THE
BOOK OF PSALMS
Psalms 54-56
To the
chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil,
A Psalm of David, when the people of Ziph went
and said to Saul, Is not David hiding among us?
1
¶ O God, save me by your name, and get me justice by your power.
2
Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth.
3
For strangers have risen up against me, and oppressors seek my life: they do
not keep God before them. Selah.
4
¶ Behold, God is my helper: the Lord is among those who sustain
my life.
5
He will pay back evil to my enemies: in your faithfulness cut them off.
6
Then I will gladly sacrifice to you: I will praise your name, O LORD; for it
is good.
7
For you have rescued me from every trouble: and my eye has looked down upon my
enemies.
Psalm
55
To the chief Musician on Neginoth,
Maschil, A Psalm of David.
1
¶ Hear my prayer, O God; and do not hide from me when
I plead.
2
Turn to me, and answer me: I am restless and in turmoil with my complaint;
3
Because of the shouting of the enemy, and the oppression of the wicked: because
they bring me misery, and are angry in their hatred of me.
4
My heart is grievously pained within me: and the terrors of death have come
upon me.
5
Fear and trembling grip me, and horror has overwhelmed me.
6
And I said, If only I had wings like a dove! I would fly away, and find rest.
7
Yes, then I would wander far away, and remain in the wilderness.
Selah.
8
I would hasten to escape from the raging wind and storm.
9
¶ Destroy, O Lord, and confuse their tongues: for I have seen violence
and strife in the city.
10
Day and night they go around on its walls: trouble and misery are in its
midst.
11
Violence and ruin are within it: oppression and cheating never leave its
marketplace.
12
For it is not an enemy who taunts me; if so I could bear it:
nor is it one who hates me who deals insolently with me; if so I
would have hid myself from him:
13
But it was you, a man like me, my friend, and one I knew well.
14
We had sweet fellowship together, and walked with the crowd to the house
of God.
15
Let death take them suddenly, and let them go down into the grave alive:
for wickedness is among them, and in their hearts.
16
¶ As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD will
save me.
17
I will pray evening, morning, and at
18
He has delivered my soul unharmed from the battle that was against me:
for my adversaries are with me.
19
Because they do not fear God, and do not repent; God will hear, and afflict
them, even he who remains enthroned from of old. Selah.
20
Each lifts his hands against those who are at peace with him: and breaks his
agreement.
21
The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in
his heart: his words were slicker than oil, yet they were drawn swords.
22
Cast your burden upon the LORD, and he will sustain you: he will never allow
the righteous to be moved.
23
But you, O God, will bring the others down into the pit of destruction: bloody
and deceitful men will not live out half their days; but I will trust in you.
Psalm
56
To the chief Musician to the tune of "A Silent
Dove",
thoughts
of David, when the Philistines arrested him in
1
¶ Be merciful to me, O God: for men would devour me;
they fight all day long and oppress me.
2
My enemies would swallow me up every day: for there are many who
fight against me, O most High.
3
When I am afraid, I will trust in you.
4
With the help of God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust;
I will not fear what flesh can do to me.
5
Every day they twist my words: all their thoughts are against me for
evil.
6
They stir up strife, and then hide, they watch where I
go, while they wait to take my life.
7
Will they escape in spite of iniquity? in your
anger bring down the nations, O God.
8
¶ You have recorded my wanderings: put my tears into
your bottle: are they not recorded in your book?
9
On the day I cry to you, my enemies will have to turn back: this I know; for God is for me.
10
In God whose word I praise: in the LORD whose word I praise.
11
In God I have put my trust: I will not be afraid of what man can do to me.
12
I am under vows to you, O God: I will carry them out by praising you.
13
For you have delivered my soul from death: and kept my feet from falling, that
I may walk before God in the land of the living?