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 leader of the music. To be sung on stringed instruments. A psalm of David.” Give ear to my prayer, O God! Hide not thyself from my supplication!
2 Listen unto me, and answer me: I mourn in my grief, and moan;
Attend unto me, and hear me! I wander about mourning and wailing,
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.
On account of the clamors of the enemy, On account of the violence of the wicked. For they bring evil upon me, And in wrath set themselves against me.
4 My heart is sorely pained within me, and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.
My heart trembleth in my bosom, And the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
5 Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and shuddering hath covered me.
Fear and trembling have seized me, And horror hath overwhelmed me.
6 And I said, Oh that some one would give me wings like a dove! I would fly away and dwell [quietly].
Then I say, O that I had wings like a dove! For then would I fly away, and be at rest.
7 Lo, I would flee far away, I would spend my night in the wilderness. (Selah)
Behold, I would wander far away, And take up my abode in a wilderness. (Pause)
8 I would prepare hastily a refuge for me from the sweeping wind [and] from storm.
I would hasten away to a shelter From the rushing wind and tempest.
9 Destroy, O Lord, divide their tongue; for I have seen violence and strife in the city;
Confound, O Lord! divide their counsels! For I behold violence and strife 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 do these go about its walls; In the midst of it are iniquity and mischief.
11 Mischief is in her midst: guile and deceit depart not from her streets.
Wickedness is in the midst of it; Oppression and fraud depart not 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;
It was not an enemy that reviled me, Then I could have borne it; Nor one that hated me, who rose up against me; From him I could have hid myself.
13 But it is thou, a man my equal, my guide, and my acquaintance;
But it was thou, a man my equal, My friend, and my acquaintance.
14 So that we took sweet secret counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in tumultuous company.
We held sweet converse together, And walked to the house of God in company.
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)
May sudden death seize upon them! May they go down to the underworld alive! For wickedness is in their dwellings, in the midst of them. (Sheol h7585)
16 I, however, will call on God: and the Lord will save me.
As for me, I will call upon God, And Jehovah will save me.
17 At evening and morning and noon will I make my complaint and moan: and he heareth my voice.—
At evening, at morn, and at noon I mourn and sigh, And he will hear my voice.
18 He delivereth my soul in peace from the battle against me; for in multitudes are they [contending] with me.
He will deliver me in peace from my conflict; For many have risen up against me.
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 will hear me, and bring them down, —He that hath been judge of old. (Pause) Because they have no changes, Therefore they fear not God.
20 He stretcheth out his hands against those at peace with him: he violateth his covenant.
They lift up their hands against their friend, And break their covenant with him.
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.
Their speech was softer than butter, But war was in their heart; Their words were smoother than oil, Yet were they drawn swords.
22 Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he will sustain thee: he will never suffer the righteous to be moved.
“Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he will sustain thee; He will never suffer the righteous to fall!”
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.
Yea, thou, O God! wilt bring them down into the lowest pit! Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days. But I will trust in thee!
