Psalm 54-56

New International Version

³ Arrogant foes are attacking me;^(F)
    ruthless people^(G) are trying to kill me^(H)—
    people without regard for God.^[c](I)

⁴ Surely God is my help;^(J)
    the Lord is the one who sustains me.^(K)

⁵ Let evil recoil^(L) on those who slander me;
    in your faithfulness^(M) destroy them.

⁶ I will sacrifice a freewill offering^(N) to you;
    I will praise^(O) your name, Lord, for it is good.^(P)
7 You have delivered me^(Q) from all my troubles,
    and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.^(R)

⁴ My heart is in anguish^(Y) within me;
    the terrors^(Z) of death have fallen on me.
⁵ Fear and trembling^(AA) have beset me;
    horror^(AB) has overwhelmed me.
⁶ I said, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove!
    I would fly away and be at rest.
⁷ I would flee far away
    and stay in the desert;^[f](AC)
8 I would hurry to my place of shelter,^(AD)
    far from the tempest and storm.^(AE)”

⁹ Lord, confuse the wicked, confound their words,^(AF)
    for I see violence and strife^(AG) in the city.^(AH)
10 Day and night they prowl^(AI) about on its walls;
    malice and abuse are within it.
¹¹ Destructive forces^(AJ) are at work in the city;
    threats and lies^(AK) never leave its streets.

¹² If an enemy were insulting me,
    I could endure it;
if a foe were rising against me,
    I could hide.
¹³ But it is you, a man like myself,
    my companion, my close friend,^(AL)
14 with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship^(AM)
    at the house of God,^(AN)
as we walked about
    among the worshipers.

¹⁵ Let death take my enemies by surprise;^(AO)
    let them go down alive to the realm of the dead,^(AP)
    for evil finds lodging among them.

¹⁶ As for me, I call to God,
    and the Lord saves me.
¹⁷ Evening,^(AQ) morning^(AR) and noon^(AS)
    I cry out in distress,
    and he hears my voice.
¹⁸ He rescues me unharmed
    from the battle waged against me,
    even though many oppose me.
¹⁹ God, who is enthroned from of old,^(AT)
    who does not change—
he will hear^(AU) them and humble them,
    because they have no fear of God.^(AV)

²⁰ My companion attacks his friends;^(AW)
    he violates his covenant.^(AX)
21 His talk is smooth as butter,^(AY)
    yet war is in his heart;
his words are more soothing than oil,^(AZ)
    yet they are drawn swords.^(BA)

²² Cast your cares on the Lord
    and he will sustain you;^(BB)
he will never let
    the righteous be shaken.^(BC)
23 But you, God, will bring down the wicked
    into the pit^(BD) of decay;
the bloodthirsty and deceitful^(BE)
    will not live out half their days.^(BF)

But as for me, I trust in you.^(BG)

³ When I am afraid,^(BM) I put my trust in you.^(BN)
4     In God, whose word I praise—^(BO)
in God I trust and am not afraid.^(BP)
    What can mere mortals do to me?^(BQ)

⁵ All day long they twist my words;^(BR)
    all their schemes are for my ruin.
⁶ They conspire,^(BS) they lurk,
    they watch my steps,^(BT)
    hoping to take my life.^(BU)
7 Because of their wickedness do not^[i] let them escape;^(BV)
    in your anger, God, bring the nations down.^(BW)

⁸ Record my misery;
    list my tears on your scroll^[j](BX)—
    are they not in your record?^(BY)
9 Then my enemies will turn back^(BZ)
    when I call for help.^(CA)
    By this I will know that God is for me.^(CB)

¹⁰ In God, whose word I praise,
    in the Lord, whose word I praise—
¹¹ in God I trust and am not afraid.
    What can man do to me?

¹² I am under vows^(CC) to you, my God;
    I will present my thank offerings to you.
¹³ For you have delivered me from death^(CD)
    and my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before God
    in the light of life.^(CE)