Psalm 55

To the Chief Musician; with stringed instruments. A skillful song, or a didactic or reflective poem, of David.

¹ Listen to my prayer, O God, and hide not Yourself from my supplication!

² Attend to me and answer me; I am restless and distraught in my complaint and must moan

³ [And I am distracted] at the noise of the enemy, because of the oppression and threats of the wicked; for they would cast trouble upon me, and in wrath they persecute me.

⁴ My heart is grievously pained within me, and the terrors of death have fallen upon me.

⁵ Fear and trembling have come upon me; horror and fright have overwhelmed me.

⁶ And I say, Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.

⁷ Yes, I would wander far away, I would lodge in the wilderness. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!

⁸ I would hasten to escape and to find a shelter from the stormy wind and tempest.

⁹ Destroy [their schemes], O Lord, confuse their tongues, for I have seen violence and strife in the city.

¹⁰ Day and night they go about on its walls; iniquity and mischief are in its midst.

¹¹ Violence and ruin are within it; fraud and guile do not depart from its streets and marketplaces.

¹² For it is not an enemy who reproaches and taunts me—then I might bear it; nor is it one who has hated me who insolently vaunts himself against me—then I might hide from him.

¹³ But it was you, a man my equal, my companion and my familiar friend.

¹⁴ We had sweet fellowship together and used to walk to the house of God in company.

¹⁵ Let desolations and death come suddenly upon them; let them go down alive to Sheol (the place of the dead), for evils are in their habitations, in their hearts, and their inmost part.

¹⁶ As for me, I will call upon God, and the Lord will save me.

¹⁷ Evening and morning and at noon will I utter my complaint and moan and sigh, and He will hear my voice.

¹⁸ He has redeemed my life in peace from the battle that was against me [so that none came near me], for they were many who strove with me.

¹⁹ God will hear and humble them, even He Who abides of old—Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!—because in them there has been no change [of heart], and they do not fear, revere, and worship God.

²⁰ [My companion] has put forth his hands against those who were at peace with him; he has broken and profaned his agreement [of friendship and loyalty].

²¹ The words of his mouth were smoother than cream or butter, but war was in his heart; his words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords.

²² Cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it] and He will sustain you; He will never allow the [consistently] righteous to be moved (made to slip, fall, or fail).^(A)

²³ But You, O God, will bring down the wicked into the pit of destruction; men of blood and treachery shall not live out half their days. But I will trust in, lean on, and confidently rely on You.