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.
For the leader. With stringed instruments. A maskil of David. Listen, God, to my prayer. Don’t hide yourself from my pleading.
2 Pay attention to me and answer me; I have no rest in my troubles
Hear me, and answer; for bitter is my lament.
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.
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 My heart trembles within me, and the terrors of death have fallen on me.
My heart shudders within me, terrors of deaths press on me,
5 Fearfulness and trembling have come on me, and horror has overwhelmed me.
fear and trembling attack me, and horror wraps me round.
6 I said, “Oh, if only I had wings like a dove! Then would I fly away and be at rest.
O for the wings of a dove: I would fly away and rest.
7 See, then I would wander far away; I would stay in the wilderness. (Selah)
I would wander far away, find refuge in the wilderness. (Selah)
8 I would hurry to a shelter from the stormy wind and tempest.”
I would find myself a shelter from raging wind and tempest.
9 Devour them, Lord, confuse their language! For I have seen violence and strife in the city.
Confuse them, Lord, upset their plans; for I see 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.
By day and by night they make their rounds on the city walls, while within is crime and trouble,
11 Wickedness is in the middle of it; oppression and deceit do not leave its streets.
within is ruin. Her market-place is never free of deceit and tyranny.
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.
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 was you, a man equal to myself, my companion and my close friend.
but it was you, my equal, my dear and familiar friend.
14 We had sweet fellowship together; we walked in the house of God with the throng.
We used to be so close, together we walked in God’s house with the crowd.
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)
May death suddenly take them, may they go down to Sheol alive, for evil lives in their homes and their hearts. (Sheol h7585)
16 As for me, I will call on God, and Yahweh will save me.
But I will call on God, the Lord will save me.
17 In the evening, morning and at noonday I complain and moan; he will hear my voice.
Evening and morning and noon I lament and moan. He will hear my voice;
18 He will safely rescue my life from the battle that was against me, for those who fought against me were many.
though I am attacked by many he will rescue me, unharmed from the war.
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, who sits on his ancient throne will hear and will humble them, for they never change, they never fear God. (Selah)
20 My friend has raised his hands against those who were at peace with him; he has not respected the covenant that he had.
My friend turned against me, betrayed his word.
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 was smoother than butter, but war filled his heart. His words were softer than oil, but sharper than swords.
22 Place your burdens on Yahweh, and he will sustain you; he will never allow a righteous person to totter.
Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you. He will never let the righteous be shaken.
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 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.
