New King James Version

New International Version

Trust in God Concerning the Treachery of Friends

To the Chief Musician. With [a]stringed instruments. A [b]Contemplation of David.

Give ear to my prayer, O God,
And do not hide Yourself from my supplication.

1

Psalm 55^a

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskilb of David.

Listen to my prayer, O God,
do not ignore my plea;

2

Attend to me, and hear me;
I am[c] restless in my complaint, and moan noisily,

2

hear me and answer me.
My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught

3

Because 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.

3

because of what my enemy is saying,
because of the threats of the wicked;
for they bring down suffering on me
and assail me in their anger.

4

My heart is severely pained within me,
And the terrors of death have fallen upon me.

4

My heart is in anguish within me;
the terrors of death have fallen on me.

5

Fearfulness and trembling have come upon me,
And horror has overwhelmed me.

5

Fear and trembling have beset me;
horror has overwhelmed me.

6

So I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest.

6

I said, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest.

7

Indeed, I would wander far off,
And remain in the wilderness. Selah

7

I would flee far away
and stay in the desert;c

8

I would hasten my escape
From the windy storm and tempest.”

8

I would hurry to my place of shelter,
far from the tempest and storm.”

9

Destroy, O Lord, and divide their [d]tongues,
For I have seen violence and strife in the city.

9

Lord, confuse the wicked, confound their words,
for I see violence and strife in the city.

10

Day and night they go around it on its walls;
Iniquity and trouble are also in the midst of it.

10

Day and night they prowl about on its walls;
malice and abuse are within it.

11

Destruction is in its midst;
Oppression and deceit do not depart from its streets.

11

Destructive forces are at work in the city;
threats and lies never leave 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.

12

If an enemy were insulting me,
I could endure it;
if a foe were rising against me,
I could hide.

13

But it was you, a man my equal,
My companion and my acquaintance.

13

But it is you, a man like myself,
my companion, my close friend,

14

We took sweet counsel together,
And walked to the house of God in the throng.

14

with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship
at the house of God,
as we walked about
among the worshipers.

15

Let death seize them;
Let them go down alive into [e]hell,
For wickedness is in their dwellings and among them.

15

Let death take my enemies by surprise;
let them go down alive to the realm of the dead,
for evil finds lodging among them.

16

As for me, I will call upon God,
And the Lord shall save me.

16

As for me, I call to God,
and the Lord saves me.

17

Evening and morning and at noon
I will pray, and cry aloud,
And He shall hear my voice.

17

Evening, morning and noon
I cry out in distress,
and he hears my voice.

18

He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me,
For there were many against me.

18

He rescues me unharmed
from the battle waged against me,
even though many oppose me.

19

God will hear, and afflict them,
Even He who abides from of old. Selah
Because they do not change,
Therefore they do not fear God.

19

God, who is enthroned from of old,
who does not change —
he will hear them and humble them,
because they have no fear of God.

20

He has put forth his hands against those who were at peace with him;
He has broken his [f]covenant.

20

My companion attacks his friends;
he violates 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.

21

His talk is smooth as butter,
yet war is in his heart;
his words are more soothing than oil,
yet they are drawn swords.

22

Cast your burden on the Lord,
And He shall sustain you;
He shall never permit the righteous to be [g]moved.

22

Cast your cares on the Lord
and he will sustain you;
he will never let
the righteous be shaken.

23

But 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.

23

But you, God, will bring down the wicked
into the pit of decay;
the bloodthirsty and deceitful
will not live out half their days.
But as for me, I trust in you.

Parallel

New King James Version

New International Version

Psalms 55

Psalms 55