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

2 A ttend to me, and answer me, I mourn in my meditation, and make a noise,

3 B ecause 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 pained within me, And terrors of death have fallen on me.

5 F ear and trembling come in to me, And horror doth cover me.

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

7 L o, I move far off, I lodge in a wilderness. Selah.

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

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

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

11 M ischiefs in its midst. Fraud and deceit depart not from its street.

12 F or 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 thou, a man -- as mine equal, My familiar friend, and mine acquaintance.

14 W hen together we sweeten counsel, Into the house of God we walk in company.

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

16 I -- to God I call, and Jehovah saveth me.

17 E vening, and morning, and noon, I meditate, and make a noise, and He heareth my voice,

18 H e hath ransomed in peace my soul From him who is near to me, For with the multitude they were with me.

19 G od doth hear and afflict them, And He sitteth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, and fear not God,

20 H e hath sent forth his hands against his well-wishers, He hath polluted his covenant.

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

22 C ast 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 A nd 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!