Psalms 55
1 For the music director. With stringed instruments. A psalm (maskil) of David. God, please hear my prayer; don't ignore my cry for help!
To him that excelleth on Neginoth. A Psalme of David to give instruction. Heare my prayer, O God, and hide not thy selfe from my supplication.
2 Please listen, and give me an answer. I'm terribly troubled by my problems! I'm frantic!
Hearken vnto me, and answere me: I mourne in my prayer, and make a noyse,
3 For my enemies are screaming at me; the wicked are intimidating me. They rain down suffering on me, angrily assaulting me in their hatred.
For the voyce of the enemie, and for the vexation of ye wicked, because they haue brought iniquitie vpon me, and furiously hate me.
4 My heart thumps in agony! Terrified, I feel I'm about to die!
Mine heart trembleth within mee, and the terrours of death are fallen vpon me.
5 I'm in a panic, trembling with fear; feelings of horror wash over me.
Feare and trembling are come vpon mee, and an horrible feare hath couered me.
6 I tell myself, If only God would give me wings like a dove so I could fly away and be at peace!
And I said, Oh that I had wings like a doue: then would I flie away and rest.
7 I would fly far away to escape, and stay in the wilderness. (Selah)
Beholde, I woulde take my flight farre off, and lodge in the wildernes. (Selah)
8 I would hurry to a place to hide, out of the wind, safe from the raging storm.
Hee would make haste for my deliuerance from the stormie winde and tempest.
9 Confuse them, Lord! Muddle what they're saying, for I see violence and conflict in the city.
Destroy, O Lord, and deuide their tongues: for I haue seene crueltie and strife in the citie.
10 They patrol the city walls day and night, and wickedness and trouble are within the city.
Day and night they goe about it vpon the walles thereof: both iniquitie and mischiefe are in the middes of it.
11 The ones causing destruction are inside the city; frauds and cheats are always on the streets.
Wickednes is in the middes thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her streetes.
12 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.
Surely mine enemie did not defame mee: for I could haue borne it: neither did mine aduersarie exalt himselfe against mee: for I would haue hid me from him.
13 No, it's you, a man just like me, my best friend who I know so well!
But it was thou, O man, euen my companion, my guide and my familiar:
14 Our friendship was so close. We used to have great talks together as we walked with everyone to the house of God.
Which delited in consulting together, and went into the House of God as companions.
15 May death come quickly to them; may they go down into the grave alive, because evil finds its home in them. (Sheol h7585)
Let death sense vpon them: let them goe downe quicke into the graue: for wickednes is in their dwellings, euen in the middes of them. (Sheol h7585)
16 As for me, I cry out to God, and the Lord will save me.
But I will call vnto God, and the Lord will saue me.
17 I weep and groan morning, noon, and night, and he listens to me.
Euening and morning, and at noone will I pray, and make a noyse, and he wil heare my voice.
18 He rescues me, keeping me safe and sound from my attackers, because there are so many against me.
He hath deliuered my soule in peace from the battel, that was against me: for many were with me.
19 God who has ruled from the beginning will hear me and answer them. (Selah) For they refuse to change and don't respect God.
God shall heare and afflict them, euen hee that reigneth of olde, (Selah) because they haue no changes, therefore they feare not God.
20 As for my best friend, he attacked his friends who had no quarrel with him; he broke the promises he had made to them.
Hee layed his hande vpon such, as be at peace with him, and he brake his couenant.
21 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.
The wordes of his mouth were softer then butter, yet warre was in his heart: his words were more gentle then oyle, yet they were swordes.
22 Throw your burdens onto the Lord and he will take care of you. He will never allow those who live right to fall.
Cast thy burden vpon the Lord, and hee shall nourish thee: he wil not suffer the righteous to fall for euer.
23 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.
And thou, O God, shalt bring them downe into the pitte of corruption: the bloudie, and deceitfull men shall not liue halfe their dayes: but I will trust in thee.
