Psalms 55
1 For the Chief Musician; on stringed instruments. Maschil of David. Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication.
To the Overseer with stringed instruments. — An instruction, by David. Give ear, O God, [to] my prayer, And hide not from my supplication.
2 Attend unto me, and answer me: I am restless in my complaint, and moan;
Attend to me, and answer me, I mourn in my (meditation) and make a noise,
3 Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked; for they cast iniquity upon me, and in anger they persecute me.
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.
4 My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.
My heart is pained within me, And terrors of death have fallen on me.
5 Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me.
Fear and trembling come in to me, And horror doth cover me.
6 And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! then would I fly away, and be at rest.
And I say, 'Who doth give to me a pinion as a dove? I fly away and rest,
7 Lo, then would I wander far off, I would lodge in the wilderness. (Selah)
Lo, I move far off, I lodge in a wilderness. (Selah)
8 I would haste me to a shelter from the stormy wind and tempest.
I hasten escape for myself, From a rushing wind, from a whirlwind.
9 Destroy, O Lord, [and] divide their tongue: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.
Swallow up, O Lord, divide their tongue, For I saw violence and strife in a city.
10 Day and night they go about upon the walls thereof: iniquity also and mischief are in the midst of it.
By day and by night they go round it, on its walls. Both iniquity and perverseness [are] in its midst,
11 Wickedness is in the midst thereof: oppression and guile depart not from her streets.
Mischiefs [are] in its midst. Fraud and deceit depart not from its street.
12 For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him:
For an enemy reproacheth me not, or I bear [it], He who is hating me Hath not magnified himself against me, Or I hide from him.
13 But it was thou, a man mine equal, my companion, and my familiar friend.
But thou, a man — as mine equal, My familiar friend, and mine acquaintance.
14 We took sweet counsel together, we walked in the house of God with the throng.
When together we sweeten counsel, Into the house of God we walk in company.
15 Let death come suddenly upon them, let them go down alive into the pit: for wickedness is in their dwelling, in the midst of them. (Sheol h7585)
Desolations [are] upon them, They go down [to] Sheol — alive, For wickedness [is] in their dwelling, in their midst. (Sheol h7585)
16 As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.
I — to God I call, and Jehovah saveth me.
17 Evening, and morning, and at noonday, will I complain, and moan: and he shall hear my voice.
Evening, and morning, and noon, I meditate, and make a noise, and He heareth my voice,
18 He hath redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for they were many [that strove] with me.
He hath ransomed in peace my soul From him who is near to me, For with the multitude they were with me.
19 God shall hear, and answer them, even he that abideth of old, (Selah) [the men] who have no changes, and who fear not God.
God doth hear and afflict them, And He sitteth of old. (Selah) Because they have no changes, and fear not God,
20 He hath put forth his hands against such as were at peace with him: he hath profaned his covenant.
He hath sent forth his hands against his well-wishers, He hath polluted his covenant.
21 His mouth was smooth as butter, but his heart was war: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.
Sweeter than honey hath been his mouth, And his heart [is] war! Softer have been his words than oil, And they [are] drawn [swords].
22 Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
Cast on Jehovah that which He hath given thee, And He doth sustain thee, He doth not suffer for ever the moving of the righteous.
23 But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee.
And Thou, O God, dost bring them down To a pit of destruction, Men of blood and deceit reach not to half their days, And I — I do trust in Thee!
