Psalms 55
1 “To the chief musician on Neginoth, a Maskil of David.” Give ear, O God, to my prayer, and hide not thyself from my supplication.
For the end, among Hymns of instruction by David. Hearken, O God, to my prayer; and disregard not my supplication.
2 Listen unto me, and answer me: I mourn in my grief, and moan;
Attend to me, and hearken to me: I was grieved in my (meditation) and troubled;
3 Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked; for they cast wrong upon me, and in wrath they attack me.
because of the voice of the enemy, and because of the oppression of the sinner: for they brought iniquity against me, and were wrathfully angry with me.
4 My heart is sorely pained within me, and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.
My heart was troubled within me; and the fear of death fell upon me.
5 Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and shuddering hath covered me.
Fear and trembling came upon me, and darkness covered me.
6 And I said, Oh that some one would give me wings like a dove! I would fly away and dwell [quietly].
And I said, O that I had wings as [those] of a dove! then would I flee away, and be at rest.
7 Lo, I would flee far away, I would spend my night in the wilderness. (Selah)
Lo! I have fled afar off, and lodged in the wilderness. (Pause)
8 I would prepare hastily a refuge for me from the sweeping wind [and] from storm.
I waited for him that should deliver me from distress of spirit and tempest.
9 Destroy, O Lord, divide their tongue; for I have seen violence and strife in the city;
Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen iniquity and gain saying in the city.
10 Day and night do these encompass it upon her walls: and wrong and trouble are in her midst.
Day and night he shall go round about it upon its walls: iniquity and sorrow and unrighteousness [are] in the midst of it;
11 Mischief is in her midst: guile and deceit depart not from her streets.
and usury and craft have not failed from its streets.
12 For it is not an enemy that reproached me; then I could bear it: not he that hateth me hath magnified himself against me; then I would have hidden myself from him;
For if an enemy had reproached me, I would have endured it; and if one who hated [me] had spoken vauntingly against me, I would have hid myself from him.
13 But it is thou, a man my equal, my guide, and my acquaintance;
But thou, O man like minded, my guide, and my acquaintance,
14 So that we took sweet secret counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in tumultuous company.
who in companionship with me sweetened [our] food: we walked in the house of God in concord.
15 Let him dispense death over them; let them go down alive into the nether world; for evil is in their dwelling, in the midst of them. (Sheol h7585)
Let death come upon them, and let them go down alive into Hades, for iniquity is in their dwellings, in the midst of them. (Sheol h7585)
16 I, however, will call on God: and the Lord will save me.
I cried to God, and the Lord hearkened to me.
17 At evening and morning and noon will I make my complaint and moan: and he heareth my voice.—
Evening, and morning, and at noon I will declare and make known [my wants]: and he shall hear my voice.
18 He delivereth my soul in peace from the battle against me; for in multitudes are they [contending] with me.
He shall deliver my soul in peace from them that draw nigh to me: for they were with me in many [cases].
19 God will hear, and humble them—yea, he that sitteth enthroned from the oldest time Selah—those who dread no changes, and fear not God.
God shall hear, and bring them low, [even] he that has existed from eternity. (Pause) For they suffer no reverse, and [therefore] they have not feared God.
20 He stretcheth out his hands against those at peace with him: he violateth his covenant.
He has reached forth his hand for retribution; they have profaned his covenant.
21 The creamy words of his mouth are smooth, yet there is war [in] his heart; his words are softer than oil, yet are they drawn swords.
They were scattered at the anger of his countenance, and his heart drew nigh them. His words were smoother than oil, yet are they darts.
22 Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he will sustain thee: he will never suffer the righteous to be moved.
Cast thy care upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee; he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
23 But thou, O God, thou wilt bring them down into the pit of destruction: let not the men of blood and deceit live out half their days; but I will indeed trust in thee.
But thou, O God, shalt bring them down to the pit of destruction; bloody and crafty men shall not live out half their days; but I will hope in thee, O Lord.
