^{1 Ref} Give ear to my prayer, O God; And hide not thyself from my supplication.

^{2 Ref} Attend unto me, and answer me: I am restless in my complaint, and moan,

^{3 Ref} 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 Ref} My heart is sore pained within me: And the terrors of death are fallen upon me.

^{5 Ref} Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, And horror hath overwhelmed me.

^{6 Ref} And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! Then would I fly away, and be at rest.

^{7 Ref} Lo, then would I wander far off, I would lodge in the wilderness. Selah

^{8 Ref} I would haste me to a shelter From the stormy wind and tempest.

^{9 Ref} Destroy, O Lord, `and' divide their tongue; For I have seen violence and strife in the city.

^{10 Ref} Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: Iniquity also and mischief are in the midst of it.

^{11 Ref} Wickedness is in the midst thereof: Oppression and guile depart not from its streets.

^{12 Ref} 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 Ref} But it was thou, a man mine equal, My companion, and my familiar friend.

^{14 Ref} We took sweet counsel together; We walked in the house of God with the throng.

^{15 Ref} Let death come suddenly upon them, Let them go down alive into Sheol; For wickedness is in their dwelling, in the midst of them.

^{16 Ref} As for me, I will call upon God; And Jehovah will save me.

^{17 Ref} Evening, and morning, and at noonday, will I complain, and moan; And he will hear my voice.

^{18 Ref} He hath redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me; For they were many `that strove' with me.

^{19 Ref} God will hear, and answer them, Even he that abideth of old, Selah `The men' who have no changes, And who fear not God.

^{20 Ref} He hath put forth his hands against such as were at peace with him: He hath profaned his covenant.

^{21 Ref} His mouth was smooth as butter, But his heart was war: His words were softer than oil, Yet were they drawn swords.

^{22 Ref} Cast thy burden upon Jehovah, and he will sustain thee: He will never suffer the righteous to be moved.

^{23 Ref} But thou, O God, wilt 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. Psalm 56 For the Chief Musician; set to Jonath elem rehokim. `A Psalm' of David. Michtam: when the Philistines took him in Gath.

^{1 Ref} To the Overseer with stringed instruments. -- An instruction, by David. Give ear, O God, `to' my prayer, And hide not from my supplication.

^{2 Ref} Attend to me, and answer me, I mourn in my meditation, and make a noise,

^{3 Ref} Because of the voice of an enemy, Because of the oppression of the wicked, For they cause sorrow to move against me, And in anger they hate me.

^{4 Ref} My heart is pained within me, And terrors of death have fallen on me.

^{5 Ref} Fear and trembling come in to me, And horror doth cover me.

^{6 Ref} And I say, `Who doth give to me a pinion as a dove? I fly away and rest,

^{7 Ref} Lo, I move far off, I lodge in a wilderness. Selah.

^{8 Ref} I hasten escape for myself, From a rushing wind, from a whirlwind.

^{9 Ref} Swallow up, O Lord, divide their tongue, For I saw violence and strife in a city.

^{10 Ref} By day and by night they go round it, on its walls. Both iniquity and perverseness `are' in its midst,

^{11 Ref} Mischiefs `are' in its midst. Fraud and deceit depart not from its street.

^{12 Ref} For an enemy reproacheth me not, or I bear `it', He who is hating me Hath not magnified himself against me, Or I hide from him.

^{13 Ref} But thou, a man -- as mine equal, My familiar friend, and mine acquaintance.

^{14 Ref} When together we sweeten counsel, Into the house of God we walk in company.

^{15 Ref} Desolations `are' upon them, They go down `to' Sheol -- alive, For wickedness `is' in their dwelling, in their midst.

^{16 Ref} I -- to God I call, and Jehovah saveth me.

^{17 Ref} Evening, and morning, and noon, I meditate, and make a noise, and He heareth my voice,

^{18 Ref} He hath ransomed in peace my soul From him who is near to me, For with the multitude they were with me.

^{19 Ref} God doth hear and afflict them, And He sitteth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, and fear not God,

^{20 Ref} He hath sent forth his hands against his well-wishers, He hath polluted his covenant.

^{21 Ref} Sweeter than honey hath been his mouth, And his heart `is' war! Softer have been his words than oil, And they `are' drawn `swords'.

^{22 Ref} Cast on Jehovah that which He hath given thee, And He doth sustain thee, He doth not suffer for ever the moving of the righteous.

^{23 Ref} And Thou, O God, dost bring them down To a pit of destruction, Men of blood and deceit reach not to half their days, And I -- I do trust in Thee!

^{1 Ref} > Listen to my prayer, God. Don't hide yourself from my supplication.

^{2 Ref} Attend to me, and answer me. I am restless in my complaint, and moan,

^{3 Ref} Because of the voice of the enemy, Because of the oppression of the wicked. For they bring suffering on me. In anger they hold a grudge against me.

^{4 Ref} My heart is severely pained within me. The terrors of death have fallen on me.

^{5 Ref} Fearfulness and trembling have come on me. Horror has overwhelmed me.

^{6 Ref} I said, "Oh that I had wings like a dove! Then I would fly away, and be at rest.

^{7 Ref} Behold, then I would wander far off. I would lodge in the wilderness." Selah.

^{8 Ref} "I would hurry to a shelter from the stormy wind and tempest."

^{9 Ref} Confuse them, Lord, and confound their language, For I have seen violence and strife in the city.

^{10 Ref} Day and night they prowl around on its walls. Malice and abuse are also within her.

^{11 Ref} Destructive forces are within her. Threats and lies don't depart from her streets.

^{12 Ref} For it was not an enemy who insulted me, Then I could have endured it. Neither was it he who hated me who raised himself up against me, Then I would have hid myself from him.

^{13 Ref} But it was you, a man like me, My companion, and my familiar friend.

^{14 Ref} We took sweet fellowship together. We walked in God's house with company.

^{15 Ref} Let death come suddenly on them. Let them go down alive into Sheol. For wickedness is in their dwelling, in the midst of them.

^{16 Ref} As for me, I will call on God. Yahweh will save me.

^{17 Ref} Evening, morning, and at noon, I will cry out in distress. He will hear my voice.

^{18 Ref} He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me, Although there are many who oppose me.

^{19 Ref} God, who is enthroned forever, Will hear, and answer them. Selah. They never change, Who don't fear God.

^{20 Ref} He raises his hands against his friends. He has violated his covenant.

^{21 Ref} His mouth was smooth as butter, But his heart was war. His words were softer than oil, Yet they were drawn swords.

^{22 Ref} Cast your burden on Yahweh, and he will sustain you. He will never allow the righteous to be moved.

^{23 Ref} But you, God, will bring them down into the pit of destruction. Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days, But I will trust in you.