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

To the Overseer with stringed instruments. -- An instruction, by David. Give ear, O God, my prayer, And hide not from my supplication.

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

Attend to me, and answer me, I mourn in my meditation, and make a noise,

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 an enemy, Because of the oppression of the wicked, For they cause sorrow to move against me, And in anger they hate me.

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

My heart is pained within me, And terrors of death have fallen on me.

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

Fear and trembling come in to me, And horror doth cover me.

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

And I say, `Who doth give to me a pinion as a dove? I fly away and rest,

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

Lo, I move far off, I lodge in a wilderness. Selah.

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

I hasten escape for myself, From a rushing wind, from a whirlwind.

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

Swallow up, O Lord, divide their tongue, For I saw violence and strife in a city.

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

By day and by night they go round it, on its walls. Both iniquity and perverseness in its midst,

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

Mischiefs in its midst. Fraud and deceit depart not from its street.

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 an enemy reproacheth me not, or I bear, He who is hating me Hath not magnified himself against me, Or I hide from him.

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

But thou, a man -- as mine equal, My familiar friend, and mine acquaintance.

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

When together we sweeten counsel, Into the house of God we walk in company.

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

Desolations upon them, They go down Sheol -- alive, For wickedness in their dwelling, in their midst.

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

I -- to God I call, and Jehovah saveth 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 noon, I meditate, and make a noise, and He heareth 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 hath ransomed in peace my soul From him who is near to me, For with the multitude they were with 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 doth hear and afflict them, And He sitteth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, and fear not God,

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

He hath sent forth his hands against his well-wishers, He hath polluted 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.

Sweeter than honey hath been his mouth, And his heart war! Softer have been his words than oil, And they drawn.

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 on Jehovah that which He hath given thee, And He doth sustain thee, He doth not suffer for ever the moving of the righteous.

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.

And Thou, O God, dost bring them down To a pit of destruction, Men of blood and deceit reach not to half their days, And I -- I do trust in Thee!