Psalms 55
1 God, listen to my prayer, and do not turn away from me while I am pleading with you.
For the leader. With stringed instruments. A maskil of David. Listen, God, to my prayer. Don’t hide yourself from my pleading.
2 Listen to me, and answer me, because I am overwhelmed by [all] my troubles.
Hear me, and answer; for bitter is my lament.
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.
I am wild with the noise of the foe, with the clamor of the ungodly; for they hurl disaster upon me, and attack me with fury.
4 I am terrified, and I am very much afraid that I will die.
My heart shudders within me, terrors of deaths press on me,
5 I am very fearful and I tremble/shake, and I am completely terrified.
fear and trembling attack me, and horror wraps me round.
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.
O for the wings of a dove: I would fly away and rest.
7 I would fly far away and live in the desert.
I would wander far away, find refuge 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 find myself a shelter from raging 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].
Confuse them, Lord, upset their plans; for I see 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.
By day and by night they make their rounds on the city walls, while within is crime and trouble,
11 They destroy [things] everywhere. They oppress and defraud [people] in the (marketplaces/public squares).
within is ruin. Her market-place is never free of deceit and tyranny.
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.
The taunts were not those of a foe that I could have borne; the disdain was not that of an enemy I could have shunned them:
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 you, my equal, my dear and familiar friend.
14 We previously had many good talks together; we walked around together in God’s temple.
We used to be so close, together we walked in God’s house with the crowd.
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)
May death suddenly take them, may they go down to Sheol alive, for evil lives in their homes and their hearts. (Sheol h7585)
16 But I [will] ask Yahweh, [my] God, to help me, and he will save me.
But I will call on God, the Lord 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 noon I lament and moan. 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.
though I am attacked by many he will rescue me, unharmed from the war.
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, who sits on his ancient throne will hear and will humble them, for they never change, they never fear God. (Selah)
20 My companion, [whom I mentioned previously], betrayed his friends and broke the agreement that he made with them.
My friend turned against me, betrayed his word.
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 smoother than butter, but war filled his heart. His words were softer than oil, but sharper than 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 your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you. He will never let the righteous be shaken.
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 you, God, will hurl them down to the deepest pit. Bloody and treacherous people will not live out half their days; but I will trust you.
