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David wrote this special song for the music leader. Use stringed instruments when you sing it.

A prayer when a friend turns against you [ a ]

55 God, listen to my prayer.
Do not turn away
when I ask you to help me.
2 Listen carefully and answer me.
I am very upset because of all my troubles.
They are too many for me.
3 I am afraid because of what my enemies say.
Those wicked people give me much pain.
They are so angry that they hate me
and they give me nothing but trouble.
4 My heart beats fast inside me.
Death seems very near,
and I am very afraid.
5 I am shaking with fear!
My troubles are too much for me.
6 So I say, ‘If I had wings to fly like a dove,
I would fly away to a safe place.
7 Yes! I would go far away,
and I would live in the wilderness.
Selah.
8 I would go quickly to a safe place.
The strong winds and storms of my enemies
would not reach me there!’
9 My Lord, make my enemies confused!
Stop them from doing what they want to do.
Everywhere that I look in the city,
I see that they do cruel things to attack people. [ b ]
10 They walk on the city's walls
in the day and at night.
Inside the city they do evil things
that bring trouble everywhere.
11 They destroy everything!
In all the city's streets, they move freely.
They hurt people and they cheat them.
12 But it is not my enemies that have insulted me.
That would not have hurt me.
If my enemy laughs at me,
I can always hide from him!
13 But it is you, my best friend!
We did things as men together,
and I trusted you!
14 We enjoyed our time together.
We often went to God's temple,
and we joined with the crowd of people there.

15 Please let death suddenly destroy my enemies!
May they go down into their graves alive!
They are at home with evil,
and that is all that they think about.
16 But I will call to God for help.
The Lord will make me safe.
17 I will weep and cry to him,
morning, noon and night.
He will listen to what I say.
18 I have very many enemies
who attack me all the time.
But God will rescue me and keep me safe.
19 God has always ruled everything as king.
He will listen to me,
and he will punish my enemies.
Selah.
They refuse to change their thoughts,
and they do not respect God.
20 But my friend has turned against his own friends.
He has not been a true friend,
as he promised to be.
21 He speaks a message of peace,
but he is really thinking about war.
His words are easy to listen to,
but they hurt like sharp knives.
22 Take your problems to the Lord .
He will take care of you.
He will never let his own people fall. [ c ]
23 And as for wicked people,
you, God, will send them to their graves.
They will go down into the deep hole of death
while they are still young.
That is what will happen to those cruel people,
who kill and cheat others.
But I will trust in you, God.

Footnotes

  1. 55:1 The psalm has three parts:
    Verses 1-8: David tells us that his enemies have made him afraid.
    Verses 9-14: David tells us that his friend has turned against him.
    Verses 15-23: David prays that God will punish his enemies.
  2. 55:9 The city is Jerusalem, where David lived.
  3. 55:22 See 1 Peter 5:7 .

To the director: With instruments. A maskil of David.

55 God, hear my prayer.
Don’t ignore my cry for help.
2 Please listen and answer me.
Let me speak to you and tell you what upsets me.
3 My enemies shout at me and threaten me.
In their anger they attack me.
They bring troubles crashing down on me.
4 My heart is pounding inside me.
I am afraid to die.
5 I am trembling with fear.
I am terrified!
6 Oh, I wish I had wings like a dove.
I would fly away and find a place to rest.
7 I would go far into the desert and stay there. Selah

8 I would run away.
I would escape from this storm of trouble.
9 My Lord, confuse their words and stop their plans.
I see so much cruelty and fighting in this city.
10 Day and night, in every neighborhood,
the city is filled with evil and trouble.
11 There is so much crime in the streets.
People who hurt and cheat others are everywhere.

12 If it were an enemy insulting me,
I could bear it.
If it were my enemies attacking me,
I could hide.
13 But it is you, the one so close to me,
my companion, my good friend, who does this.
14 We used to share our secrets with one another,
as we walked through the crowds together in God’s Temple.

15 I wish death would take my enemies by surprise!
I wish the earth would open up and swallow them alive, [ a ]
because they plan such terrible things together.

16 I will call to God for help,
and the Lord will save me.
17 I speak to God morning, noon, and night.
I tell him what upsets me, and he listens to me!
18 I have fought in many battles,
but he has always rescued me and brought me back safely.
19 God, who has always ruled as king,
will hear me and punish my enemies. Selah

But they will never change.
They don’t fear and respect God.
20 This one who was once my friend now attacks his friends.
He is breaking every promise he made.
21 His words about peace are as smooth as butter,
but he has only war on his mind.
His words are as slick as oil,
but they cut like a knife.

22 Give your worries to the Lord ,
and he will care for you.
He will never let those who are good be defeated.

23 But, God, you will send those liars and murderers to the grave.
They will die before their life is half finished!
As for me, I will put my trust in you.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 55:15 I wish … alive Literally, “I wish they would go down into Sheol alive.” See Num. 16:31-33.

55 Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication.

2 Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise;

3 Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate 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! for then would I fly away, and be at rest.

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

8 I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest.

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

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

11 Wickedness is in the midst thereof: deceit 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 guide, and mine acquaintance.

14 We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.

15 Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.

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

17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.

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

19 God shall hear, and afflict them, even he that abideth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God.

20 He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath 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 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: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee.

Prayer for the Destruction of the Treacherous.

For the music director; on stringed instruments. A [ a ] Maskil of David.

55 ( A ) Listen to my prayer, God;
And ( B ) do not hide Yourself from my pleading.
2 Give Your ( C ) attention to me and answer me;
I am restless in my ( D ) complaint and [ b ] ( E ) severely distracted,
3 Because of the voice of the enemy,
Because of the ( F ) pressure of the wicked;
For they ( G ) bring down [ c ] trouble upon me
And in anger they ( H ) hold a grudge against me.

