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 music director. With stringed instruments. A psalm (maskil) of David. God, please hear my prayer; don't ignore my cry for help!
2 Attend to me, and answer me, I mourn in my (meditation) and make a noise,
Please listen, and give me an answer. I'm terribly troubled by my problems! I'm frantic!
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.
For my enemies are screaming at me; the wicked are intimidating me. They rain down suffering on me, angrily assaulting me in their hatred.
4 My heart is pained within me, And terrors of death have fallen on me.
My heart thumps in agony! Terrified, I feel I'm about to die!
5 Fear and trembling come in to me, And horror doth cover me.
I'm in a panic, trembling with fear; feelings of horror wash over me.
6 And I say, 'Who doth give to me a pinion as a dove? I fly away and rest,
I tell myself, If only God would give me wings like a dove so I could fly away and be at peace!
7 Lo, I move far off, I lodge in a wilderness. (Selah)
I would fly far away to escape, and stay in the wilderness. (Selah)
8 I hasten escape for myself, From a rushing wind, from a whirlwind.
I would hurry to a place to hide, out of the wind, safe from the raging storm.
9 Swallow up, O Lord, divide their tongue, For I saw violence and strife in a city.
Confuse them, Lord! Muddle what they're saying, for I see violence and conflict in the city.
10 By day and by night they go round it, on its walls. Both iniquity and perverseness [are] in its midst,
They patrol the city walls day and night, and wickedness and trouble are within the city.
11 Mischiefs [are] in its midst. Fraud and deceit depart not from its street.
The ones causing destruction are inside the city; frauds and cheats are always on the 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.
The problem is that it's not an enemy who mocks me—I could stand that. It's not someone who hates me who insults me—I could avoid them.
13 But thou, a man — as mine equal, My familiar friend, and mine acquaintance.
No, it's you, a man just like me, my best friend who I know so well!
14 When together we sweeten counsel, Into the house of God we walk in company.
Our friendship was so close. We used to have great talks together as we walked with everyone to the house of God.
15 Desolations [are] upon them, They go down [to] Sheol — alive, For wickedness [is] in their dwelling, in their midst. (Sheol h7585)
May death come quickly to them; may they go down into the grave alive, because evil finds its home in them. (Sheol h7585)
16 I — to God I call, and Jehovah saveth me.
As for me, I cry out to God, and the Lord will save me.
17 Evening, and morning, and noon, I meditate, and make a noise, and He heareth my voice,
I weep and groan morning, noon, and night, and he listens to me.
18 He hath ransomed in peace my soul From him who is near to me, For with the multitude they were with me.
He rescues me, keeping me safe and sound from my attackers, because there are so many against me.
19 God doth hear and afflict them, And He sitteth of old. (Selah) Because they have no changes, and fear not God,
God who has ruled from the beginning will hear me and answer them. (Selah) For they refuse to change and don't respect God.
20 He hath sent forth his hands against his well-wishers, He hath polluted his covenant.
As for my best friend, he attacked his friends who had no quarrel with him; he broke the promises he had made to them.
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].
What he says is as smooth as butter, but inside he plans war; his words are as soothing as oil, but they cut like sharp swords.
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.
Throw your burdens onto the Lord and he will take care of you. He will never allow those who live right to fall.
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, God, will bring down murderers and liars, throwing them into the pit of destruction before they have even lived half their lives. As for me, I will trust in you.
