Psalm 55a

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskilb of David.

1 Listen to my prayer, O God,

do not ignore my plea;v

2 hear me and answer me.w

My thoughts trouble me and I am distraughtx

3 because of what my enemy is saying,

because of the threats of the wicked;

for they bring down suffering on mey

and assailz me in their anger.a

4 My heart is in anguishb within me;

the terrorsc of death have fallen on me.

5 Fear and tremblingd have beset me;

horrore has overwhelmed me.

6 I said, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove!

I would fly away and be at rest.

7 I would flee far away

and stay in the desert;c f

8 I would hurry to my place of shelter,g

far from the tempest and storm.h”

9 Lord, confuse the wicked, confound their words,i

for I see violence and strifej in the city.k

10 Day and night they prowll about on its walls;

malice and abuse are within it.

11 Destructive forcesm are at work in the city;

threats and liesn 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,o

14 with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowshipp

at the house of God,q

as we walked about

among the worshipers.

15 Let death take my enemies by surprise;r

let them go down alive to the realm of the dead,s

for evil finds lodging among them.

16 As for me, I call to God,

and the Lord saves me.

17 Evening,t morningu and noonv

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,w

who does not change—

he will hearx them and humble them,

because they have no fear of God.y

20 My companion attacks his friends;z

he violates his covenant.a

21 His talk is smooth as butter,b

yet war is in his heart;

his words are more soothing than oil,c

yet they are drawn swords.d

22 Cast your cares on the Lord

and he will sustain you;e

he will never let

the righteous be shaken.f

23 But you, God, will bring down the wicked

into the pitg of decay;

the bloodthirsty and deceitfulh

will not live out half their days.i

But as for me, I trust in you.j

Psalm 56a

For the director of music. To the tune of “A Dove on Distant Oaks.” Of David. A miktam.b When the Philistines had seized him in Gath.

1 Be merciful to me,k my God,

for my enemies are in hot pursuit;l

all day long they press their attack.m

2 My adversaries pursue me all day long;n

in their pride many are attacking me.o

3 When I am afraid,p I put my trust in you.q

4 In God, whose word I praise—r

in God I trust and am not afraid.s

What can mere mortals do to me?t

5 All day long they twist my words;u

all their schemes are for my ruin.

6 They conspire,v they lurk,

they watch my steps,w

hoping to take my life.x

7 Because of their wickedness do notc let them escape;y

in your anger, God, bring the nations down.z

8 Record my misery;

list my tears on your scrolld a—

are they not in your record?b

9 Then my enemies will turn backc

when I call for help.d

By this I will know that God is for me.e

10 In God, whose word I praise,

in the Lord, whose word I praise—

11 in God I trust and am not afraid.

What can man do to me?

12 I am under vowsf to you, my God;

I will present my thank offerings to you.

13 For you have delivered me from deathg

and my feet from stumbling,

that I may walk before God

in the light of life.h

Psalm 57a

57:7–11pp—Ps 108:1–5

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.b When he had fled from Saul into the cave.i

1 Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me,

for in you I take refuge.j

I will take refuge in the shadow of your wingsk

until the disaster has passed.l

2 I cry out to God Most High,

to God, who vindicates me.m

3 He sends from heaven and saves me,n

rebuking those who hotly pursue me—c o

God sends forth his love and his faithfulness.p

4 I am in the midst of lions;q

I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts—

men whose teeth are spears and arrows,

whose tongues are sharp swords.r

5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;

let your glory be over all the earth.s

6 They spread a net for my feett—

I was bowed downu in distress.

They dug a pitv in my path—

but they have fallen into it themselves.w

7 My heart, O God, is steadfast,

my heart is steadfast;x

I will sing and make music.

8 Awake, my soul!

Awake, harp and lyre!y

I will awaken the dawn.

9 I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;

I will sing of you among the peoples.

10 For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;

your faithfulness reaches to the skies.z

11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;a

let your glory be over all the earth.b

Psalm 58a

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.b

1 Do you rulers indeed speak justly?c

Do you judge people with equity?

2 No, in your heart you devise injustice,d

and your hands mete out violence on the earth.e

3 Even from birth the wicked go astray;

from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies.

4 Their venom is like the venom of a snake,f

like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears,

5 that will not heedg the tune of the charmer,h

however skillful the enchanter may be.

6 Break the teeth in their mouths, O God;i

Lord, tear out the fangs of those lions!j

7 Let them vanish like water that flows away;k

when they draw the bow, let their arrows fall short.l

8 May they be like a slug that melts away as it moves along,m

like a stillborn childn that never sees the sun.

9 Before your pots can feel the heat of the thornso—

whether they be green or dry—the wicked will be swept away.c p

10 The righteous will be gladq when they are avenged,r

when they dip their feet in the blood of the wicked.s

11 Then people will say,

“Surely the righteous still are rewarded;t

surely there is a God who judges the earth.”u

Psalm 59a

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.b When Saul had sent men to watch David’s housev in order to kill him.

1 Deliver me from my enemies, O God;w

be my fortress against those who are attacking me.x

2 Deliver me from evildoersy

and save me from those who are after my blood.z

3 See how they lie in wait for me!

Fierce men conspirea against me

for no offense or sin of mine, Lord.

4 I have done no wrong,b yet they are ready to attack me.c

Arise to help me; look on my plight!d

5 You, Lord God Almighty,

you who are the God of Israel,e

rouse yourselff to punish all the nations;g

show no mercy to wicked traitors.c h

6 They return at evening,

snarling like dogs,i

and prowl about the city.

7 See what they spew from their mouthsj—

the words from their lips are sharp as swords,k

and they think, “Who can hear us?”l

8 But you laugh at them, Lord;m

you scoff at all those nations.n

9 You are my strength,o I watch for you;

you, God, are my fortress,p

10 my God on whom I can rely.

God will go before me

and will let me gloat over those who slander me.

11 But do not kill them, Lord our shield,d q

or my people will forget.r

In your might uproot them

and bring them down.s

12 For the sins of their mouths,t

for the words of their lips,u

let them be caught in their pride.v

For the curses and lies they utter,

13 consume them in your wrath,

consume them till they are no more.w

Then it will be known to the ends of the earth

that God rules over Jacob.x

14 They return at evening,

snarling like dogs,

and prowl about the city.

15 They wander about for foody

and howl if not satisfied.

16 But I will singz of your strength,a

in the morningb I will sing of your love;c

for you are my fortress,d

my refuge in times of trouble.e

17 You are my strength, I sing praise to you;

you, God, are my fortress,

my God on whom I can rely.f