Psalms 55
1 TO THE OVERSEER. WITH STRINGED INSTRUMENTS. AN INSTRUCTION OF DAVID. Give ear, O God, [to] my prayer, And do not hide from my supplication.
For the choirmaster. With stringed instruments. A Maskil of David. Listen to my prayer, O God, and do not ignore my plea.
2 Attend to me, and answer me, I mourn in my (meditation) and make a noise,
Attend to me and answer me. I am restless in my complaint, and distraught
3 Because of the voice of an enemy, Because of the oppression of the wicked, For they cause sorrow to move against me, And in anger they hate me.
at the voice of the enemy, at the pressure of the wicked. For they release disaster upon me and revile me in their anger.
4 My heart is pained within me, And terrors of death have fallen on me.
My heart murmurs within me, and the terrors of death assail me.
5 Fear and trembling come to me, And horror covers me.
Fear and trembling grip me, and horror has overwhelmed me.
6 And I say, “Who gives to me a pinion as a dove?” I fly away and rest,
I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and find rest.
7 Behold, I move far off, I lodge in a wilderness. (Selah)
How far away I would flee! In the wilderness I would remain.
8 I hurry escape for myself, From a rushing wind, from a whirlwind.
I would hurry to my shelter, far from this raging tempest.”
9 Swallow up, O Lord, divide their tongue, For I saw violence and strife in a city.
O Lord, confuse and confound their speech, for I see violence and strife in the city.
10 By day and by night they go around it, on its walls. Both iniquity and perverseness [are] in its midst,
Day and night they encircle the walls, while malice and trouble lie within.
11 Mischiefs [are] in its midst. Fraud and deceit do not depart from its street.
Destruction is within; oppression and deceit never leave the streets.
12 For an enemy does not reproach me, or I bear [it], He who is hating me Has not magnified himself against me, Or I hide from him.
For it is not an enemy who insults me; that I could endure. It is not a foe who rises against me; from him I could hide.
13 But you, a man—as my equal, My familiar friend, and my acquaintance.
But it is you, a man like myself, my companion and close friend.
14 When together we sweeten counsel, We walk into the house of God in company.
We shared sweet fellowship together; we walked with the crowd into the house of God.
15 Desolations [are] on them, They go down [to] Sheol—alive, For wickedness [is] in their dwelling, in their midst. (Sheol h7585)
Let death seize them by surprise; let them go down to Sheol alive, for evil is with them in their homes. (Sheol h7585)
16 I call to God, and YHWH saves me.
But I call to God, and the LORD saves me.
17 Evening, and morning, and noon, I meditate, and make a noise, and He hears my voice,
Morning, noon, and night, I cry out in distress, and He hears my voice.
18 He has ransomed my soul in peace From him who is near to me, For with the multitude they were with me.
He redeems my soul in peace from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me.
19 God hears and afflicts them, And He sits of old. (Selah) Because they have no changes, and do not fear God,
God will hear and humiliate them— the One enthroned for the ages— (Selah) because they do not change and they have no fear of God.
20 He has sent forth his hands against his well-wishers, He has defiled his covenant.
My companion attacks his friends; he violates his covenant.
21 His mouth has been sweeter than honey, And his heart [is] war! His words have been softer than oil, And they [are] drawn [swords].
His speech is smooth as butter, but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, yet they are swords unsheathed.
22 Cast on YHWH that which He has given you, And He sustains you, He does not permit the moving of the righteous forever.
Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken.
23 And You, O God, bring them down To a pit of destruction, Men of blood and deceit do not reach to half their days, And I trust in You!
But You, O God, will bring them down to the Pit of destruction; men of bloodshed and deceit will not live out half their days. But I will trust in You.
