Psalm 55

¹ For the Chief Musician; on stringed instruments. Maschil of David. Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication.

² Attend unto me, and answer me: I am restless in my complaint, and moan;

³ Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked; for they cast iniquity upon me, and in anger they persecute me.

⁴ My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.

⁵ Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me.

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

⁷ Lo, then would I wander far off, I would lodge in the wilderness. Selah

⁸ I would haste me to a shelter from the stormy wind and tempest.

⁹ Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongue: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.

¹⁰ Day and night they go about upon the walls thereof: iniquity also and mischief are in the midst of it.

¹¹ Wickedness is in the midst thereof: oppression and guile depart not from her streets.

¹² For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him:

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

¹⁴ We took sweet counsel together, we walked in the house of God with the throng.

¹⁵ Let death come suddenly upon them, let them go down alive into the pit: for wickedness is in their dwelling, in the midst of them.

¹⁶ As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.

¹⁷ Evening, and morning, and at noonday, will I complain, and moan: and he shall hear my voice.

¹⁸ He hath redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for they were many that strove with me.

¹⁹ God shall hear, and answer them, even he that abideth of old, Selah the men who have no changes, and who fear not God.

²⁰ He hath put forth his hands against such as were at peace with him: he hath profaned his covenant.

²¹ His mouth was smooth as butter, but his heart was war: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.

²² Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

²³ But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee.