Psalms 55

¹ For the leader. On stringed instruments. A maskil of David.

² Listen, God, to my prayer; do not hide from my pleading;

³ hear me and give answer. I rock with grief; I groan

⁴ at the uproar of the enemy, the clamor of the wicked. They heap trouble upon me, savagely accuse me.

⁵ My heart pounds within me; death's terrors fall upon me.

⁶ Fear and trembling overwhelm me; shuddering sweeps over me.

⁷ I say, "If only I had wings like a dove that I might fly away and find rest.

⁸ Far away I would flee; I would stay in the desert. Selah

⁹ I would soon find a shelter from the raging wind and storm."

¹⁰ Lord, check and confuse their scheming. I see violence and strife in the city

¹¹ making rounds on its walls day and night. Within are mischief and evil;

¹² treachery is there as well; oppression and fraud never leave its streets.

¹³ If an enemy had reviled me, that I could bear; If my foe had viewed me with contempt, from that I could hide.

¹⁴ But it was you, my other self, my comrade and friend,

¹⁵ You, whose company I enjoyed, at whose side I walked in procession in the house of God.

¹⁶ Let death take them by surprise; let them go down alive to Sheol, for evil is in their homes and hearts.

¹⁷ But I will call upon God, and the LORD will save me.

¹⁸ At dusk, dawn, and noon I will grieve and complain, and my prayer will be heard.

¹⁹ God will give me freedom and peace from those who war against me, though there are many who oppose me.

²⁰ God, who sits enthroned forever, will hear me and humble them. For they will not mend their ways; they have no fear of God.

²¹ They strike out at friends and go back on their promises.

²² Softer than butter is their speech, but war is in their hearts. Smoother than oil are their words, but they are unsheathed swords.

²³ Cast your care upon the LORD, who will give you support. God will never allow the righteous to stumble.

²⁴ But you, God, will bring them down to the pit of destruction. These bloodthirsty liars will not live half their days, but I put my trust in you.