The Psalms

Psalm 55

For the Chief Musician; on stringed instruments. Maschil of David.

 ^55:1Give ear to my prayer, O God;

 And hide not thyself from my supplication.

 ^55:2Attend unto me, and answer me:

 I am restless in my complaint, and moan,

 ^55:3Because of the voice of the enemy,

 Because of the oppression of the wicked;

 For they cast iniquity upon me,

 And in anger they persecute me.

 ^55:4My heart is sore pained within me:

 And the terrors of death are fallen upon me.

 ^55:5Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me,

 And horror hath overwhelmed me.

 ^55:6And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove!

 Then would I fly away, and be at rest.

 ^55:7Lo, then would I wander far off,

 I would lodge in the wilderness.

Selah

 ^55:8I would haste me to a shelter

 From the stormy wind and tempest.

 ^55:9Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongue;

 For I have seen violence and strife in the city.

 ^55:10Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof:

 Iniquity also and mischief are in the midst of it.

 ^55:11Wickedness is in the midst thereof:

 Oppression and guile depart not from its streets.

 ^55:12For it was not an enemy that reproached me;

 Then I could have borne it:

 Neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me;

 Then I would have hid myself from him:

 ^55:13But it was thou, a man mine equal,

 My companion, and my familiar friend.

 ^55:14We took sweet counsel together;

 We walked in the house of God with the throng.

 ^55:15Let death come suddenly upon them,

 Let them go down alive into Sheol;

 For wickedness is in their dwelling, in the midst of them.

 ^55:16As for me, I will call upon God;

 And Jehovah will save me.

 ^55:17Evening, and morning, and at noonday, will I complain, and moan;

 And he will hear my voice.

 ^55:18He hath redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me;

 For they were many that strove with me.

 ^55:19God will hear, and answer them,

 Even he that abideth of old,

Selah

 The men who have no changes,

 And who fear not God.

 ^55:20He hath put forth his hands against such as were at peace with him:

 He hath profaned his covenant.

 ^55:21His mouth was smooth as butter,

 But his heart was war:

 His words were softer than oil,

 Yet were they drawn swords.

 ^55:22Cast thy burden upon Jehovah, and he will sustain thee:

 He will never suffer the righteous to be moved.

 ^55:23But thou, O God, wilt bring them down into the pit of destruction:

 Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days;

 But I will trust in thee.