< 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 OVERSEER. WITH STRINGED INSTRUMENTS. AN INSTRUCTION OF DAVID. Give ear, O God, [to] my prayer, And do not hide from my supplication.
2 Pay attention to me and answer me; I have no rest in my troubles
Attend to me, and answer me, I mourn in my (meditation) and make a noise,
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 an enemy, Because of the oppression of the wicked, For they cause sorrow to move against me, And in anger they hate me.
4 My heart trembles within me, and the terrors of death have fallen on me.
My heart is pained within me, And terrors of death have fallen on me.
5 Fearfulness and trembling have come on me, and horror has overwhelmed me.
Fear and trembling come to me, And horror covers me.
6 I said, “Oh, if only I had wings like a dove! Then would I fly away and be at rest.
And I say, “Who gives to me a pinion as a dove?” I fly away and rest,
7 See, then I would wander far away; I would stay in the wilderness. (Selah)
Behold, I move far off, I lodge in a wilderness. (Selah)
8 I would hurry to a shelter from the stormy wind and tempest.”
I hurry escape for myself, From a rushing wind, from a whirlwind.
9 Devour them, Lord, confuse their language! For I have seen violence and strife in the city.
Swallow up, O Lord, divide their tongue, For I saw violence and strife in a city.
10 Day and night they go about on its walls; iniquity and mischief are in the middle of it.
By day and by night they go around it, on its walls. Both iniquity and perverseness [are] in its midst,
11 Wickedness is in the middle of it; oppression and deceit do not leave its streets.
Mischiefs [are] in its midst. Fraud and deceit do not depart from its street.
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 an enemy does not reproach me, or I bear [it], He who is hating me Has not magnified himself against me, Or I hide from him.
13 But it was you, a man equal to myself, my companion and my close friend.
But you, a man—as my equal, My familiar friend, and my acquaintance.
14 We had sweet fellowship together; we walked in the house of God with the throng.
When together we sweeten counsel, We walk into the house of God in 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 )
Desolations [are] on them, They go down [to] Sheol—alive, For wickedness [is] in their dwelling, in their midst. (Sheol )
16 As for me, I will call on God, and Yahweh will save me.
I call to God, and YHWH saves me.
17 In the evening, morning and at noonday I complain and moan; he will hear my voice.
Evening, and morning, and noon, I meditate, and make a noise, and He hears 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 has ransomed my soul in peace From him who is near to me, For with the multitude they were 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 hears and afflicts them, And He sits of old. (Selah) Because they have no changes, and do not fear 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 has sent forth his hands against his well-wishers, He has defiled 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.
His mouth has been sweeter than honey, And his heart [is] war! His words have been softer than oil, And they [are] drawn [swords].
22 Place your burdens on Yahweh, and he will sustain you; he will never allow a righteous person to totter.
Cast on YHWH that which He has given you, And He sustains you, He does not permit the moving of the righteous forever.
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.
And You, O God, bring them down To a pit of destruction, Men of blood and deceit do not reach to half their days, And I trust in You!