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 on Neginoth, Maschil, [A Psalm] of David. Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication.
2 Hear me, and answer; for bitter is my lament.
Attend to me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise;
3 I am wild with the noise of the foe, with the clamor of the ungodly; for they hurl disaster upon me, and attack me with fury.
Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me.
4 My heart shudders within me, terrors of deaths press on me,
My heart is severely pained within me: and the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
5 fear and trembling attack me, and horror wraps me round.
Fearfulness and trembling have come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me.
6 O for the wings of a dove: I would fly away and rest.
And I said, O that I had wings like a dove! [for then] I would fly away, and be at rest.
7 I would wander far away, find refuge in the wilderness. (Selah)
Lo, [then] I would wander far off, [and] remain in the wilderness. (Selah)
8 I would find myself a shelter from raging wind and tempest.
I would hasten my escape from the windy storm [and] tempest.
9 Confuse them, Lord, upset their plans; for I see violence and strife in the city.
Destroy, O LORD, [and] divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife 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 about it upon its walls: mischief also and sorrow [are] in the midst of it.
11 within is ruin. Her market-place is never free of deceit and tyranny.
Wickedness [is] in the midst of it: deceit and guile depart not from her streets.
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 was] not an enemy [that] reproached me; then I could have borne [it]: neither [was it] he that hated me [that] magnified [himself] against me; then I would have hid myself from him:
13 but it was you, my equal, my dear and familiar friend.
But [it was] thou, a man my equal, my guide, and my acquaintance.
14 We used to be so close, together we walked in God’s house with the crowd.
We took sweet counsel together, [and] walked to the house of God in company.
15 May death suddenly take them, may they go down to Sheol alive, for evil lives in their homes and their hearts. (Sheol h7585)
Let death seize upon them, [and] let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness [is] in their dwellings, [and] among them. (Sheol h7585)
16 But I will call on God, the Lord will save me.
As for me, I will call upon God: and the LORD will save me.
17 Evening and morning and noon I lament and moan. He will hear my voice;
Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he will hear my voice.
18 though I am attacked by many he will rescue me, unharmed from the war.
He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle [that was] against me: for there were many 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 and afflict them, even he that abideth of old. (Selah) Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God.
20 My friend turned against me, betrayed his word.
He hath put forth his hands against such as are at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant.
21 His mouth was smoother than butter, but war filled his heart. His words were softer than oil, but sharper than swords.
[The words] of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war [was] in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet [were] they drawn swords.
22 Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you. He will never let the righteous be shaken.
Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he will sustain thee: he will never suffer the righteous to be moved.
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 into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee.
