Chapter 55

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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  Desolations [are] upon them, They go down [to] Sheol -- alive, For wickedness [is] in their dwelling, in their midst.  

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

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  Evening, and morning, and noon, I meditate, and make a noise, and He heareth my voice,  

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

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  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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  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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  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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