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: with stringed Instruments. A Psalm of Instruction, of David. Give ear, O God, to my prayer, And do not hide thyself from my supplication:
2 Pay attention to me and answer me; I have no rest in my troubles
Attend unto me, and answer me, I may ramble in my complaining, And be driven to and fro—
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 noise of the enemy, By reason of the oppression of the lawless one, For they would let trouble drop upon me, And, in anger, would they entrap me.
4 My heart trembles within me, and the terrors of death have fallen on me.
My heart, would writhe within me, And, the terrors of Death, have fallen upon me:
5 Fearfulness and trembling have come on me, and horror has overwhelmed me.
Fear and trembling, would enter me, And there would have overwhelmed me—a horror!
6 I said, “Oh, if only I had wings like a dove! Then would I fly away and be at rest.
Then I said—Oh that there were given me a pinion, like a dove, I would fly away and be at rest:
7 See, then I would wander far away; I would stay in the wilderness. (Selah)
Lo! I would take a distant flight, I would tarry in the wilderness. (Selah)
8 I would hurry to a shelter from the stormy wind and tempest.”
I would hasten mine escape, From rushing wind, from storm.
9 Devour them, Lord, confuse their language! For I have seen violence and strife in the city.
Confuse, O My Lord, divide their speech, For I have seen violence and contention 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, they go round her, upon her walls, And, trouble and misery, are in her midst;
11 Wickedness is in the middle of it; oppression and deceit do not leave its streets.
Engulfing ruin, is in her midst, And there depart not from her broadway, oppression and deceit.
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 reproacheth me, Or I could bear it, —Not one that hath hated me, who, against me, hath magnified himself, Or I might hide 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 esteemed as mine equal, mine associate, and mine acquaintance;
14 We had sweet fellowship together; we walked in the house of God with the throng.
So that together have we been wont to find sweetness in counsel, In the house of God, used we to walk in the throng.
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)
Desolations on them! Let them go down into hades alive, For, wicked doings, are at home within them. (Sheol h7585)
16 As for me, I will call on God, and Yahweh will save me.
I, unto God, will cry, —And, Yahweh, 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 high noon, have I been wont to lament and complain, And he hath heard 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 hath completely redeemed my soul, out of the attack upon me, For, in multitudes, were they [in conflict] 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, Yea He will humble them who aforetime sat [enthroned]. (Selah) With whom are no changings, Neither have they revered 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 hath thrust forth his hands, against them he was wont to salute, he hath violated 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.
Smoother than curds, were [the words of] his mouth, But, war, was [in] his heart, —Softer his words than oil, Yet, they, were drawn swords!
22 Place your burdens on Yahweh, and he will sustain you; he will never allow a righteous person to totter.
Cast upon Yahweh thy lot, and, he, will sustain thee: He will not suffer, to times age-abiding, the righteous one to 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, thou, O God, wilt bring them down to the pit of destruction, Men of bloodshed and deceit, shall not live out half their days; But, I, will trust in thee.
