Psalms Chapter 55

                                                For the Choir Director. A Maskil of David

                                                            On Stringed Instruments

¹ Hear my prayer, God;

      don’t ignore my plea.

² Listen and answer;

         trouble has overwhelmed me; I’m distracted

                  ³by the threats of my enemies,

            by bringing suffering on me

            and bearing angry grudges against me.

Ps 55:1-3

⁴ My heart’s pounding;

      terror of death has fallen on me.

⁵ Fear and trembling have come over me;

      horror has overwhelmed me.

⁶ I said, “I wish I had wings like a dove!

         I’d fly off and find peace.

⁷ I’d flee far away

         and lodge out in the countryside.                           

⁸ I’d hurry to my shelter

         from the howling wind and raging storm.”

Ps 55:4-8

⁹ Lord, destroy their plans; confuse their languages,

      because all I see is violence and conflict in the city.

¹⁰ Day and night they patrol the walls,

      but sin and scheming threaten inside it.

¹¹ Ruin is rampant within it;

      oppression and cheating never leave the streets.             

Ps 55:9-11

¹² It’s not an enemy that’s disparaging me;

                  I could handle that;

      it’s not foes that hate me and rise up against me,

            I could hide from them.

¹³ But it’s you, my equal,

         my companion, my familiar friend.

¹⁴ We used to be close friends

      that walked in God’s Temple together.

¹⁵ Let death overtake my enemies;

         let them go down alive to Sheol,

      because there’s evil where they live.                               

Ps 55:12-15

¹⁶ I’ll call on the LORD my God to deliver me.

¹⁷ Morning, noon, and night, he’ll hear my groaning

¹⁸ and deliver my life in peace from my attackers,

         because lots of people are opposing me.

¹⁹ The One who sits enthroned from of old                            

      will punish the ones that don’t change or respect him.

²⁰ As for that companion of mine,

         he betrays his friends and breaks his promises

            against those who are at peace with him.                  

Ps 55:16-20

²¹ His speech is smoother than butter,

            but there’s war in his heart;

      his words are more soothing than oil,

            but secretly they’re drawn daggers.

²² Put your burdens on the LORD, and he’ll take care of you;

      he won’t let the godly fall.

²³ You, God, will bring the wicked down to the deepest pit;

      bloodthirsty, devious people won’t live half their time,

      but I’ll trust in you.                                                          

Ps 55:21-23