Psalms 55
1 `In Ebreu thus, To victorie in orguns, the lernyng of Dauid. `In Jeroms translacioun thus, To the ouercomer in salmes of Dauid lernid. God, here thou my preier, and dispise thou not my biseching;
To the chief Musician. On stringed instruments: an instruction. Of David. Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication.
2 yyue thou tent to me, and here thou me. I am sorewful in myn exercising; and Y am disturblid of the face of the enemye,
Attend unto me, and answer me: I wander about in my plaint, and I moan aloud,
3 and of the tribulacioun of the synner. For thei bowiden wickidnessis in to me; and in ire thei weren diseseful to me.
Because of the voice of the enemy; because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in anger they persecute me.
4 Myn herte was disturblid in me; and the drede of deth felde on me.
My heart is writhing within me, and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.
5 Drede and trembling camen on me; and derknessis hiliden me.
Fear and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me.
6 And Y seide, Who schal yyue to me fetheris, as of a culuer; and Y schal fle, and schal take rest?
And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away, and be at rest;
7 Lo! Y yede fer awei, and fledde; and Y dwellide in wildirnesse.
Behold, I would flee afar off, I would lodge in the wilderness; (Selah)
8 I abood hym, that made me saaf fro the litilnesse, `ether drede, of spirit; and fro tempest.
I would hasten my escape from the stormy wind, from the tempest.
9 Lord, caste thou doun, departe thou the tungis of hem; for Y siy wickidnesse and ayenseiyng in the citee.
Swallow [them] up, Lord; divide their tongue: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.
10 Bi dai and nyyt wickidnesse schal cumpasse it on the wallis therof;
Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof; and iniquity and mischief are in the midst of it.
11 and trauel and vnriytfulnesse ben in the myddis therof. And vsure and gile failide not; fro the stretis therof.
Perversities are in the midst thereof; and oppression and deceit depart not from its streets.
12 For if myn enemye hadde cursid me; sotheli Y hadde suffride. And if he, that hatide me, hadde spoke greet thingis on me; in hap Y hadde hid me fro hym.
For it is not an enemy that hath reproached me — then could I have borne it; neither is it he that hateth me that hath magnified [himself] against me — then would I have hidden myself from him;
13 But thou art a man of o wille; my leeder, and my knowun.
But it was thou, a man mine equal, mine intimate, my familiar friend. ...
14 Which tokist togidere swete meetis with me; we yeden with consent in the hous of God.
We who held sweet intercourse together. To the house of God we walked amid the throng.
15 Deth come on hem; and go thei doun quyk in to helle. For weiwardnessis ben in the dwelling places of hem; in the myddis of hem. (Sheol h7585)
Let death seize upon them, let them go down alive into Sheol. For wickedness is in their dwellings, in their midst. (Sheol h7585)
16 But Y criede to thee, Lord; and the Lord sauede me.
As for me, unto God will I call; and Jehovah will save me.
17 In the euentid and morewtid and in myddai Y schal telle, and schewe; and he schal here my vois.
Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray and moan aloud; and he will hear my voice.
18 He schal ayenbie my soule in pees fro hem, that neiyen to me; for among manye thei weren with me.
He hath redeemed my soul in peace from the battle against me: for there were many about me.
19 God schal here; and he that is bifore the worldis schal make hem low. For chaungyng is not to hem, and thei dredden not God;
God will hear, and afflict them: he that is seated of old, (Selah) ...because there is no change in them, and they fear not God.
20 he holdith forth his hoond in yelding. Thei defouliden his testament,
He hath put forth his hands against such as are at peace with him; he hath profaned his covenant.
21 the cheris therof weren departid fro ire; and his herte neiyede. The wordis therof weren softer than oyle; and tho ben dartis.
Smooth were the milky [words] of his mouth, but his heart was war; his words were softer than oil, yet are they drawn swords.
22 Caste thi cure on the Lord, and he schal fulli nurische thee; and he schal not yyue with outen ende flotering to a iust man.
Cast thy burden upon Jehovah, and he will sustain thee: he will never suffer the righteous to be moved.
23 But thou, God, schalt lede hem forth; in to the pit of deth. Menquelleris and gilours schulen not haue half her daies; but, Lord, Y schal hope in thee.
And thou, O God, wilt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days. But as for me, I will confide in thee.
