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;
For the end, among Hymns of instruction by David. Listen, O God, to my prayer; and disregard not 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 to me, and listen to me: I was grieved in my (meditation) and troubled;
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, and because of the oppression of the sinner: for they brought iniquity against me, and were wrathfully angry with me.
4 Myn herte was disturblid in me; and the drede of deth felde on me.
My heart was troubled within me; and the fear of death fell upon me.
5 Drede and trembling camen on me; and derknessis hiliden me.
Fear and trembling came upon me, and darkness covered 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, O that I had wings as [those] of a dove! then would I flee away, and be at rest.
7 Lo! Y yede fer awei, and fledde; and Y dwellide in wildirnesse.
Behold! I have fled afar off, and lodged in the wilderness. (Pause)
8 I abood hym, that made me saaf fro the litilnesse, `ether drede, of spirit; and fro tempest.
I waited for him that should deliver me from distress of spirit and tempest.
9 Lord, caste thou doun, departe thou the tungis of hem; for Y siy wickidnesse and ayenseiyng in the citee.
Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen iniquity and gain saying in the city.
10 Bi dai and nyyt wickidnesse schal cumpasse it on the wallis therof;
Day and night he shall go round about it upon its walls: iniquity and sorrow and unrighteousness [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.
and usury and craft have not failed 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 if an enemy had reproached me, I would have endured it; and if one who hated [me] had spoken vauntingly against me, I would have hid myself from him.
13 But thou art a man of o wille; my leeder, and my knowun.
But you, O man like minded, my guide, and my acquaintance,
14 Which tokist togidere swete meetis with me; we yeden with consent in the hous of God.
who in companionship with me sweetened [our] food: we walked in the house of God in concord.
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 come upon them, and let them go down alive into Hades, for iniquity is in their dwellings, in the midst of them. (Sheol h7585)
16 But Y criede to thee, Lord; and the Lord sauede me.
I cried to God, and the Lord listened to 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 I will declare and make known [my wants]: and he shall 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 shall deliver my soul in peace from them that draw near to me: for they were with me in many [cases].
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 shall hear, and bring them low, [even] he that has existed from eternity. (Pause) For they suffer no reverse, and [therefore] they have not feared God.
20 he holdith forth his hoond in yelding. Thei defouliden his testament,
He has reached forth his hand for retribution; they have 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.
They were scattered at the anger of his countenance, and his heart drew near them. His words were smoother than oil, yet are they darts.
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 your care upon the Lord, and he shall sustain you; he shall 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.
But you, O God, shall bring them down to the pit of destruction; bloody and crafty men shall not live out half their days; but I will hope in you, O Lord.
