To the chief singer, on stringed instruments. A poem of Dawiḏ.
1 Give ear to my prayer, O Elohim,
And do not hide Yourself from my plea.
2 Give heed to me, and answer me;
I wander and moan in my complaint,
3 Because of the noise of the enemy,
Because of the outcry of the wicked;
For they bring down wickedness upon me,
And in wrath they hate me.
4 My heart is pained within me,
And the fears of death have fallen upon me.
5 Fear and trembling have come upon me,
And shuddering covers me.
6 And I said, “Who would give me wings like a dove?
I would fly away and be at rest.
7 “See, I would wander far off,
I would lodge in the wilderness. Selah.
8 “I would hasten my escape
From the raging wind and storm.”
9 Confuse, O 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, divide their tongues,
For I saw violence and strife in the city.
10 Day and night they go around it on its walls;
Wickedness and trouble are also in the midst of it.
11 Covetings are in its midst;
Oppression and deceit do not vanish from its streets.
12 It is not an enemy who reproaches me
That I could bear;
Nor one who hates me who is making himself great against me.
Then I could hide from him.
13 But it was you, a man my equal,
My companion and my friend.
14 We took sweet counsel together,
We walked to the House of Elohim in the throng.
15 Let death come upon them;
Let them go down into the grave alive,
For evil is in their dwellings, in their midst.
16 I, I call upon Elohim,
And 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 saves me.
17 Evening and morning and at noon
I complain and moan,
And He hears my voice.
18 He has redeemed my life in peace
From the battle against me,
For there were many against me.
19 Ĕl, even He who dwells from of old,
Hears and afflicts them. Selah
Those with whom there are no changes,
Those who do not revere Elohim.
20 He has put forth his hands against those
Who were at peace with him;
He has broken his Covenant.
21 His mouth was smoother than curds,
Yet in his heart is fighting;
His words were softer than oil,
But they are drawn swords.
22 Cast your burden on 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄,
And let Him sustain you;
He never allows the righteous to be shaken.
23 For You, O Elohim, bring them down
To the pit of destruction;
Men of blood and deceit do not reach half their days;
But I, I trust in You.