Add parallel Print Page Options

Cast Your Burden on the Lord

To the choirmaster: with (A)stringed instruments. A Maskil[a] of David.

55 (B)Give ear to my prayer, O God,
    and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy!
Attend to me, and answer me;
    I am restless (C)in my complaint and I (D)moan,
because of the noise of the enemy,
    because of the oppression of the wicked.
For they (E)drop trouble upon me,
    and in anger they bear a grudge against me.
My heart is in anguish within me;
    (F)the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
Fear and trembling come upon me,
    and (G)horror (H)overwhelms me.
And I say, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove!
    I would fly away and be at rest;
(I)yes, I would wander far away;
    I would lodge in the wilderness; Selah
I would hurry to find a shelter
    from (J)the raging wind and tempest.”
Destroy, O Lord, (K)divide their tongues;
    for I see (L)violence and strife in the city.
10 Day and night they go round it
    on its walls,
and (M)iniquity and trouble are within it;
11     ruin is in its midst;
(N)oppression and fraud
    do not depart from its market-place.
12 For it is not an enemy who taunts me—
    then I could bear it;
it is not an adversary who (O)deals insolently with me—
    then I could hide from him.
13 (P)But it is you, a man, my equal,
    my companion, my familiar friend.
14 We used to take sweet counsel together;
    within God's house we walked in (Q)the throng.
15 Let death steal over them;
    let them go down to Sheol (R)alive;
    for evil is in their dwelling place and in their heart.
16 But I call to God,
    and the Lord will save me.
17 (S)Evening and (T)morning and at (U)noon
    I (V)utter my complaint and moan,
    and he hears my voice.
18 He redeems my soul in safety
    from the battle that I wage,
    for (W)many are arrayed against me.
19 God will give ear and humble them,
    he who is (X)enthroned from of old, Selah
because they do not (Y)change
    and do not fear God.
20 My companion[b] (Z)stretched out his hand against his friends;
    he violated his covenant.
21 His (AA)speech was (AB)smooth as butter,
    yet war was in his heart;
his words were softer than oil,
    yet they were (AC)drawn swords.
22 (AD)Cast your burden on the Lord,
    and he will sustain you;
(AE)he will never permit
    the righteous to be moved.
23 But you, O God, (AF)will cast them down
    into (AG)the pit of destruction;
men of (AH)blood and treachery
    shall not (AI)live out half their days.
But I will (AJ)trust in you.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 55:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
  2. Psalm 55:20 Hebrew He

Psalm 55[a]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil[b] of David.

Listen to my prayer, O God,
    do not ignore my plea;(A)
    hear me and answer me.(B)
My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught(C)
    because of what my enemy is saying,
    because of the threats of the wicked;
for they bring down suffering on me(D)
    and assail(E) me in their anger.(F)

My heart is in anguish(G) within me;
    the terrors(H) of death have fallen on me.
Fear and trembling(I) have beset me;
    horror(J) has overwhelmed me.
I said, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove!
    I would fly away and be at rest.
I would flee far away
    and stay in the desert;[c](K)
I would hurry to my place of shelter,(L)
    far from the tempest and storm.(M)

Lord, confuse the wicked, confound their words,(N)
    for I see violence and strife(O) in the city.(P)
10 Day and night they prowl(Q) about on its walls;
    malice and abuse are within it.
11 Destructive forces(R) are at work in the city;
    threats and lies(S) never leave its streets.

12 If an enemy were insulting me,
    I could endure it;
if a foe were rising against me,
    I could hide.
13 But it is you, a man like myself,
    my companion, my close friend,(T)
14 with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship(U)
    at the house of God,(V)
as we walked about
    among the worshipers.

15 Let death take my enemies by surprise;(W)
    let them go down alive to the realm of the dead,(X)
    for evil finds lodging among them.

16 As for me, I call to God,
    and the Lord saves me.
17 Evening,(Y) morning(Z) and noon(AA)
    I cry out in distress,
    and he hears my voice.
18 He rescues me unharmed
    from the battle waged against me,
    even though many oppose me.
19 God, who is enthroned from of old,(AB)
    who does not change—
he will hear(AC) them and humble them,
    because they have no fear of God.(AD)

20 My companion attacks his friends;(AE)
    he violates his covenant.(AF)
21 His talk is smooth as butter,(AG)
    yet war is in his heart;
his words are more soothing than oil,(AH)
    yet they are drawn swords.(AI)

22 Cast your cares on the Lord
    and he will sustain you;(AJ)
he will never let
    the righteous be shaken.(AK)
23 But you, God, will bring down the wicked
    into the pit(AL) of decay;
the bloodthirsty and deceitful(AM)
    will not live out half their days.(AN)

But as for me, I trust in you.(AO)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 55:1 In Hebrew texts 55:1-23 is numbered 55:2-24.
  2. Psalm 55:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  3. Psalm 55:7 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and in the middle of verse 19.

55 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.

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

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

12 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 thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance.

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

15 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 will call upon God; and the Lord shall save me.

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

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

19 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 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, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.

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

23 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.

Trust in God Concerning the Treachery of Friends

To the Chief Musician. With [a]stringed instruments. A [b]Contemplation of David.

55 Give ear to my prayer, O God,
And do not hide Yourself from my supplication.
Attend to me, and hear me;
I (A)am[c] restless in my complaint, and moan noisily,
Because of the voice of the enemy,
Because of the oppression of the wicked;
(B)For they bring down trouble upon me,
And in wrath they hate me.

(C)My heart is severely pained within me,
And the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
Fearfulness and trembling have come upon me,
And horror has overwhelmed me.
So I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest.
Indeed, I would 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 [d]tongues,
For I have seen (D)violence and strife in the city.
10 Day and night they go around it on its walls;
(E)Iniquity and trouble are also in the midst of it.
11 Destruction is in its midst;
(F)Oppression and deceit do not depart from its streets.

12 (G)For it is not an enemy who reproaches me;
Then I could bear it.
Nor is it one who hates me who has (H)exalted himself against me;
Then I could hide from him.
13 But it was you, a man my equal,
(I)My companion and my acquaintance.
14 We took sweet counsel together,
And (J)walked to the house of God in the throng.

15 Let death seize them;
Let them (K)go down alive into [e]hell,
For wickedness is in their dwellings and among them.

16 As for me, I will call upon God,
And the Lord shall save me.
17 (L)Evening and morning and at noon
I will pray, and cry aloud,
And He shall hear my voice.
18 He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me,
For (M)there were many against me.
19 God will hear, and afflict them,
(N)Even He who abides from of old. Selah
Because they do not change,
Therefore they do not fear God.

20 He has (O)put forth his hands against those who (P)were at peace with him;
He has broken his [f]covenant.
21 (Q)The words of his mouth were smoother than butter,
But war was in his heart;
His words were softer than oil,
Yet they were drawn swords.

22 (R)Cast your burden on the Lord,
And (S)He shall sustain you;
He shall never permit the righteous to be [g]moved.

23 But You, O God, shall bring them down to the pit of destruction;
(T)Bloodthirsty and deceitful men (U)shall not live out half their days;
But I will trust in You.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 55:1 Heb. neginoth
  2. Psalm 55:1 Heb. Maschil
  3. Psalm 55:2 wander
  4. Psalm 55:9 speech, their counsel
  5. Psalm 55:15 Or Sheol
  6. Psalm 55:20 treaty
  7. Psalm 55:22 shaken