55
1 Listen to my prayer, God;
do not hide yourself from my plea.
2 Attend to me and answer me;
I am restless in my complaint and groan
3 at the voice of the enemy, at the oppression of the wicked.
For they bring trouble down upon me and hate me in their anger.
4 My heart writhes within me, and the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
5 Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror covers me.
6 I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and find rest.
7 Look, I would wander far away and lodge in the wilderness. Selah.
8 I would hurry to a refuge from the raging wind and storm.”
9 Swallow them up, Lord;
divide their tongues, for I see violence and strife in the city.
10 Day and night they go around it on its walls;
evil and trouble are within it.
11 Destruction is in its midst;
oppression and deceit never leave its squares.
12 For it is not an enemy who taunts me;
that I could bear.
It is not one who hates me who exalts himself over me;
from him I could hide.
13 But it is you, a man my equal, my companion and close friend,
14 with whom I shared sweet counsel, as we walked in the house of God among the throng.
15 Let death take them by surprise;
let them go down alive to Sheol, for evil is in their dwellings and within them.
16 As for me, I will call on God, and the LORD will save me.
17 Evening, morning, and noon I complain and groan, and he hears my voice.
18 He has ransomed my soul in peace from the battle against me, for many were with me.
19 God will hear and humble them, he who has been enthroned from of old.
Selah.
For they do not change and do not fear God.
20 He stretches out his hands against those at peace with him;
he has broken his covenant.
21 His mouth is smoother than butter, but war is in his heart.
His words are softer than oil, yet they are drawn swords.
22 Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you;
he will never let the righteous man be shaken.
23 But you, God, will bring them down to the pit of destruction;
bloodthirsty and deceitful men will not live out half their days.
But I will trust in you.