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!
For the leader. With stringed instruments. A maskil of David. Listen, God, to my prayer. Don’t hide yourself from my pleading.
2 Attend unto me, and hear me! I wander about mourning and wailing,
Hear me, and answer; for bitter is my lament.
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.
I am wild with the noise of the foe, with the clamour of the ungodly; for they hurl disaster upon me, and attack me with fury.
4 My heart trembleth in my bosom, And the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
My heart shudders within me, terrors of deaths press on me,
5 Fear and trembling have seized me, And horror hath overwhelmed me.
fear and trembling attack me, and horror wraps me round.
6 Then I say, O that I had wings like a dove! For then would I fly away, and be at rest.
O for the wings of a dove: I would fly away and rest.
7 Behold, I would wander far away, And take up my abode in a wilderness. (Pause)
I would wander far away, find refuge in the wilderness. (Selah)
8 I would hasten away to a shelter From the rushing wind and tempest.
I would find myself a shelter from raging wind and tempest.
9 Confound, O Lord! divide their counsels! For I behold violence and strife in the city.
Confuse them, Lord, upset their plans; for I see violence and strife in the city.
10 Day and night do these go about its walls; In the midst of it are iniquity and mischief.
By day and by night they make their rounds on the city walls, while within is crime and trouble,
11 Wickedness is in the midst of it; Oppression and fraud depart not from its streets.
within is ruin. Her market-place is never free of deceit and tyranny.
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.
The taunts were not those of a foe that I could have borne; the disdain was not that of an enemy I could have shunned them:
13 But it was thou, a man my equal, My friend, and my acquaintance.
but it was you, my equal, my dear and familiar friend.
14 We held sweet converse together, And walked to the house of God in company.
We used to be so close, together we walked in God’s house with the crowd.
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)
May death suddenly take them, may they go down to Sheol alive, for evil lives in their homes and their hearts. (Sheol h7585)
16 As for me, I will call upon God, And Jehovah will save me.
But I will call on God, 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 noon I lament and moan. He will hear my voice;
18 He will deliver me in peace from my conflict; For many have risen up against me.
though I am attacked by many he will rescue me, unharmed from the war.
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, who sits on his ancient throne will hear and will humble them, for they never change, they never fear God. (Selah)
20 They lift up their hands against their friend, And break their covenant with him.
My friend turned against me, betrayed his word.
21 Their speech was softer than butter, But war was in their heart; Their words were smoother than oil, Yet were they drawn swords.
His mouth was smoother than butter, but war filled his heart. His words were softer than oil, but sharper than swords.
22 “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he will sustain thee; He will never suffer the righteous to fall!”
Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you. He will never let the righteous be shaken.
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 you, God, will hurl them down to the deepest pit. Bloody and treacherous people will not live out half their days; but I will trust you.
