For the Chief Musician. On stringed instruments. A contemplation by David.

• ¹Listen to my prayer, God.
• Don’t hide yourself from my supplication.

• ²Attend to me, and answer me.
• I am restless in my complaint, and moan,
• ³Because 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.

• ⁴My heart is severely pained within me.
• The terrors of death have fallen on me.

• ⁵Fearfulness and trembling have come on me.
• Horror has overwhelmed me.

• ⁶I said, “Oh that I had wings like a dove!
• Then I would fly away, and be at rest.

• ⁷Behold, then I would wander far off.
• I would lodge in the wilderness.”

• Selah.

• ⁸“I would hurry to a shelter from the stormy wind and storm.”

• ⁹Confuse them, Lord, and confound their language,
• for I have seen violence and strife in the city.

• ¹⁰Day and night they prowl around on its walls.
• Malice and abuse are also within her.

• ¹¹Destructive forces are within her.
• Threats and lies don’t depart from her streets.

• ¹²For 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 hidden myself from him.

• ¹³But it was you, a man like me,
• my companion, and my familiar friend.

• ¹⁴We took sweet fellowship together.
• We walked in God’s house with company.

• ¹⁵Let death come suddenly on them.
• Let them go down alive into Sheol *Sheol is the place of the dead..
• For wickedness is in their dwelling, in their midst.

• ¹⁶As for me, I will call on God.
• Yahweh will save me.

• ¹⁷Evening, morning, and at noon, I will cry out in distress.
• He will hear my voice.

• ¹⁸He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me,
• although there are many who oppose me.

• ¹⁹God, who is enthroned forever,
• will hear, and answer them.

• Selah.

• They never change,
• who don’t fear God.

• ²⁰He raises his hands against his friends.
• He has violated his covenant.

• ²¹His mouth was smooth as butter,
• but his heart was war.

• His words were softer than oil,
• yet they were drawn swords.

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

• ²³But 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.