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 leader of the music. To be sung on stringed instruments. A psalm of David.” Give ear to my prayer, O God! 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 hear me! I wander about mourning and wailing,
3 and of the tribulacioun of the synner. For thei bowiden wickidnessis in to me; and in ire thei weren diseseful to me.
On account of the clamors of the enemy, On account of the violence of the wicked. For they bring evil upon me, And in wrath set themselves against me.
4 Myn herte was disturblid in me; and the drede of deth felde on me.
My heart trembleth in my bosom, And the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
5 Drede and trembling camen on me; and derknessis hiliden me.
Fear and trembling have seized 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?
Then I say, O that I had wings like a dove! For then would I fly away, and be at rest.
7 Lo! Y yede fer awei, and fledde; and Y dwellide in wildirnesse.
Behold, I would wander far away, And take up my abode in a wilderness. (Pause)
8 I abood hym, that made me saaf fro the litilnesse, `ether drede, of spirit; and fro tempest.
I would hasten away to a shelter From the rushing wind and tempest.
9 Lord, caste thou doun, departe thou the tungis of hem; for Y siy wickidnesse and ayenseiyng in the citee.
Confound, O Lord! divide their counsels! For I behold violence and strife in the city.
10 Bi dai and nyyt wickidnesse schal cumpasse it on the wallis therof;
Day and night do these go about its walls; In the midst of it are iniquity and mischief.
11 and trauel and vnriytfulnesse ben in the myddis therof. And vsure and gile failide not; fro the stretis therof.
Wickedness is in the midst of it; Oppression and fraud 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.
It was not an enemy that reviled me, Then I could have borne it; Nor one that hated me, who rose up against me; From him I could have hid myself.
13 But thou art a man of o wille; my leeder, and my knowun.
But it was thou, a man my equal, My friend, and my acquaintance.
14 Which tokist togidere swete meetis with me; we yeden with consent in the hous of God.
We held sweet converse together, And walked to the house of God in company.
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)
May sudden death seize upon them! May they go down to the underworld alive! For wickedness is in their dwellings, in the midst of them. (Sheol h7585)
16 But Y criede to thee, Lord; and the Lord sauede me.
As for me, I will call upon God, 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.
At evening, at morn, and at noon I mourn and sigh, 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 will deliver me in peace from my conflict; For many have risen up against 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 me, and bring them down, —He that hath been judge of old. (Pause) Because they have no changes, Therefore they fear not God.
20 he holdith forth his hoond in yelding. Thei defouliden his testament,
They lift up their hands against their friend, And break their covenant with him.
21 the cheris therof weren departid fro ire; and his herte neiyede. The wordis therof weren softer than oyle; and tho ben dartis.
Their speech was softer than butter, But war was in their heart; Their words were smoother than oil, Yet were 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 the LORD, and he will sustain thee; He will never suffer the righteous to fall!”
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.
Yea, thou, O God! wilt bring them down into the lowest pit! Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days. But I will trust in thee!
