Psalms 55
55
Psalm 55
For the choir director; on stringed instruments; a maskil by David.
1Open your ears to my prayer, O God.
Do not hide from my plea for mercy.
2Pay attention to me, and answer me.
My thoughts are restless, and I am confused
3because my enemy shouts at me
and a wicked person persecutes me.
They bring misery crashing down on me,
and they attack me out of anger.
4My heart is in turmoil.
The terrors of death have seized me.
5Fear and trembling have overcome me.
Horror has overwhelmed me.
6I said, “If only I had wings like a dove—
I would fly away and find rest.
7Indeed, I would run far away.
I would stay in the desert. Selah
8I would hurry to find shelter
from the raging wind and storm.”
9Completely confuse their language, O Lord,
because I see violence and conflict in the city.
10Day and night they go around on ⌞top of⌟ the city walls.
Trouble and misery are everywhere.
11Destruction is everywhere.
Oppression and fraud never leave the streets.#55:11 Or “its marketplace.”
12If an enemy had insulted me,
then I could bear it.
If someone who hated me had attacked me,
then I could hide from him.
13But it is you, my equal,
my best friend,
one I knew so well!
14We used to talk to each other in complete confidence
and walk into God’s house with the festival crowds.
15Let death suddenly take ⌞wicked people⌟!
Let them go into the grave while they are still alive,
because evil lives in their homes as well as in their hearts.
16But I call on God,
and the Lord saves me.
17Morning, noon, and night I complain and groan,
and he listens to my voice.
18With ⌞his⌟ peace, he will rescue my soul
from the war waged against me,
because there are many ⌞soldiers fighting⌟ against me.
19God will listen.
The one who has sat enthroned from the beginning
will deal with them. Selah
They never change. They never fear God.
20 ⌞My best friend⌟ has betrayed his friends.
He has broken his solemn promise.
21His speech is smoother than butter,
but there is war in his heart.
His words are more soothing than oil,
but they are like swords ready to attack.
22Turn your burdens over to the Lord,
and he will take care of you.
He will never let the righteous person stumble.
23But you, O God, will throw ⌞wicked people⌟ into the deepest pit.
Bloodthirsty and deceitful people will not live out half their days.
But I will trust you.
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
Psalms 55
55
Betrayal by a Friend
For the choir director: with stringed instruments. A Davidic Maskil.
1God, listen to my prayer
and do not ignore # Lit hide Yourself 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 voice,
because of the pressure # Or threat, or oppression of the wicked.
For they bring down disaster on me # LXX, Syr, Sym; MT reads they cause me to totter
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 # Lit “Who will give to me . . . dove? 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 # Or destroy and confound their speech, # 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, # Some Hb mss, Sym, Syr, Tg, Jer read His speech is smoother than butter
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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