walls: and in the midst thereof are labour,
During [each] day and night they march around on top of its walls, committing crimes and causing trouble.
11 And injustice. And usury and deceit have not departed from its streets.
They destroy [things] everywhere. They oppress and defraud [people] in the (marketplaces/public squares).
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.
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 thou a man of one mind, my guide, and my familiar,
But it is someone who is just like me, my companion, someone who was my friend [who is doing this to me].
14 Who didst take sweetmeats together with me: in the house of God we walked with consent.
We previously had many good talks together; we walked around together in God’s temple.
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)
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 But I have cried to God: and the Lord 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 I will speak and declare: and he shall 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 shall redeem my soul in peace from them that draw near to me: for among many they were with me.
I have [very] many enemies, but he will rescue me and bring me back safely from the battles that I fight.
19 God shall hear, and the Eternal shall humble them. For there is no change with them, and they have not feared 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 stretched forth his hand to repay. They have defiled his covenant,
My companion, [whom I mentioned previously], betrayed his friends and broke the agreement that he made with them.
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.
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 care upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall not suffer the just to waver for ever.
Put your troubles in Yahweh’s hands, and he will take care of you; he will never allow righteous [people] to experience disasters.
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.
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.
