Psalms 55
1 For the music director. With stringed instruments. A psalm (maskil) of David. God, please hear my prayer; don't ignore my cry for help!
Give ear to my prayer, O God, and hide not thyself from my supplication.
2 Please listen, and give me an answer. I'm terribly troubled by my problems! I'm frantic!
Attend to me, and answer me. I am restless in my complaint, and moan,
3 For my enemies are screaming at me; the wicked are intimidating me. They rain down suffering on me, angrily assaulting me in their hatred.
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 thumps in agony! Terrified, I feel I'm about to die!
My heart is greatly pained within me, and the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
5 I'm in a panic, trembling with fear; feelings of horror wash over me.
Fearfulness and trembling have come upon me, and horror has overwhelmed me.
6 I tell myself, If only God would give me wings like a dove so I could fly away and be at peace!
And I said, O that I had wings like a dove! Then I would fly away, and be at rest.
7 I would fly far away to escape, and stay in the wilderness. (Selah)
Lo, then I would wander far off. I would lodge in the wilderness. (Selah)
8 I would hurry to a place to hide, out of the wind, safe from the raging storm.
I would hasten myself to a shelter from the stormy wind and tempest.
9 Confuse them, Lord! Muddle what they're saying, for I see violence and conflict in the city.
Destroy, O Lord, divide their tongue, for I have seen violence and strife in the city.
10 They patrol the city walls day and night, and wickedness and trouble are within the city.
Day and night they go about it, upon the walls of it. Iniquity and mischief also are in the midst of it.
11 The ones causing destruction are inside the city; frauds and cheats are always on the streets.
Wickedness is in the midst of it. Oppression and deceit depart not from its streets.
12 The problem is that it's not an enemy who mocks me—I could stand that. It's not someone who hates me who insults me—I could avoid them.
For it was not an enemy who reproached me. Then I could have borne it. Neither was it he who hated me that magnified himself against me. Then I would have hid myself from him.
13 No, it's you, a man just like me, my best friend who I know so well!
But it was thou, a man my equal, my companion, and my familiar friend.
14 Our friendship was so close. We used to have great talks together as we walked with everyone to the house of God.
We took sweet counsel together. We walked in the house of God with the throng.
15 May death come quickly to them; may they go down into the grave alive, because evil finds its home in them. (Sheol h7585)
Let death come suddenly upon them. Let them go down alive into Sheol. For wickedness is in their dwelling, in the midst of them. (Sheol h7585)
16 As for me, I cry out to God, and the Lord will save me.
As for me, I will call upon God, and Jehovah will save me.
17 I weep and groan morning, noon, and night, and he listens to me.
Evening, and morning, and at noonday, I will complain and moan. And he will hear my voice.
18 He rescues me, keeping me safe and sound from my attackers, because there are so many against me.
He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me, for there were many by me.
19 God who has ruled from the beginning will hear me and answer them. (Selah) For they refuse to change and don't respect God.
God will hear, and respond to them, (even he who abides of old), (Selah) men who have no changes, and who fear not God.
20 As for my best friend, he attacked his friends who had no quarrel with him; he broke the promises he had made to them.
He has put forth his hands against such as were at peace with him. He has profaned his covenant.
21 What he says is as smooth as butter, but inside he plans war; his words are as soothing as oil, but they cut like sharp swords.
His mouth was smooth as butter, but his heart was war. His words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords.
22 Throw your burdens onto the Lord and he will take care of you. He will never allow those who live right to fall.
(Cast thy burden upon Jehovah, and he will sustain thee. He will never allow the righteous man to be moved.)
23 But you, God, will bring down murderers and liars, throwing them into the pit of destruction before they have even lived half their lives. As for me, I will trust in you.
But thou, O God, will 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.
