Psalms 55
1 “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!
Unto the end, in verses, understanding for David. Hear, O God, my prayer, and despise not my supplication:
2 Attend unto me, and hear me! I wander about mourning and wailing,
Be attentive to me and hear me. I am grieved in my exercise; and am troubled,
3 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.
At the voice of the enemy, and at the tribulation of the sinner. For they have cast iniquities upon me: and in wrath they were troublesome to me.
4 My heart trembleth in my bosom, And the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
My heart is troubled within me: and the fear of death is fallen upon me.
5 Fear and trembling have seized me, And horror hath overwhelmed me.
Fear and trembling are come upon me: and darkness hath covered me.
6 Then I say, O that I had wings like a dove! For then would I fly away, and be at rest.
And I said: Who will give me wings like a dove, and I will fly and be at rest?
7 Behold, I would wander far away, And take up my abode in a wilderness. (Pause)
Lo, I have gone far off flying away; and I abode in the wilderness.
8 I would hasten away to a shelter From the rushing wind and tempest.
I waited for him that hath saved me from pusillanimity of spirit, and a storm.
9 Confound, O Lord! divide their counsels! For I behold violence and strife in the city.
Cast down, O Lord, and divide their tongues; for I have seen iniquity and contradiction in the city.
10 Day and night do these go about its walls; In the midst of it are iniquity and mischief.
Day and night shall iniquity surround it upon its walls: and in the midst thereof are labour,
11 Wickedness is in the midst of it; Oppression and fraud depart not from its streets.
And injustice. And usury and deceit have not departed from its streets.
12 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.
For if my enemy had reviled me, I would verily have borne with it. And if he that hated me had spoken great things against me, I would perhaps have hidden myself from him.
13 But it was thou, a man my equal, My friend, and my acquaintance.
But thou a man of one mind, my guide, and my familiar,
14 We held sweet converse together, And walked to the house of God in company.
Who didst take sweetmeats together with me: in the house of God we walked with consent.
15 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)
Let death come upon them, and let them go down alive into hell. For there is wickedness in their dwellings: in the midst of them. (Sheol h7585)
16 As for me, I will call upon God, And Jehovah will save me.
But I have cried to God: and the Lord will save me.
17 At evening, at morn, and at noon I mourn and sigh, And he will hear my voice.
Evening and morning, and at noon I will speak and declare: and he shall hear my voice.
18 He will deliver me in peace from my conflict; For many have risen up against me.
He shall redeem my soul in peace from them that draw near to me: for among many they were with me.
19 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.
God shall hear, and the Eternal shall humble them. For there is no change with them, and they have not feared God:
20 They lift up their hands against their friend, And break their covenant with him.
He hath stretched forth his hand to repay. They have defiled his covenant,
21 Their speech was softer than butter, But war was in their heart; Their words were smoother than oil, Yet were they drawn swords.
They are divided by the wrath Of his countenance, and his heart hath drawn near. His words are smoother than oil, and the same are darts.
22 “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he will sustain thee; He will never suffer the righteous to fall!”
Cast thy care upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall not suffer the just to waver for ever.
23 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!
But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction. Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee, O Lord.
