Psalms 55
1 God, listen to my prayer, and do not turn away from me while I am pleading with you.
Give ear to my prayer, O God, and hide not thyself from my supplication.
2 Listen to me, and answer me, because I am overwhelmed by [all] my troubles.
Attend to me, and answer me. I am restless in my complaint, and moan,
3 My enemies cause me to be terrified; wicked people oppress me. They cause me to have great troubles; they are angry with me, and they hate 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 I am terrified, and I am very much afraid that I will die.
My heart is greatly pained within me, and the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
5 I am very fearful and I tremble/shake, and I am completely terrified.
Fearfulness and trembling have come upon me, and horror has overwhelmed me.
6 I said, “I wish that I had wings like a dove! If I had wings, I would fly away and find a place to rest.
And I said, O that I had wings like a dove! Then I would fly away, and be at rest.
7 I would fly far away and live in the desert.
Lo, then I would wander far off. I would lodge in the wilderness. (Selah)
8 I would quickly find a shelter from [my enemies] [who are like] [MET] a strong wind and rainstorm.”
I would hasten myself to a shelter from the stormy wind and tempest.
9 Lord, confuse my enemies, and cause their plans to fail, because I see them acting violently and causing strife in the city [of Jerusalem].
Destroy, O Lord, divide their tongue, for I have seen violence and strife in the city.
10 During [each] day and night they march around on top of its walls, committing crimes and causing trouble.
Day and night they go about it, upon the walls of it. Iniquity and mischief also are in the midst of it.
11 They destroy [things] everywhere. They oppress and defraud [people] in the (marketplaces/public squares).
Wickedness is in the midst of it. Oppression and deceit depart not from its streets.
12 If it were an enemy who was making fun of me, I could endure it. If it were someone who hates me, who despises me, I could hide from him.
For it was not an enemy who reproached me. Then I could have borne it. Neither was it he who hated me that magnified himself against me. Then I would have hid myself from him.
13 But it is someone who is just like me, my companion, someone who was my friend [who is doing this to me].
But it was thou, a man my equal, my companion, and my familiar friend.
14 We previously had many good talks together; we walked around together in God’s temple.
We took sweet counsel together. We walked in the house of God with the throng.
15 I desire/hope that my enemies will die suddenly; while they are still young, cause them to go down to the place where the dead people are. They they think evil things. (Sheol h7585)
Let death come suddenly upon them. Let them go down alive into Sheol. For wickedness is in their dwelling, in the midst of them. (Sheol h7585)
16 But I [will] ask Yahweh, [my] God, to help me, and he will save me.
As for me, I will call upon God, and Jehovah will save me.
17 [Each] morning and [each] noontime and [each] evening I tell him what I am concerned about, and I moan, and he hears my voice.
Evening, and morning, and at noonday, I will complain and moan. And he will hear my voice.
18 I have [very] many enemies, but he will rescue me and bring me back safely from the battles that I fight.
He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me, for there were many by me.
19 God is the one who has ruled everything forever, and he will listen to me. He will cause my enemies to be [defeated and] disgraced, because they do not change their evil behavior and they do not revere God.
God will hear, and respond to them, (even he who abides of old), (Selah) men who have no changes, and who fear not God.
20 My companion, [whom I mentioned previously], betrayed his friends and broke the agreement that he made with them.
He has put forth his hands against such as were at peace with him. He has profaned his covenant.
21 What he said was [easy to listen to, like] butter [is easy to swallow] [MET], but in his inner being he hated people; his words were [soothing] like [olive] oil, [but they hurt people like] sharp swords do [MET].
His mouth was smooth as butter, but his heart was war. His words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords.
22 Put your troubles in Yahweh’s hands, and he will take care of you; he will never allow righteous [people] to experience disasters.
(Cast thy burden upon Jehovah, and he will sustain thee. He will never allow the righteous man to be moved.)
23 God, you will cause murderers [MTY] and liars to die before they have lived half as long as they expect to live; but [as for me], I will trust in you.
But thou, O God, will 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.
