^{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!