1 L isten to my prayer, O God. Do not hide Yourself from what I ask.

Give ear to my prayer, O God, And do not hide Yourself from my supplication.

2 H ear me and answer me. My thoughts trouble me and I have no peace,

Attend to me, and hear me; I am restless in my complaint, and moan noisily,

3 b ecause 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.

Because of the voice of the enemy, Because of the oppression of the wicked; For they bring down trouble upon me, And in wrath they hate me.

4 M y heart is in pain within me. The fears of death have come upon me.

My heart is severely pained within me, And the terrors of death have fallen upon me.

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

Fearfulness and trembling have come upon me, And horror has overwhelmed me.

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

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

7 Y es, I would go far away. I would live in the desert.

Indeed, I would wander far off, And remain in the wilderness. Selah

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

I would hasten my escape From the windy storm and tempest.”

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

Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues, For I have seen violence and strife in the city.

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

Day and night they go around it on its walls; Iniquity and trouble are also in the midst of it.

11 D estroying powers are in the city. Trouble and lies never leave its streets.

Destruction is in its midst; Oppression and deceit do not depart from its streets.

12 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.

For it is not an enemy who reproaches me; Then I could bear it. Nor is it one who hates me who has exalted himself against me; Then I could hide from him.

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

But it was you, a man my equal, My companion and my acquaintance.

14 W e shared together. And we walked with the people in the house of God.

We took sweet counsel together, And walked to the house of God in the throng.

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

Let death seize them; Let them go down alive into hell, For wickedness is in their dwellings and among them.

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

As for me, I will call upon God, And the Lord shall save me.

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

Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, And He shall hear my voice.

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

He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me, For there were many against me.

19 G od 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.

God will hear, and afflict them, Even He who abides from of old. Selah Because they do not change, Therefore they do not fear God.

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

He has put forth his hands against those who were at peace with him; He has broken his covenant.

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

The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, But war was in his heart; His words were softer than oil, Yet they were drawn swords.

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

Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.

23 B ut 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.

But You, O God, shall bring them down to the pit of destruction; Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; But I will trust in You.