Psalms 55
1 For the leader. With stringed instruments. A maskil of David. Listen, God, to my prayer. Don’t hide yourself from my pleading.
To the Chief Musician: with stringed Instruments. A Psalm of Instruction, of David. Give ear, O God, to my prayer, And do not hide thyself from my supplication:
2 Hear me, and answer; for bitter is my lament.
Attend unto me, and answer me, I may ramble in my complaining, And be driven to and fro—
3 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.
Because of the noise of the enemy, By reason of the oppression of the lawless one, For they would let trouble drop upon me, And, in anger, would they entrap me.
4 My heart shudders within me, terrors of deaths press on me,
My heart, would writhe within me, And, the terrors of Death, have fallen upon me:
5 fear and trembling attack me, and horror wraps me round.
Fear and trembling, would enter me, And there would have overwhelmed me—a horror!
6 O for the wings of a dove: I would fly away and rest.
Then I said—Oh that there were given me a pinion, like a dove, I would fly away and be at rest:
7 I would wander far away, find refuge in the wilderness. (Selah)
Lo! I would take a distant flight, I would tarry in the wilderness. (Selah)
8 I would find myself a shelter from raging wind and tempest.
I would hasten mine escape, From rushing wind, from storm.
9 Confuse them, Lord, upset their plans; for I see violence and strife in the city.
Confuse, O My Lord, divide their speech, For I have seen violence and contention in the city;
10 By day and by night they make their rounds on the city walls, while within is crime and trouble,
Day and night, they go round her, upon her walls, And, trouble and misery, are in her midst;
11 within is ruin. Her market-place is never free of deceit and tyranny.
Engulfing ruin, is in her midst, And there depart not from her broadway, oppression and deceit.
12 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:
For it is, not an enemy, that reproacheth me, Or I could bear it, —Not one that hath hated me, who, against me, hath magnified himself, Or I might hide myself from him;
13 but it was you, my equal, my dear and familiar friend.
But it is, thou, a man esteemed as mine equal, mine associate, and mine acquaintance;
14 We used to be so close, together we walked in God’s house with the crowd.
So that together have we been wont to find sweetness in counsel, In the house of God, used we to walk in the throng.
15 May death suddenly take them, may they go down to Sheol alive, for evil lives in their homes and their hearts. (Sheol h7585)
Desolations on them! Let them go down into hades alive, For, wicked doings, are at home within them. (Sheol h7585)
16 But I will call on God, the Lord will save me.
I, unto God, will cry, —And, Yahweh, will save me.
17 Evening and morning and noon I lament and moan. He will hear my voice;
At evening and morning and high noon, have I been wont to lament and complain, And he hath heard my voice!
18 though I am attacked by many he will rescue me, unharmed from the war.
He hath completely redeemed my soul, out of the attack upon me, For, in multitudes, were they [in conflict] with me.
19 God, who sits on his ancient throne will hear and will humble them, for they never change, they never fear God. (Selah)
GOD will hear, Yea He will humble them who aforetime sat [enthroned]. (Selah) With whom are no changings, Neither have they revered God.
20 My friend turned against me, betrayed his word.
He hath thrust forth his hands, against them he was wont to salute, he hath violated his covenant;
21 His mouth was smoother than butter, but war filled his heart. His words were softer than oil, but sharper than swords.
Smoother than curds, were [the words of] his mouth, But, war, was [in] his heart, —Softer his words than oil, Yet, they, were drawn swords!
22 Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you. He will never let the righteous be shaken.
Cast upon Yahweh thy lot, and, he, will sustain thee: He will not suffer, to times age-abiding, the righteous one to be shaken.
23 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.
But, thou, O God, wilt bring them down to the pit of destruction, Men of bloodshed and deceit, shall not live out half their days; But, I, will trust in thee.
