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 Neginoth, a Maskil of David.” Give ear, O God, to my prayer, 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—
Listen unto me, and answer me: I mourn in my grief, and moan;
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 wrong upon me, and in wrath they attack me.
4 My heart, would writhe within me, And, the terrors of Death, have fallen upon me:
My heart is sorely pained 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!
Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and shuddering hath covered 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 some one would give me wings like a dove! I would fly away and dwell [quietly].
7 Lo! I would take a distant flight, I would tarry in the wilderness. (Selah)
Lo, I would flee far away, I would spend my night in the wilderness. (Selah)
8 I would hasten mine escape, From rushing wind, from storm.
I would prepare hastily a refuge for me from the sweeping wind [and] from storm.
9 Confuse, O My Lord, divide their speech, For I have seen violence and contention in the city;
Destroy, O 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 do these encompass it upon her walls: and wrong and trouble are in her midst.
11 Engulfing ruin, is in her midst, And there depart not from her broadway, oppression and deceit.
Mischief is in her midst: guile and deceit depart not from her 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 reproached me; then I could bear it: not he that hateth me hath magnified himself against me; then I would have hidden myself from him;
13 But it is, thou, a man esteemed as mine equal, mine associate, and mine acquaintance;
But it is thou, a man my equal, my guide, and my acquaintance;
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.
So that we took sweet secret counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in tumultuous company.
15 Desolations on them! Let them go down into hades alive, For, wicked doings, are at home within them. (Sheol h7585)
Let him dispense death over them; let them go down alive into the nether world; for evil is in their dwelling, in the midst of them. (Sheol h7585)
16 I, unto God, will cry, —And, Yahweh, will save me.
I, however, will call on God: and the Lord 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!
At evening and morning and noon will I make my complaint and moan: and he heareth 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 delivereth my soul in peace from the battle against me; for in multitudes are they [contending] 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 will hear, and humble them—yea, he that sitteth enthroned from the oldest time Selah—those who dread no changes, and fear not God.
20 He hath thrust forth his hands, against them he was wont to salute, he hath violated his covenant;
He stretcheth out his hands against those at peace with him: he violateth 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!
The creamy words of his mouth are smooth, yet there is war [in] his heart; his words are 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 the Lord, 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.
But thou, O God, thou wilt bring them down into the pit of destruction: let not the men of blood and deceit live out half their days; but I will indeed trust in thee.
