Psalms 55
1 To the Overseer with stringed instruments. — An instruction, by David. Give ear, O God, [to] my prayer, And hide not from my supplication.
For the end, amongst Hymns of instruction by David. Listen, O God, to my prayer; and disregard not my supplication.
2 Attend to me, and answer me, I mourn in my (meditation) and make a noise,
Attend to me, and listen to me: I was grieved in my (meditation) and troubled;
3 Because of the voice of an enemy, Because of the oppression of the wicked, For they cause sorrow to move against me, And in anger they hate 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 My heart is pained within me, And terrors of death have fallen on me.
My heart was troubled within me; and the fear of death fell upon me.
5 Fear and trembling come in to me, And horror doth cover me.
Fear and trembling came upon me, and darkness covered me.
6 And I say, 'Who doth give to me a pinion as a dove? I fly away and 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, I move far off, I lodge in a wilderness. (Selah)
Behold! I have fled afar off, and lodged in the wilderness. (Pause)
8 I hasten escape for myself, From a rushing wind, from a whirlwind.
I waited for him that should deliver me from distress of spirit and tempest.
9 Swallow up, O Lord, divide their tongue, For I saw violence and strife in a city.
Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen iniquity and gain saying in the city.
10 By day and by night they go round it, on its walls. Both iniquity and perverseness [are] in its midst,
Day and night he shall go round about it upon its walls: iniquity and sorrow and unrighteousness [are] in the midst of it;
11 Mischiefs [are] in its midst. Fraud and deceit depart not from its street.
and usury and craft have not failed from its streets.
12 For an enemy reproacheth me not, or I bear [it], He who is hating me Hath not magnified himself against me, Or I hide from him.
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, a man — as mine equal, My familiar friend, and mine acquaintance.
But you, O man like minded, my guide, and my acquaintance,
14 When together we sweeten counsel, Into the house of God we walk in company.
who in companionship with me sweetened [our] food: we walked in the house of God in concord.
15 Desolations [are] upon them, They go down [to] Sheol — alive, For wickedness [is] in their dwelling, in their midst. (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 I — to God I call, and Jehovah saveth me.
I cried to God, and the Lord listened to me.
17 Evening, and morning, and noon, I meditate, and make a noise, and He heareth my voice,
Evening, and morning, and at noon I will declare and make known [my wants]: and he shall hear my voice.
18 He hath ransomed in peace my soul From him who is near to me, For with the multitude they were 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 doth hear and afflict them, And He sitteth of old. (Selah) Because they have no changes, and fear 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 hath sent forth his hands against his well-wishers, He hath polluted his covenant.
He has reached forth his hand for retribution; they have profaned his covenant.
21 Sweeter than honey hath been his mouth, And his heart [is] war! Softer have been his words than oil, And they [are] drawn [swords].
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 Cast on Jehovah that which He hath given thee, And He doth sustain thee, He doth not suffer for ever the moving of the righteous.
Cast your care upon the Lord, and he shall sustain you; he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
23 And Thou, O God, dost bring them down To a pit of destruction, Men of blood and deceit reach not to half their days, And I — I do trust 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.
