Psalms 55

1 Unto the end, in verses, understanding for David. Hear, O God, my prayer, and despise not my supplication:

“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 Be attentive to me and hear me. I am grieved in my exercise; and am troubled,

Attend unto me, and hear me! I wander about mourning and wailing,

3 At the voice of the enemy, and at the tribulation of the sinner. For they have cast iniquities upon me: and in wrath they were troublesome 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 My heart is troubled within me: and the fear of death is fallen upon me.

My heart trembleth in my bosom, And the terrors of death have fallen upon me.

5 Fear and trembling are come upon me: and darkness hath covered me.

Fear and trembling have seized me, And horror hath overwhelmed me.

6 And I said: Who will give me wings like a dove, and I will fly and be at rest?

Then I say, O that I had wings like a dove! For then would I fly away, and be at rest.

7 Lo, I have gone far off flying away; and I abode in the wilderness.

Behold, I would wander far away, And take up my abode in a wilderness. (Pause)

8 I waited for him that hath saved me from pusillanimity of spirit, and a storm.

I would hasten away to a shelter From the rushing wind and tempest.

9 Cast down, O Lord, and divide their tongues; for I have seen iniquity and contradiction in the city.

Confound, O Lord! divide their counsels! For I behold violence and strife in the city.

10 Day and night shall iniquity surround it upon its walls: and in the midst thereof are labour,

Day and night do these go about its walls; In the midst of it are iniquity and mischief.

11 And injustice. And usury and deceit have not departed from its streets.

Wickedness is in the midst of it; Oppression and fraud depart not from its streets.

12 For if my enemy had reviled me, I would verily have borne with it. And if he that hated me had spoken great things against me, I would perhaps have hidden myself from him.

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 a man of one mind, my guide, and my familiar,

But it was thou, a man my equal, My friend, and my acquaintance.

14 Who didst take sweetmeats together with me: in the house of God we walked with consent.

We held sweet converse together, And walked to the house of God in company.

15 Let death come upon them, and let them go down alive into hell. For there is wickedness in their dwellings: in the midst of them. (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 I have cried to God: and the Lord will save me.

As for me, I will call upon God, And Jehovah will save me.

17 Evening and morning, and at noon I will speak and declare: and he shall hear my voice.

At evening, at morn, and at noon I mourn and sigh, And he will hear my voice.

18 He shall redeem my soul in peace from them that draw near to me: for among many they were with me.

He will deliver me in peace from my conflict; For many have risen up against me.

19 God shall hear, and the Eternal shall humble them. For there is no change with them, and they have not feared 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 hath stretched forth his hand to repay. They have defiled his covenant,

They lift up their hands against their friend, And break their covenant with him.

21 They are divided by the wrath Of his countenance, and his heart hath drawn near. His words are smoother than oil, and the same are darts.

Their speech was softer than butter, But war was in their heart; Their words were smoother than oil, Yet were they drawn swords.

22 Cast thy care upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall not suffer the just to waver for ever.

“Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he will sustain thee; He will never suffer the righteous to fall!”

23 But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction. Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee, O Lord.

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!