Psalms 55
1 For the chief musician; on stringed instruments. A maschil of David. Give ear to my prayer, God; and do not hide yourself from my plea.
“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 Pay attention to me and answer me; I have no rest in my troubles
Listen unto me, and answer me: I mourn in my grief, and moan;
3 because of the voice of my enemies, because of the oppression of the wicked; for they bring trouble on me and persecute me in anger.
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 trembles within me, and the terrors of death have fallen on me.
My heart is sorely pained within me, and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.
5 Fearfulness and trembling have come on me, and horror has overwhelmed me.
Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and shuddering hath covered me.
6 I said, “Oh, if only I had wings like a dove! Then would I 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 See, then I would wander far away; I would stay in the wilderness. (Selah)
Lo, I would flee far away, I would spend my night in the wilderness. (Selah)
8 I would hurry to a shelter from the stormy wind and tempest.”
I would prepare hastily a refuge for me from the sweeping wind [and] from storm.
9 Devour them, Lord, confuse their language! For I have seen violence and strife 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 about on its walls; iniquity and mischief are in the middle of it.
Day and night do these encompass it upon her walls: and wrong and trouble are in her midst.
11 Wickedness is in the middle of it; oppression and deceit do not leave its streets.
Mischief is in her midst: guile and deceit depart not from her streets.
12 For it was not an enemy who rebuked me, then I could have borne it; neither was it he who hated me who raised himself up against me, then I would have hidden 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 was you, a man equal to myself, my companion and my close friend.
But it is thou, a man my equal, my guide, and my acquaintance;
14 We had sweet fellowship together; we walked in the house of God with the throng.
So that we took sweet secret counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in tumultuous company.
15 Let death come suddenly on them; let them go down alive to Sheol, for wickedness is where they live, right among 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 As for me, I will call on God, and Yahweh will save me.
I, however, will call on God: and the Lord will save me.
17 In the evening, morning and at noonday I complain and moan; he will hear my voice.
At evening and morning and noon will I make my complaint and moan: and he heareth my voice.—
18 He will safely rescue my life from the battle that was against me, for those who fought against me were many.
He delivereth my soul in peace from the battle against me; for in multitudes are they [contending] with me.
19 God, the one who rules from eternity, will hear them and humiliate them. (Selah) They never change, and they do not fear 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 My friend has raised his hands against those who were at peace with him; he has not respected the covenant that he had.
He stretcheth out his hands against those at peace with him: he violateth his covenant.
21 His mouth was smooth as butter, but his heart was hostile; his words were softer than oil, yet they were actually 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 Place your burdens on Yahweh, and he will sustain you; he will never allow a righteous person to totter.
Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he will sustain thee: he will never suffer the righteous to be moved.
23 But you, God, will bring the wicked down into the pit of destruction; bloodthirsty and deceitful men will not live even half as long as others, but I will trust in you.
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.
