55
1 (For the one directing. With Neginos. Maskil of Dovid)
2 Give ear to my tefillah, O Elohim;
and veil not Thyself from my techinnah (supplication).
3 Attend unto me, and hear me;
I wander restlessly in my si'ach (anxiety), and aloud I groan;
4 Because of the voice of the oyev (enemy),
because of the oppression of the rasha (evildoer);
for they cast aven (iniquity) upon me,
and in af (wrath, anger) cherish their malice against me.
5 My lev writhes within me;
and the terrors of mavet are fallen upon me.
6 Yirah va'ra'ad (fear and trembling) are come upon me,
and pallatzut (horror, shuddering) overwhelmed me.
7 And I said, Oh that I had wings like a yonah!
For then would I fly away and be at rest.
8 Hinei, then would I flee far off
and lodge in the midbar.
Selah
9 I would hasten to my place of shelter
from the ruach so'ah (wind of the tempest) and storm.
10 Destroy, Adonoi, and confuse their leshon;
for I see chamas (violence) and riv (strife) in the Ir (city).*
11 Yomam and lailah they go about her† upon the chomot thereof;
aven also and amal are in the midst of her.‡
12 Ruin is in the midst thereof;
oppression and mirmah (guile, fraud, deceit) depart not from her rechov.
13 For it was not an oyev (enemy) that reproached me;
then I could bear it;
neither was it he that had sinah (hatred) for me that did exalt himself against me;
then I could have hid myself from him;
14 But it was thou, an enosh (a man) equally,§
my aluf (intimate, friend), and me'yuda'i (deep acquaintance, familiar friend).*
15 Together we took sweet sod (intimate conversation, fellowship, counsel),
and walked unto the Beis Elohim with the throng.
16 Let mavet seize upon them,
and let them go down chayyim into Sheol;
for ra'ot (evils) are in their dwellings, and among them.
17 As for me, I will call upon Elohim;
and Hashem shall save me.
18 Erev, and boker, and at tzohorayim (noon),
will I pray, and cry aloud;
and He shall hear my kol (voice).
19 He hath redeemed my nefesh in shalom
from the battle that was against me;
for there were rabbim against me.
20 El (G-d) shall hear, and afflict them,
even He that abideth kedem (of old, forever).
Selah
Because they do not change,
therefore they fear not Elohim.
21 He† hath laid his hands on such
as are at shalom with him;
he hath broken his Brit.
22 The words of his mouth were smoother than butter,
but war was in his lev;
his devarim were softer than shemen,
yet they were drawn swords.
23 Cast thy burden upon Hashem,
and He shall sustain thee;
He shall never suffer the tzaddik to be moved.
24 But Thou, O Elohim, shalt bring them down into the pit of shachat;
anshei damim umirmah (bloody and deceitful men)
shall not live out half their yamim;
but I will trust in Thee.
* 55:10 i.e., Jerusalem † 55:11 Yerushalayim ‡ 55:11 Yerushalayim § 55:14 valued with myself * 55:14 See Ps 41:9 † 55:21 the faithless friend of verse 13-14