55
Trust in God Concerning the Treachery of Friends
To the Chief Musician. With stringed instruments. A Contemplation of David.
1Give ear to my prayer, O God,
And do not hide Yourself from my supplication.
2Attend to me, and hear me;
I ⚓am restless in my complaint, and moan noisily,
3Because of the voice of the enemy,
Because of the oppression of the wicked;
⚓For they bring down trouble upon me,
And in wrath they hate me.
4⚓My heart is severely pained within me,
And the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
5Fearfulness and trembling have come upon me,
And horror has overwhelmed me.
6So I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest.
7Indeed, I would wander far off,
And remain in the wilderness.
Selah
8I would hasten my escape
From the windy storm and tempest.”
9Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues,
For I have seen ⚓violence and strife in the city.
10Day and night they go around it on its walls;
⚓Iniquity and trouble are also in the midst of it.
11Destruction is in its midst;
⚓Oppression and deceit do not depart from its streets.
12⚓For it is not an enemy who reproaches me;
Then I could bear it.
Nor is it one who hates me who has ⚓exalted himself against me;
Then I could hide from him.
13But it was you, a man my equal,
⚓My companion and my acquaintance.
14We took sweet counsel together,
And⚓walked to the house of God in the throng.
15Let death seize them;
Let them ⚓go down alive into hell,
For wickedness is in their dwellings and among them.
16As for me, I will call upon God,
And the Lord shall save me.
17⚓Evening and morning and at noon
I will pray, and cry aloud,
And He shall hear my voice.
18He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me,
For ⚓there were many against me.
19God will hear, and afflict them,
⚓Even He who abides from of old.
Selah
Because they do not change,
Therefore they do not fear God.
20He has ⚓put forth his hands against those who ⚓were at peace with him;
He has broken his covenant.
21⚓The words of his mouth were smoother than 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,
And ⚓He shall sustain you;
He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.
23But You, O God, shall bring them down to the pit of destruction;
⚓Bloodthirsty and deceitful men ⚓shall not live out half their days;
But I will trust in You.