4 My ( I ) heart is in anguish within me,
And the terrors of ( J ) death have fallen upon me.
5 Fear and ( K ) trembling come upon me,
And [ d ] ( L ) horror has [ e ] overwhelmed me.
6 I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and [ f ] ( M ) be at rest.
7 Behold, I would flee far away,
I would ( N ) spend my nights in the wilderness. Selah
8 I would hurry to my place of refuge
From the ( O ) stormy wind and heavy gale.”

9 Confuse them, Lord, ( P ) divide their tongues,
For I have seen ( Q ) violence and strife in the city.
10 Day and night they go around her upon her walls,
And evil and harm are in her midst.
11 ( R ) Destruction is in her midst;
( S ) Oppression and deceit do not depart from her [ g ] streets.

12 For it is ( T ) not an enemy who taunts me,
Then I could endure it ;
Nor is it one who hates me who ( U ) has exalted himself against me,
Then I could hide myself from him.
13 But it is you, a man [ h ] my equal,
My ( V ) companion and my ( W ) confidant;
14 We who had sweet [ i ] fellowship together,
( X ) Walked in the house of God among the commotion.
15 May [ j ] death come ( Y ) deceitfully upon them;
May they ( Z ) go down alive to [ k ] Sheol,
For evil is in their dwelling, in their midst.

16 As for me, I shall ( AA ) call upon God,
And the Lord will save me.
17 ( AB ) Evening and ( AC ) morning and at ( AD ) noon, I will complain and moan,
And He will hear my voice.
18 He will ( AE ) redeem my soul in peace [ l ] from the battle which is against me,
For they are ( AF ) many who are aggressive toward me.
19 God will ( AG ) hear and humiliate them—
Even the one ( AH ) who [ m ] sits enthroned from ancient times— Selah
With whom there [ n ] is no change,
And who ( AI ) do not fear God.
20 He has put forth his hands against ( AJ ) those who were at peace with him;
He has [ o ] ( AK ) violated his covenant.
21 His [ p ] speech was ( AL ) smoother than butter,
But his heart was war;
His words were ( AM ) softer than oil,
Yet they were drawn ( AN ) swords.

22 ( AO ) Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you;
( AP ) He will never allow the righteous to [ q ] ( AQ ) be shaken.
23 But You, God, will bring them down to the ( AR ) pit of destruction;
( AS ) Men of bloodshed and deceit will ( AT ) not live out half their days.
But I will ( AU ) trust in You.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 55 Title Possibly Contemplative ; or Didactic ; or Skillful Psalm
  2. Psalm 55:2 Another reading is I must moan
  3. Psalm 55:3 Or wickedness
  4. Psalm 55:5 Lit shuddering
  5. Psalm 55:5 Lit covered
  6. Psalm 55:6 Lit settle down
  7. Psalm 55:11 Or plaza
  8. Psalm 55:13 Lit according to my valuation
  9. Psalm 55:14 Lit counsel ; or intimacy
  10. Psalm 55:15 Another reading is devastation be upon them
  11. Psalm 55:15 I.e., the netherworld
  12. Psalm 55:18 Or so that none may approach me
  13. Psalm 55:19 Or remains from
  14. Psalm 55:19 Lit are no changes
  15. Psalm 55:20 Lit profaned
  16. Psalm 55:21 Lit mouth
  17. Psalm 55:22 Or totter

Psalm 55 [ a ]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil [ b ] of David.

1 Listen to my prayer, O God,
do not ignore my plea; ( A )
2 hear me and answer me. ( B )
My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught ( C )
3 because of what my enemy is saying,
because of the threats of the wicked;
for they bring down suffering on me ( D )
and assail ( E ) me in their anger. ( F )

4 My heart is in anguish ( G ) within me;
the terrors ( H ) of death have fallen on me.
5 Fear and trembling ( I ) have beset me;
horror ( J ) has overwhelmed me.
6 I said, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest.
7 I would flee far away
and stay in the desert; [ c ] ( K )
8 I would hurry to my place of shelter, ( L )
far from the tempest and storm. ( M ) ”

9 Lord, confuse the wicked, confound their words, ( N )
for I see violence and strife ( O ) in the city. ( P )
10 Day and night they prowl ( Q ) about on its walls;
malice and abuse are within it.
11 Destructive forces ( R ) are at work in the city;
threats and lies ( S ) never leave its streets.

12 If an enemy were insulting me,
I could endure it;
if a foe were rising against me,
I could hide.
13 But it is you, a man like myself,
my companion, my close friend, ( T )
14 with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship ( U )
at the house of God, ( V )
as we walked about
among the worshipers.

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

16 As for me, I call to God,
and the Lord saves me.
17 Evening, ( Y ) morning ( Z ) and noon ( AA )
I cry out in distress,
and he hears my voice.
18 He rescues me unharmed
from the battle waged against me,
even though many oppose me.
19 God, who is enthroned from of old, ( AB )
who does not change—
he will hear ( AC ) them and humble them,
because they have no fear of God. ( AD )

20 My companion attacks his friends; ( AE )
he violates his covenant. ( AF )
21 His talk is smooth as butter, ( AG )
yet war is in his heart;
his words are more soothing than oil, ( AH )
yet they are drawn swords. ( AI )

22 Cast your cares on the Lord
and he will sustain you; ( AJ )
he will never let
the righteous be shaken. ( AK )
23 But you, God, will bring down the wicked
into the pit ( AL ) of decay;
the bloodthirsty and deceitful ( AM )
will not live out half their days. ( AN )

But as for me, I trust in you. ( AO )

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 55:1 In Hebrew texts 55:1-23 is numbered 55:2-24.
  2. Psalm 55:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  3. Psalm 55:7 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and in the middle of verse 19.
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