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He Will Never Allow the Righteous to Be Shaken

For the choir director. With stringed instruments. A [a]Maskil of David.

55 (A)Give ear to my prayer, O God;
And (B)do not hide Yourself from my supplication.
Give (C)heed to me and answer me;
I am restless in my (D)complaint and [b](E)am surely distracted,
Because of the voice of the enemy,
Because of the (F)pressure of the wicked;
For they (G)shake wickedness down upon me
And in anger they (H)bear a grudge against me.

My (I)heart is in anguish within me,
And the terrors of (J)death have fallen upon me.
Fear and (K)trembling come upon me,
And [c](L)horror has covered me.
I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and [d](M)be at rest.
Behold, I would wander far away,
I would (N)lodge in the wilderness. [e]Selah.
I would hasten to my place of refuge
From the (O)stormy wind and tempest.”

[f]Confuse, O Lord, (P)divide their tongues,
For I have seen (Q)violence and strife in the city.
10 Day and night they go around her upon her walls,
And wickedness and mischief are in her midst.
11 (R)Destruction is in her midst;
(S)Oppression and deceit do not depart from her [g]streets.

12 For it is (T)not an enemy who reproaches me,
Then I could bear it;
Nor is it one who hates me who (U)has magnified himself against me,
Then I could hide myself from him.
13 But it is you, a man [h]my equal,
My (V)close companion and my [i](W)familiar friend;
14 We who had sweet counsel together
(X)Walked in the house of God in the throng.
15 Let [j]death come (Y)deceitfully upon them;
Let them (Z)go down alive to Sheol,
For evil is in their dwelling, in their midst.

16 As for me, I shall (AA)call upon God,
And Yahweh will save me.
17 (AB)Evening and (AC)morning and at (AD)noon, I will bring my complaint and moan,
And He will hear my voice.
18 He will (AE)redeem my soul in peace [k]from the battle which is against me,
For they are (AF)many who strive with me.
19 God will (AG)hear and [l]answer them—
Even the one (AH)who [m]sits enthroned from of old— Selah.
Because they [n]do not change,
And (AI)do not fear God.
20 [o]My companion has put forth his hands against (AJ)those who were at peace with him;
He has [p](AK)violated his covenant.
21 His [q]speech was (AL)smoother than butter,
But his heart was war;
His words were (AM)softer than oil,
Yet they were drawn (AN)swords.

22 (AO)Cast [r]your burden upon Yahweh and He will sustain you;
(AP)He will never allow the righteous to [s](AQ)be shaken.
23 But You, O God, will bring them down to the [t](AR)pit of corruption;
(AS)Men of bloodshed and deceit will (AT)not live out half their days.
But I will (AU)trust in You.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 55 Title Possibly Contemplative, Didactic, Skillful Psalm
  2. Psalm 55:2 Or I must moan
  3. Psalm 55:5 Lit shuddering
  4. Psalm 55:6 Lit settle down
  5. Psalm 55:7 Selah may mean Pause, Crescendo, Musical Interlude
  6. Psalm 55:9 Lit Swallow up
  7. Psalm 55:11 Or plaza
  8. Psalm 55:13 Lit according to my valuation
  9. Psalm 55:13 Or acquaintance
  10. Psalm 55:15 Or desolations be upon them
  11. Psalm 55:18 Or so that none may approach me
  12. Psalm 55:19 Or afflict
  13. Psalm 55:19 Or abides from
  14. Psalm 55:19 Lit are no changes
  15. Psalm 55:20 Lit He
  16. Psalm 55:20 Lit profaned
  17. Psalm 55:21 Lit mouth
  18. Psalm 55:22 Or what He has given you
  19. Psalm 55:22 Or totter
  20. Psalm 55:23 Or lowest pit