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.
`In Ebreu thus, To victorie in orguns, the lernyng of Dauid. `In Jeroms translacioun thus, To the ouercomer in salmes of Dauid lernid. God, here thou my preier, and dispise thou not my biseching;
2 Attend unto me, and hear me; I am distraught in my complaint, and will moan;
yyue thou tent to me, and here thou me. I am sorewful in myn exercising; and Y am disturblid of the face of the enemye,
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.
and of the tribulacioun of the synner. For thei bowiden wickidnessis in to me; and in ire thei weren diseseful to me.
4 My heart doth writhe within me; and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.
Myn herte was disturblid in me; and the drede of deth felde on me.
5 Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me.
Drede and trembling camen on me; and derknessis hiliden me.
6 And I said: 'Oh that I had wings like a dove! then would I fly away, and be at rest.
And Y seide, Who schal yyue to me fetheris, as of a culuer; and Y schal fle, and schal take rest?
7 Lo, then would I wander far off, I would lodge in the wilderness. (Selah)
Lo! Y yede fer awei, and fledde; and Y dwellide in wildirnesse.
8 I would haste me to a shelter from the stormy wind and tempest.'
I abood hym, that made me saaf fro the litilnesse, `ether drede, of spirit; and fro tempest.
9 Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongue; for I have seen violence and strife in the city.
Lord, caste thou doun, departe thou the tungis of hem; for Y siy wickidnesse and ayenseiyng in the citee.
10 Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof; iniquity also and mischief are in the midst of it.
Bi dai and nyyt wickidnesse schal cumpasse it on the wallis therof;
11 Wickedness is in the midst thereof; oppression and guile depart not from her broad place.
and trauel and vnriytfulnesse ben in the myddis therof. And vsure and gile failide not; fro the stretis therof.
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.
For if myn enemye hadde cursid me; sotheli Y hadde suffride. And if he, that hatide me, hadde spoke greet thingis on me; in hap Y hadde hid me fro hym.
13 But it was thou, a man mine equal, my companion, and my familiar friend;
But thou art a man of o wille; my leeder, and my knowun.
14 We took sweet counsel together, in the house of God we walked with the throng.
Which tokist togidere swete meetis with me; we yeden with consent in the hous of God.
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)
Deth come on hem; and go thei doun quyk in to helle. For weiwardnessis ben in the dwelling places of hem; in the myddis of hem. (Sheol h7585)
16 As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.
But Y criede to thee, Lord; and the Lord sauede me.
17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I complain, and moan; and He hath heard my voice.
In the euentid and morewtid and in myddai Y schal telle, and schewe; and he schal here my vois.
18 He hath redeemed my soul in peace so that none came nigh me; for they were many that strove with me.
He schal ayenbie my soule in pees fro hem, that neiyen to me; for among manye thei weren with me.
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 schal here; and he that is bifore the worldis schal make hem low. For chaungyng is not to hem, and thei dredden not God;
20 He hath put forth his hands against them that were at peace with him; he hath profaned his covenant.
he holdith forth his hoond in yelding. Thei defouliden his testament,
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.
the cheris therof weren departid fro ire; and his herte neiyede. The wordis therof weren softer than oyle; and tho ben dartis.
22 Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and He will sustain thee; He will never suffer the righteous to be moved.
Caste thi cure on the Lord, and he schal fulli nurische thee; and he schal not yyue with outen ende flotering to a iust man.
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.
But thou, God, schalt lede hem forth; in to the pit of deth. Menquelleris and gilours schulen not haue half her daies; but, Lord, Y schal hope in thee.
