| Chapter 55 |
1 |
To the Overseer with stringed instruments. -- An instruction, by David. Give ear, O God, [to] my prayer, And hide not from my supplication. -
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2 |
Attend to me, and answer me, I mourn in my meditation, and make a noise, -
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3 |
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. -
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4 |
My heart is pained within me, And terrors of death have fallen on me. -
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5 |
Fear and trembling come in to me, And horror doth cover me. -
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6 |
And I say, 'Who doth give to me a pinion as a dove? I fly away and rest, -
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7 |
Lo, I move far off, I lodge in a wilderness. Selah. -
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8 |
I hasten escape for myself, From a rushing wind, from a whirlwind. -
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9 |
Swallow up, O Lord, divide their tongue, For I saw violence and strife in a city. -
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10 |
By day and by night they go round it, on its walls. Both iniquity and perverseness [are] in its midst, -
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11 |
Mischiefs [are] in its midst. Fraud and deceit depart not from its street. -
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12 |
For an enemy reproacheth me not, or I bear [it], He who is hating me Hath not magnified himself against me, Or I hide from him. -
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13 |
But thou, a man -- as mine equal, My familiar friend, and mine acquaintance. -
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14 |
When together we sweeten counsel, Into the house of God we walk in company. -
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15 |
Desolations [are] upon them, They go down [to] Sheol -- alive, For wickedness [is] in their dwelling, in their midst. -
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16 |
I -- to God I call, and Jehovah saveth me. -
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17 |
Evening, and morning, and noon, I meditate, and make a noise, and He heareth my voice, -
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18 |
He hath ransomed in peace my soul From him who is near to me, For with the multitude they were with me. -
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19 |
God doth hear and afflict them, And He sitteth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, and fear not God, -
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20 |
He hath sent forth his hands against his well-wishers, He hath polluted his covenant. -
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21 |
Sweeter than honey hath been his mouth, And his heart [is] war! Softer have been his words than oil, And they [are] drawn [swords]. -
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22 |
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. -
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23 |
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! -
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