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Psalms 55

Listen to my prayer, God, and don't hide from my pleas. Pay attention to me and hear me. I'm restless in my complaint and I'm groaning — Because of the enemy's voice and the pressure of the wicked. They heap trouble on me, and in anger they hate me. My heart is in agony inside me, and the terrors of death have fallen on me.

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Wings like a dove

Listen to my prayer, God, and don't hide from my pleas. Pay attention to me and hear me. I'm restless in my complaint and I'm groaning — Because of the enemy's voice and the pressure of the wicked. They heap trouble on me, and in anger they hate me. My heart is in agony inside me, and the terrors of death have fallen on me. Fear and trembling have come on me, and horror has covered me. And I said: If only I had wings like a dove. I'd fly off and be at rest. I would wander far away and remain in the wilderness. Selah. I'd hurry to get away from the storm and the tempest. Destroy, Lord, and divide their tongues, for I have seen violence and conflict in the city. Day and night they go around its walls; trouble and wrongdoing are within it. Wickedness is within it; deceit and deceit do not leave its streets.

Turn your ear to my prayer, God, and don't hide from my pleading. Pay attention to me and hear me. I'm restless in my complaint and I'm groaning — because of the voice of the enemy, because of the pressure of the wicked. Because they throw trouble on me, and in their anger they hate me. My heart is in agony inside me, and the terrors of death have fallen on me. Fear and shaking have come on me, and horror has covered me. And I said: If only I had wings like a dove. I'd fly off and be at rest. Look — I'd get right away and stay out in the wilderness. I'd hurry to get away from the windstorm and the tempest. Swallow them up, Master, and split their tongues. Because I've seen violence and quarrelling in the town. Day and night they go round it on its walls. Trouble and wrongdoing are in the middle of it. Ruin is in the middle of it. Crookedness and cheating don't leave its streets.

Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication. Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise; Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me. My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me. Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me. And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest. Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. Selah. I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest. Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city. Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it. Wickedness is in the midst thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her streets.

1

Listen to my prayer, God, and don't hide from my pleas.

Plain English

Turn your ear to my prayer, God, and don't hide from my pleading.

King James Version, 1611

Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication.

2

Pay attention to me and hear me. I'm restless in my complaint and I'm groaning —

King James Version, 1611

Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise;

3

Because of the enemy's voice and the pressure of the wicked. They heap trouble on me, and in anger they hate me.

Plain English

because of the voice of the enemy, because of the pressure of the wicked. Because they throw trouble on me, and in their anger they hate me.

King James Version, 1611

Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me.

4

My heart is in agony inside me, and the terrors of death have fallen on me.

King James Version, 1611

My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.

5

Fear and trembling have come on me, and horror has covered me.

Plain English

Fear and shaking have come on me, and horror has covered me.

King James Version, 1611

Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me.

6

And I said: If only I had wings like a dove. I'd fly off and be at rest.

King James Version, 1611

And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest.

7

I would wander far away and remain in the wilderness. Selah.

Plain English

Look — I'd get right away and stay out in the wilderness.

King James Version, 1611

Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. Selah.

8

I'd hurry to get away from the storm and the tempest.

Plain English

I'd hurry to get away from the windstorm and the tempest.

King James Version, 1611

I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest.

9

Destroy, Lord, and divide their tongues, for I have seen violence and conflict in the city.

Plain English

Swallow them up, Master, and split their tongues. Because I've seen violence and quarrelling in the town.

King James Version, 1611

Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.

10

Day and night they go around its walls; trouble and wrongdoing are within it.

Plain English

Day and night they go round it on its walls. Trouble and wrongdoing are in the middle of it.

King James Version, 1611

Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it.

11

Wickedness is within it; deceit and deceit do not leave its streets.

Plain English

Ruin is in the middle of it. Crookedness and cheating don't leave its streets.

King James Version, 1611

Wickedness is in the midst thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her streets.

