PSALM 55

¹For the lead player, on stringed instruments, a David maskil.

    ²Hearken, O God, to my prayer,

          and do not ignore my plea.

    ³Listen well to me and answer me.

          In my complaint I sway and moan.

    ⁴From the sound of the enemy,

          from the crushing force of the wicked

    when they bring mischief down upon me

          and in fury harass me,

    ⁵my heart quails within me

          and death-terrors fall upon me,

    ⁶fear and trembling enter me,

          and horror envelops me.

    ⁷And I say, “Would I had wings like a dove.

          I would fly off and find rest.

    ⁸Look, I would wander far away,

          and lodge in the wilderness,

selah

    ⁹would make haste to a refuge for me

          from the streaming wind and the storm.”

    ¹⁰O Master, confound, split their tongue,

          for I have seen outrage and strife in the town;

    ¹¹day and night they go round it on its walls,

          and mischief and misdeeds within it,

    ¹²disaster within it,

          guile and deceit never part from its square.

    ¹³No enemy insults me, that I might bear it,

          no foe boasts against me, that I might hide from him.

    ¹⁴But you—a man to my measure,

          my companion and my familiar,

    ¹⁵with whom together we shared sweet counsel,

          in the house of our God in elation we walked.

    ¹⁶May death come upon them.

          May they go down to Sheol alive.

              For in their homes, in their midst, are evils.

    ¹⁷But I call to God,

          and the LORD rescues me.

    ¹⁸Evening and morning and noon

          I complain and I moan,

              and He hears my voice.

    ¹⁹He has ransomed my life unharmed

          from my battle,

              for many were against me—

    ²⁰Ishmael and Jalam and the dweller in the east,

          who never will change and do not fear God.

    ²¹He reached out his hand against his allies,

          profaned his own pact.

    ²²His mouth was smoother than butter—

          and battle in his heart.

    His words were softer than oil,

          yet they were drawn swords.

    ²³Cast your lot on the LORD

          and He will support you.

              He will never let the righteous stumble.

    ²⁴And You, O God, bring them down

          to the pit of destruction.

    Men of bloodshed and deceit

          will not finish half their days.

              But I shall trust in You.