55:1 For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil of David. Listen to my prayer, O God, do not ignore my plea;
55:2 hear me and answer me. My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught
55:3 at the voice of the enemy, at the stares of the wicked; for they bring down suffering upon me and revile me in their anger.
55:4 My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death assail me.
55:5 Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me.
55:6 I said, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest–
55:7 I would flee far away and stay in the desert; Selah
55:8 I would hurry to my place of shelter, far from the tempest and storm.”
55:9 Confuse the wicked, O Lord, confound their speech, for I see violence and strife in the city.
55:10 Day and night they prowl about on its walls; malice and abuse are within it.
55:11 Destructive forces are at work in the city; threats and lies never leave its streets.
55:12 If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were raising himself against me, I could hide from him.
55:13 But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend,
55:14 with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship as we walked with the throng at the house of God.
55:15 Let death take my enemies by surprise; let them go down alive to the grave, for evil finds lodging among them.
55:16 But I call to God, and the LORD saves me.
55:17 Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice.
55:18 He ransoms me unharmed from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me.
55:19 God, who is enthroned forever, will hear them and afflict them–Selah men who never change their ways and have no fear of God.
55:20 My companion attacks his friends; he violates his covenant.
55:21 His speech is smooth as butter, yet war is in his heart; his words are more soothing than oil, yet they are drawn swords.
55:22 Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.
55:23 But you, O God, will bring down the wicked into the pit of corruption; bloodthirsty and deceitful men will not live out half their days. But as for me, I trust in you.
55:1 Give ear, O God, to my prayer; / And do not hide Yourself from my supplication.
55:2 Give heed to me, and answer me. / I grow restless in my complaint and moan,
55:3 Because of the voice of the enemy, / Because of the oppression of the wicked man; / For they drop iniquity upon me, / And in anger they make me their enemy.
55:4 My heart writhes within me, / And the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
55:5 Fear and trembling have come upon me, / And shuddering overwhelms me.
55:6 And I say, Oh that I had wings like a dove! / Then I would fly away and be at rest.
55:7 Indeed I would wander far away; / I would lodge in the wilderness. Selah
55:8 I would hasten my escape / From the storm wind and the tempest.
55:9 Confuse, O Lord, divide their tongue; / For I have seen violence and contention in the city.
55:10 Day and night they go around it, / Upon its walls; / And iniquity and trouble are in the midst of it.
55:11 Utter ruin is in the midst of it, / And oppression and deceit / Do not depart from its streets.
55:12 For it is not an enemy who reproaches me; / Otherwise I could bear it. / It is not he who hates me who magnifies himself against me; / Otherwise I could hide myself from him.
55:13 But it is you, my equal, / My close friend and my acquaintance.
55:14 We were in sweet counsel together; / We walked with the throng in the house of God.
55:15 Let death surprise them; / May they go down into Sheol alive. / For evil is in their dwelling, in the midst of them.
55:16 As for me, I call out to God, / And Jehovah will save me.
55:17 Evening and morning and at noontime / I complain and moan, / And He hears my voice.
55:18 He has redeemed my soul in peace / From the battle against me, / For many are they who strive with me.
55:19 God hears and answers them ? / Even He who sits enthroned from of old ? Selah / Because with them there is no change, / And they do not fear God.
55:20 He put forth his hands against those who were at peace with him; / He profaned his covenant.
55:21 Smooth were the buttery words of his mouth, / But his heart was war; / More soothing than oil were his words, / But they were in fact drawn swords.
55:22 Cast your burden upon Jehovah, / And He will sustain you; / He will never allow the righteous to be moved.
55:23 But You, O God, will bring them down / Into the pit of decay. Men of bloodshed and deceit / Will not live out half their days; / But I will trust in You.