It was you, my mate

Because it wasn't an enemy insulting me — I could have carried that. It wasn't someone who hates me boasting over me — I'd have hidden from him. But it was you — a man my equal, my guide and my acquaintance. We shared sweet counsel together and walked to the house of God with the crowd. Let death seize them, and let them go down alive into hell, because wickedness is in their dwellings and among them. As for me, I'll call on God, and the LORD will save me. Evening, morning and noon I'll pray and cry aloud, and he will hear my voice. He's delivered my soul in peace from the battle against me, because many were against me. God will hear and afflict them — he who abides from ancient times. Selah. Because they do not change, they do not fear God. He's put his hands on those at peace with him. He's broken his covenant. The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, and there was war in his heart. His words were softer than oil, and they were drawn swords. Throw your burden onto the LORD, and he'll hold you up. He'll never let the righteous be moved. But you, God, will bring them down into the pit of ruin. Men of blood and deceit won't live out half their days. But I'll trust in you.

Because it wasn't an enemy insulting me — I could have carried that. It wasn't someone who hates me big-noting himself against me — I'd have hidden from him. But it was you, a man like me, my mate that I knew. We had good talks together and walked to the house of God with the crowd. Let death take them by surprise. Let them go down alive into the grave, because wickedness is where they live and right inside them. As for me, I'll call on God, and the Lord will save me. Evening and morning and at noon I'll complain and groan, and he'll hear my voice. He's got my soul out in peace from the battle against me, because there were plenty of them with me. God will hear and bring them down — he who's been sitting there since forever — because they don't change and they don't fear God. He's put his hands on the ones at peace with him. He's broken his covenant. The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, and there was war in his heart. His words were softer than oil, and they were drawn swords. Throw your load onto the Lord, and he'll hold you up. He'll never let the righteous be shifted. But you, God, will bring them down into the pit of ruin. Men of blood and cheating won't live out half their days. But I'll trust in you.

For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him: But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company. Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them. As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me. Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice. He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me. God shall hear, and afflict them, even he that abideth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God. He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant. The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords. Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee.

12

Because it wasn't an enemy insulting me — I could have carried that. It wasn't someone who hates me boasting over me — I'd have hidden from him.

Plain English

Because it wasn't an enemy insulting me — I could have carried that. It wasn't someone who hates me big-noting himself against me — I'd have hidden from him.

King James Version, 1611

For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him:

13

But it was you — a man my equal, my guide and my acquaintance.

Plain English

But it was you, a man like me, my mate that I knew.

King James Version, 1611

But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance.

14

We shared sweet counsel together and walked to the house of God with the crowd.

Plain English

We had good talks together and walked to the house of God with the crowd.

King James Version, 1611

We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.

15

Let death seize them, and let them go down alive into hell, because wickedness is in their dwellings and among them.

Plain English

Let death take them by surprise. Let them go down alive into the grave, because wickedness is where they live and right inside them.

King James Version, 1611

Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.

16

As for me, I'll call on God, and the LORD will save me.

Plain English

As for me, I'll call on God, and the Lord will save me.

King James Version, 1611

As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.

17

Evening, morning and noon I'll pray and cry aloud, and he will hear my voice.

Plain English

Evening and morning and at noon I'll complain and groan, and he'll hear my voice.

King James Version, 1611

Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.

18

He's delivered my soul in peace from the battle against me, because many were against me.

Plain English

He's got my soul out in peace from the battle against me, because there were plenty of them with me.

King James Version, 1611

He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me.

19

God will hear and afflict them — he who abides from ancient times. Selah. Because they do not change, they do not fear God.

Plain English

God will hear and bring them down — he who's been sitting there since forever — because they don't change and they don't fear God.

King James Version, 1611

God shall hear, and afflict them, even he that abideth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God.

20

He's put his hands on those at peace with him. He's broken his covenant.

Plain English

He's put his hands on the ones at peace with him. He's broken his covenant.

King James Version, 1611

He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant.

21

The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, and there was war in his heart. His words were softer than oil, and they were drawn swords.

King James Version, 1611

The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.

22

Throw your burden onto the LORD, and he'll hold you up. He'll never let the righteous be moved.

Plain English

Throw your load onto the Lord, and he'll hold you up. He'll never let the righteous be shifted.

King James Version, 1611

Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

23

But you, God, will bring them down into the pit of ruin. Men of blood and deceit won't live out half their days. But I'll trust in you.

Plain English

But you, God, will bring them down into the pit of ruin. Men of blood and cheating won't live out half their days. But I'll trust in you.

King James Version, 1611

But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee.