Psalms 55

1 To the Chief Musician: with stringed Instruments. A Psalm of Instruction, of David. Give ear, O God, to my prayer, And do not hide thyself from 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 Attend unto me, and answer me, I may ramble in my complaining, And be driven to and fro—

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

3 Because of the noise of the enemy, By reason of the oppression of the lawless one, For they would let trouble drop upon me, And, in anger, would they entrap 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, would writhe within me, And, the terrors of Death, have fallen upon me:

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

5 Fear and trembling, would enter me, And there would have overwhelmed me—a horror!

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

6 Then I said—Oh that there were given me a pinion, like a dove, I would fly away 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 would take a distant flight, I would tarry in the wilderness. (Selah)

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

8 I would hasten mine escape, From rushing wind, from storm.

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

9 Confuse, O My Lord, divide their speech, For I have seen violence and contention in the city;

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

10 Day and night, they go round her, upon her walls, And, trouble and misery, are in her midst;

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

11 Engulfing ruin, is in her midst, And there depart not from her broadway, oppression and deceit.

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

12 For it is, not an enemy, that reproacheth me, Or I could bear it, —Not one that hath hated me, who, against me, hath magnified himself, Or I might hide 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 it is, thou, a man esteemed as mine equal, mine associate, and mine acquaintance;

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

14 So that together have we been wont to find sweetness in counsel, In the house of God, used we to walk in the throng.

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

15 Desolations on them! Let them go down into hades alive, For, wicked doings, are at home within 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 I, unto God, will cry, —And, Yahweh, will save me.

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

17 At evening and morning and high noon, have I been wont to lament and complain, And he hath heard my voice!

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

18 He hath completely redeemed my soul, out of the attack upon me, For, in multitudes, were they [in conflict] with me.

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

19 GOD will hear, Yea He will humble them who aforetime sat [enthroned]. (Selah) With whom are no changings, Neither have they revered 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 thrust forth his hands, against them he was wont to salute, he hath violated his covenant;

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

21 Smoother than curds, were [the words of] his mouth, But, war, was [in] his heart, —Softer his words than oil, Yet, they, were drawn swords!

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 upon Yahweh thy lot, and, he, will sustain thee: He will not suffer, to times age-abiding, the righteous one to be shaken.

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

23 But, thou, O God, wilt bring them down to the pit of destruction, Men of bloodshed and deceit, shall not live out half their days; But, I, will trust 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!