1 L isten to my prayer, O God, and hide not Yourself from my supplication!

Listen to my prayer, O God. Do not hide Yourself from what I ask.

2 A ttend to me and answer me; I am restless and distraught in my complaint and must moan

Hear me and answer me. My thoughts trouble me and I have no peace,

3 a t the noise of the enemy, because of the oppression and threats of the wicked; for they would cast trouble upon me, and in wrath they persecute me.

because of the voice of those who hate me and the power of the sinful. For they bring trouble upon me, and in anger they keep on having bad thoughts against me.

4 M y heart is grievously pained within me, and the terrors of death have fallen upon me.

My heart is in pain within me. The fears of death have come upon me.

5 F ear and trembling have come upon me; horror and fright have overwhelmed me.

I have begun shaking with fear. Fear has power over me.

6 A nd I say, Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.

And I say, “If only I had wings like a dove, I would fly away and be at rest.

7 Y es, I would wander far away, I would lodge in the wilderness. Selah!

Yes, I would go far away. I would live in the desert.

8 I would hasten to escape and to find a shelter from the stormy wind and tempest.

I would hurry to my safe place, away from the wild wind and storm.”

9 D estroy, O Lord, confuse their tongues, for I have seen violence and strife in the city.

Mix them up, O Lord. Divide their tongues. For I have seen fighting and trouble in the city.

10 D ay and night they go about on its walls; iniquity and mischief are in its midst.

They go around on its walls day and night. Sin and wrong-doing are within it.

11 V iolence and ruin are within it; fraud and guile do not depart from its streets and marketplaces.

Destroying powers are in the city. Trouble and lies never leave its streets.

12 F or it is not an enemy who reproaches and taunts me—then I might bear it; nor is it one who has hated me who insolently vaunts himself against me—then I might hide from him.

I would be able to take it if one who hates me were putting me to shame. I could hide from him. It is not one who hates me who has put himself up against me.

13 B ut it was you, a man my equal, my companion and my familiar friend.

But it is you, a man like myself, one who has gone with me, my close friend.

14 W e had sweet fellowship together and used to walk to the house of God in company.

We shared together. And we walked with the people in the house of God.

15 L et desolations and death come suddenly upon them; let them go down alive to Sheol (the place of the dead), for evils are in their habitations, in their hearts, and their inmost part.

Let death take them by surprise. Let them go down alive to the grave. For sin is with them where they live.

16 A s for me, I will call upon God, and the Lord will save me.

As for me, I will call on God and the Lord will save me.

17 E vening and morning and at noon will I utter my complaint and moan and sigh, and He will hear my voice.

I will cry out and complain in the evening and morning and noon, and He will hear my voice.

18 H e has redeemed my life in peace from the battle that was against me, for they were many who strove with me.

He will save my soul in peace from those who make war against me. For there are many who fight me.

19 G od will hear and humble them, even He Who abides of old— Selah!—because in them there has been no change, and they do not fear, revere, and worship God.

God sits on His throne forever. And He will hear them and bring trouble upon them, because there has been no change in them. They do not fear God.

20 h as put forth his hands against those who were at peace with him; he has broken and profaned his agreement.

He goes against those who were at peace with him. He has broken his agreement.

21 T he words of his mouth were smoother than cream or butter, but war was in his heart; his words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords.

What he says is smoother than butter, but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, yet they are raised swords.

22 C ast your burden on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be moved (made to slip, fall, or fail).

Give all your cares to the Lord and He will give you strength. He will never let those who are right with Him be shaken.

23 B ut You, O God, will bring down the wicked into the pit of destruction; men of blood and treachery shall not live out half their days. But I will trust in, lean on, and confidently rely on You.

But You, O God, will bring the sinful down into the hole that destroys. Men who kill and lie will not live out half their days. But I will trust in You.