Psalms 55
1 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:
To the chief Musician. On stringed instruments: an instruction. Of David. Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication.
2 Attend unto me, and answer me, I may ramble in my complaining, And be driven to and fro—
Attend unto me, and answer me: I wander about in my plaint, and I moan aloud,
3 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.
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.
4 My heart, would writhe within me, And, the terrors of Death, have fallen upon me:
My heart is writhing within me, and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.
5 Fear and trembling, would enter me, And there would have overwhelmed me—a horror!
Fear and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me.
6 Then I said—Oh that there were given me a pinion, like a dove, I would fly away and be at rest:
And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away, and be at rest;
7 Lo! I would take a distant flight, I would tarry in the wilderness. (Selah)
Behold, I would flee afar off, I would lodge in the wilderness; (Selah)
8 I would hasten mine escape, From rushing wind, from storm.
I would hasten my escape from the stormy wind, from the tempest.
9 Confuse, O My Lord, divide their speech, For I have seen violence and contention in the city;
Swallow [them] up, Lord; divide their tongue: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.
10 Day and night, they go round her, upon her walls, And, trouble and misery, are in her midst;
Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof; and iniquity and mischief are in the midst of it.
11 Engulfing ruin, is in her midst, And there depart not from her broadway, oppression and deceit.
Perversities are in the midst thereof; and oppression and deceit depart not from its streets.
12 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;
For it is not an enemy that hath reproached me — then could I have borne it; neither is it he that hateth me that hath magnified [himself] against me — then would I have hidden myself from him;
13 But it is, thou, a man esteemed as mine equal, mine associate, and mine acquaintance;
But it was thou, a man mine equal, mine intimate, my familiar friend. ...
14 So that together have we been wont to find sweetness in counsel, In the house of God, used we to walk in the throng.
We who held sweet intercourse together. To the house of God we walked amid the throng.
15 Desolations on them! Let them go down into hades alive, For, wicked doings, are at home within them. (Sheol h7585)
Let death seize upon them, let them go down alive into Sheol. For wickedness is in their dwellings, in their midst. (Sheol h7585)
16 I, unto God, will cry, —And, Yahweh, will save me.
As for me, unto God will I call; and Jehovah will save me.
17 At evening and morning and high noon, have I been wont to lament and complain, And he hath heard my voice!
Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray and moan aloud; and he will hear my voice.
18 He hath completely redeemed my soul, out of the attack upon me, For, in multitudes, were they [in conflict] with me.
He hath redeemed my soul in peace from the battle against me: for there were many about me.
19 GOD will hear, Yea He will humble them who aforetime sat [enthroned]. (Selah) With whom are no changings, Neither have they revered God.
God will hear, and afflict them: he that is seated of old, (Selah) ...because there is no change in them, and they fear not God.
20 He hath thrust forth his hands, against them he was wont to salute, he hath violated his covenant;
He hath put forth his hands against such as are at peace with him; he hath profaned his covenant.
21 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!
Smooth were the milky [words] of his mouth, but his heart was war; his words were softer than oil, yet are they drawn swords.
22 Cast upon Yahweh thy lot, and, he, will sustain thee: He will not suffer, to times age-abiding, the righteous one to be shaken.
Cast thy burden upon Jehovah, and he will sustain thee: he will never suffer the righteous to be moved.
23 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.
And thou, O God, wilt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days. But as for me, I will confide in thee.
