- 1
- {To the chief Musician.
On stringed instruments: an instruction. Of David.} Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication.
- 2
- Attend unto me, and answer me: I wander about in my plaint, and I moan aloud,
- 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 writhing within me, and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.
- 5
- Fear and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me.
- 6
- And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away, and be at rest;
- 7
- Behold, I would flee afar off, I would lodge in the wilderness;
Selah;
- 8
- I would hasten my escape from the stormy wind, from the tempest.
- 9
- Swallow [them] up, Lord;
divide their tongue: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.
- 10
- Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof;
and iniquity and mischief are in the midst of it.
- 11
- Perversities are in the midst thereof;
and oppression and deceit depart not from its streets.
- 12
- For it is not an enemy that hath reproached me — then could I have borne it;
neither is it he that hateth me that hath magnified [himself] against me — then would I have hidden myself from him;
- 13
- But it was thou, a man mine equal, mine intimate, my familiar friend.
…
- 14
- We who held sweet intercourse together.
To the house of God we walked amid the throng.
- 15
- Let death seize upon them, let them go down alive into Sheol.
For wickedness is in their dwellings, in their midst.
- 16
- As for me, unto God will I call;
and Jehovah will save me.
- 17
- Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray and moan aloud;
and he will hear my voice.
- 18
- He hath redeemed my soul in peace from the battle against me: for there were many about me.
- 19
- God will hear, and afflict them: he that is seated of old, (Selah) … because there is no change in them, and they fear not God.
- 20
- He hath put forth his hands against such as are at peace with him;
he hath profaned his covenant.
- 21
- Smooth were the milky [words] of his mouth, but his heart was war;
his words were softer than oil, yet are they drawn swords.
- 22
- Cast thy burden upon Jehovah, and *he* will sustain thee: he will never suffer the righteous to be moved.
- 23
- And thou, O God, wilt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days.
But as for me, I will confide in thee.
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