Psalm 55

Good News Translation

⁴ I am terrified,
    and the terrors of death crush me.
⁵ I am gripped by fear and trembling;
    I am overcome with horror.
⁶ I wish I had wings like a dove.
    I would fly away and find rest.
⁷ I would fly far away
    and make my home in the desert.
⁸ I would hurry and find myself a shelter
    from the raging wind and the storm.
⁹ Confuse the speech of my enemies, O Lord!

I see violence and riots in the city,
¹⁰     surrounding it day and night,
    filling it with crime and trouble.
¹¹ There is destruction everywhere;
    the streets are full of oppression and fraud.

¹² If it were an enemy making fun of me,
    I could endure it;
if it were an opponent boasting over me,
    I could hide myself from him.
¹³ But it is you, my companion,
    my colleague and close friend.
¹⁴ We had intimate talks with each other
    and worshiped together in the Temple.
¹⁵ May my enemies die before their time;
    may they go down alive into the world of the dead!
Evil is in their homes and in their hearts.

¹⁶ But I call to the Lord God for help,
    and he will save me.
¹⁷ Morning, noon, and night
    my complaints and groans go up to him,
    and he will hear my voice.
¹⁸ He will bring me safely back
    from the battles that I fight
    against so many enemies.
¹⁹ God, who has ruled from eternity,
    will hear me and defeat them;
for they refuse to change,
    and they do not fear him.

²⁰ My former companion attacked his friends;
    he broke his promises.
²¹ His words were smoother than cream,
    but there was hatred in his heart;
his words were as soothing as oil,
    but they cut like sharp swords.

²² Leave your troubles with the Lord,
    and he will defend you;
    he never lets honest people be defeated.

²³ But you, O God, will bring those murderers and liars to their graves
    before half their life is over.
As for me, I will trust in you.