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 him that excelleth on Neginoth. A Psalme of David to give instruction. Heare my prayer, O God, and hide not thy selfe from my supplication.
2 Attend unto me, and answer me, I may ramble in my complaining, And be driven to and fro—
Hearken vnto me, and answere me: I mourne in my prayer, and make a noyse,
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.
For the voyce of the enemie, and for the vexation of ye wicked, because they haue brought iniquitie vpon me, and furiously hate me.
4 My heart, would writhe within me, And, the terrors of Death, have fallen upon me:
Mine heart trembleth within mee, and the terrours of death are fallen vpon me.
5 Fear and trembling, would enter me, And there would have overwhelmed me—a horror!
Feare and trembling are come vpon mee, and an horrible feare hath couered 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 doue: then would I flie away and rest.
7 Lo! I would take a distant flight, I would tarry in the wilderness. (Selah)
Beholde, I woulde take my flight farre off, and lodge in the wildernes. (Selah)
8 I would hasten mine escape, From rushing wind, from storm.
Hee would make haste for my deliuerance from the stormie winde and tempest.
9 Confuse, O My Lord, divide their speech, For I have seen violence and contention in the city;
Destroy, O Lord, and deuide their tongues: for I haue seene crueltie and strife in the citie.
10 Day and night, they go round her, upon her walls, And, trouble and misery, are in her midst;
Day and night they goe about it vpon the walles thereof: both iniquitie and mischiefe are in the middes of it.
11 Engulfing ruin, is in her midst, And there depart not from her broadway, oppression and deceit.
Wickednes is in the middes thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her streetes.
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;
Surely mine enemie did not defame mee: for I could haue borne it: neither did mine aduersarie exalt himselfe against mee: for I would haue hid me from him.
13 But it is, thou, a man esteemed as mine equal, mine associate, and mine acquaintance;
But it was thou, O man, euen my companion, my guide and my familiar:
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.
Which delited in consulting together, and went into the House of God as companions.
15 Desolations on them! Let them go down into hades alive, For, wicked doings, are at home within them. (Sheol h7585)
Let death sense vpon them: let them goe downe quicke into the graue: for wickednes is in their dwellings, euen in the middes of them. (Sheol h7585)
16 I, unto God, will cry, —And, Yahweh, will save me.
But I will call vnto God, and the Lord will saue me.
17 At evening and morning and high noon, have I been wont to lament and complain, And he hath heard my voice!
Euening and morning, and at noone will I pray, and make a noyse, and he wil heare 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 deliuered my soule in peace from the battel, that was against me: for many were with 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 shall heare and afflict them, euen hee that reigneth of olde, (Selah) because they haue no changes, therefore they feare not God.
20 He hath thrust forth his hands, against them he was wont to salute, he hath violated his covenant;
Hee layed his hande vpon such, as be at peace with him, and he brake his couenant.
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!
The wordes of his mouth were softer then butter, yet warre was in his heart: his words were more gentle then oyle, yet they were swordes.
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 vpon the Lord, and hee shall nourish thee: he wil not suffer the righteous to fall for euer.
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, shalt bring them downe into the pitte of corruption: the bloudie, and deceitfull men shall not liue halfe their dayes: but I will trust in thee.
