< 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.
2 Listen unto me, and answer me: I mourn in my grief, and moan;
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.
4 My heart is sorely pained within me, and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.
5 Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and shuddering hath covered me.
6 And I said, Oh that some one would give me wings like a dove! I would fly away and dwell [quietly].
7 Lo, I would flee far away, I would spend my night in the wilderness. (Selah)
8 I would prepare hastily a refuge for me from the sweeping wind [and] from storm.
9 Destroy, O Lord, divide their tongue; for I have seen 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.
11 Mischief is in her midst: guile and deceit depart not from her 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;
13 But it is thou, a man my equal, my guide, and my acquaintance;
14 So that we took sweet secret counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in tumultuous 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 )
16 I, however, will call on God: and the Lord will save me.
17 At evening and morning and noon will I make my complaint and moan: and he heareth my voice.—
18 He delivereth my soul in peace from the battle against me; for in multitudes are they [contending] with 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.
20 He stretcheth out his hands against those at peace with him: he violateth 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.
22 Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he will sustain thee: he will 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.
