Psalms 55
1 For the Leader; with string-music. Maschil of David. Give ear, O God, to my prayer; and hide not Thyself from my supplication.
God, listen to my prayer, and do not turn away from me while I am pleading with you.
2 Attend unto me, and hear me; I am distraught in my complaint, and will moan;
Listen to me, and answer me, because I am overwhelmed by [all] my troubles.
3 Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked; for they cast mischief upon me, and in anger they persecute 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 doth writhe within me; and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.
I am terrified, and I am very much afraid that I will die.
5 Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me.
I am very fearful and I tremble/shake, and I am completely terrified.
6 And I said: 'Oh that I had wings like a dove! then would I fly away, 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, then would I wander far off, I would lodge in the wilderness. (Selah)
I would fly far away and live in the desert.
8 I would haste me to a shelter from the stormy wind and tempest.'
I would quickly find a shelter from [my enemies] [who are like] [MET] a strong wind and rainstorm.”
9 Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongue; for I have seen violence and strife 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 they go about it upon the walls thereof; iniquity also and mischief are in the midst of it.
During [each] day and night they march around on top of its walls, committing crimes and causing trouble.
11 Wickedness is in the midst thereof; oppression and guile depart not from her broad place.
They destroy [things] everywhere. They oppress and defraud [people] in the (marketplaces/public squares).
12 For it was not an enemy that taunted me, then I could have borne it; neither was it mine adversary that did magnify himself against me, then I would have hid 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 it was thou, a man mine equal, my companion, and my familiar friend;
But it is someone who is just like me, my companion, someone who was my friend [who is doing this to me].
14 We took sweet counsel together, in the house of God we walked with the throng.
We previously had many good talks together; we walked around together in God’s temple.
15 May He incite death against them, let them go down alive into the nether-world; for evil is in their dwelling, and within 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 As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.
But I [will] ask Yahweh, [my] God, to help me, and he will save me.
17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I complain, and moan; and He hath heard 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 hath redeemed my soul in peace so that none came nigh me; for they were many that strove 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 humble them, even He that is enthroned of old, (Selah) such as have no changes, and fear not 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 put forth his hands against them that were at peace with him; he hath profaned his covenant.
My companion, [whom I mentioned previously], betrayed his friends and broke the agreement that he made with them.
21 Smoother than cream were the speeches of his mouth, but his heart was war; his words were softer than oil, yet were they keen-edged swords.
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 burden upon the LORD, and He will sustain thee; He will never suffer the righteous to be moved.
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, wilt bring them down into the nethermost pit; men of blood and deceit shall not live out half their days; but as for me, I will trust in Thee.
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.
