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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Psalms 55
55
Psalm 55
Betrayal by a Friend
For the choir director: with stringed instruments. A Maskil of David.
1God, listen to my prayer
and do not hide from my plea for help.#Lm 3:56
2Pay attention to me and answer me.#Ps 4:1; 5:1–2; 54:2
I am restless and in turmoil with my complaint,#Ps 64:1; 142:2
3because of the enemy’s words,#55:3 Lit voice
because of the pressure#55:3 Or threat, or oppression of the wicked.
For they bring down disaster on me
and harass me in anger.#2Sm 16:7–8; Ps 71:11
4My heart shudders within me;#Ps 38:8
terrors of death sweep over me.
5Fear and trembling grip me;
horror has overwhelmed me.#Ps 18:4–5; 116:3
6I said, “If only I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and find rest.#Jb 3:13
7How far away I would flee;
I would stay in the wilderness.#Jr 9:2Selah
8I would hurry to my shelter
from the raging wind and the storm.”#Is 4:6; 25:4
9Lord, confuse#55:9 Or destroy and confound their speech,#55:9 Lit and divide their tongue#Gn 10:25; 11:7
for I see violence and strife in the city;
10day and night they make the rounds on its walls.
Crime and trouble are within it;#Jr 6:7; Hab 1:3
11destruction is inside it;
oppression and deceit never leave its marketplace.#Ps 5:9; 10:7
12Now it is not an enemy who insults me —
otherwise I could bear it;
it is not a foe who rises up against me —
otherwise I could hide from him.
13But it is you, a man who is my peer,
my companion and good friend!#Jb 19:13,19; Ps 41:9; 88:18
14We used to have close fellowship;
we walked with the crowd into the house of God.#Ps 42:4
15Let death take them by surprise;#Pr 6:15; Is 47:11; 1Th 5:3
let them go down to Sheol alive,
because evil is in their homes and within them.#Nm 16:30,33
16But I call to God,
and the Lord will save me.#Ps 119:46
17I complain and groan morning, noon, and night,#Ps 92:2
and he hears my voice.#Ps 64:1; 142:2
18Though many are against me,
he will redeem me from my battle unharmed.#Ps 56:2; 103:4
19God, the one enthroned from long ago,#Ps 93:2
will hear and will humiliate themSelah
because they do not change
and do not fear God.#Dt 33:27
20My friend#Ps 55:13 acts violently
against those at peace with him;#Ps 7:4
he violates his covenant.#Ps 89:34
21His buttery words are smooth,
but war is in his heart.
His words are softer than oil,
but they are drawn swords.#Ps 12:2; 28:3
22Cast your burden on the Lord,
and he will sustain you;#1Pt 5:7
he will never allow the righteous to be shaken.#Ps 37:24; 112:6
23God, you will bring them down
to the Pit of destruction;#Is 38:17; Ezk 28:8
men of bloodshed and treachery
will not live out half their days.#Ps 5:6
But I will trust in you.#Ps 56:3
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