Psalms 55
55
Psalm 55#In Hebrew texts 55:1-23 is numbered 55:2-24.
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil#Title: Probably a literary or musical term of David.
1Listen to my prayer, O God,
do not ignore my plea;
2hear me and answer me.
My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught
3because of what my enemy is saying,
because of the threats of the wicked;
for they bring down suffering on me
and assail me in their anger.
4My heart is in anguish within me;
the terrors of death have fallen on me.
5Fear and trembling have beset me;
horror has overwhelmed me.
6I said, ‘Oh, that I had the wings of a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest.
7I would flee far away
and stay in the desert;#55:7 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and in the middle of verse 19.
8I would hurry to my place of shelter,
far from the tempest and storm.’
9Lord, confuse the wicked, confound their words,
for I see violence and strife in the city.
10Day and night they prowl about on its walls;
malice and abuse are within it.
11Destructive forces are at work in the city;
threats and lies never leave its streets.
12If an enemy were insulting me,
I could endure it;
if a foe were rising against me,
I could hide.
13But it is you, a man like myself,
my companion, my close friend,
14with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship
at the house of God,
as we walked about
among the worshippers.
15Let death take my enemies by surprise;
let them go down alive to the realm of the dead,
for evil finds lodging among them.
16As for me, I call to God,
and the Lord saves me.
17Evening, morning and noon
I cry out in distress,
and he hears my voice.
18He rescues me unharmed
from the battle waged against me,
even though many oppose me.
19God, who is enthroned from of old,
who does not change –
he will hear them and humble them,
because they have no fear of God.
20My companion attacks his friends;
he violates his covenant.
21His talk is smooth as butter,
yet war is in his heart;
his words are more soothing than oil,
yet they are drawn swords.
22Cast your cares on the Lord
and he will sustain you;
he will never let
the righteous be shaken.
23But you, God, will bring down the wicked
into the pit of decay;
the bloodthirsty and deceitful
will not live out half their days.
But as for me, I trust in you.
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Psalms 55: NIVUK
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The Holy Bible, New International Version® (Anglicised), NIV®
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Psalms 55
55
A Lament over Betrayal
1For the leader. On stringed instruments. A maskil of David.
I
2Listen, God, to my prayer;#Ps 5:2–3; 86:6; 130:1–2; Lam 3:56; Jon 2:3.
do not hide from my pleading;
3hear me and give answer.
I rock with grief; I groan
4at the uproar of the enemy,
the clamor of the wicked.
They heap trouble upon me,
savagely accuse me.
5My heart pounds within me;
death’s terrors fall upon me.
6Fear and trembling overwhelm me;
shuddering sweeps over me.
7I say, “If only I had wings like a dove
that I might fly away and find rest.#Ps 11:1.
8Far away I would flee;
I would stay in the desert.#Jer 9:1; Rev 12:6.
Selah
9“I would soon find a shelter
from the raging wind and storm.”
II
10Lord, check and confuse their tongues.
For I see violence and strife in the city
11making rounds on its walls day and night.
Within are mischief and trouble;
12treachery is in its midst;
oppression and fraud never leave its streets.#Jer 5:1; 6:6; Ez 22:2; Heb 1:3; Zep 3:1.
13For it is not an enemy that reviled me—
that I could bear—
Not a foe who viewed me with contempt,
from that I could hide.
14But it was you, my other self,
my comrade and friend,#Ps 41:10; Jer 9:3; Mt 26:21–24 par.
15You, whose company I enjoyed,
at whose side I walked
in the house of God.
III
16Let death take them;
let them go down alive to Sheol,#Ps 49:15; Nm 16:33; Prv 1:2; Is 5:14.
for evil is in their homes and bellies.
17But I will call upon God,
and the Lord will save me.
18At dusk, dawn, and noon
I will grieve and complain,
and my prayer will be heard.#Dn 6:11.
19He will redeem my soul in peace
from those who war against me,
though there are many who oppose me.
20God, who sits enthroned forever,#Ps 29:10; 93:2; Bar 3:3.
will hear me and afflict them.
Selah
For they will not mend their ways;
they have no fear of God.
21He stretched out his hand at his friends
and broke his covenant.
22Softer than butter is his speech,
but war is in his heart.
Smoother than oil are his words,
but they are unsheathed swords.#Ps 12:3; 28:3; 57:5; 62:5; 64:4; Prv 26:24–28; Jer 9:7.
23Cast your care upon the Lord,
who will give you support.
He will never allow
the righteous to stumble.#Ps 37:5; Prv 3:5; 16:3; 1 Pt 5:7.
24But you, God, will bring them down
to the pit of destruction.#Ps 28:1; 30:4; 40:3; 88:5; 143:7; Prv 1:12; Jon 2:7.
These bloodthirsty liars
will not live half their days,
but I put my trust in you.#Ps 25:2; 56:4; 130:5.
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