| Chapter 55 |
1 | {To the chief Musician. On stringed instruments: an instruction. Of David.} Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication.
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2 | Attend unto me, and answer me: I wander about in my plaint, and I moan aloud,
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3 | Because of the voice of the enemy; because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in anger they persecute me.
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4 | My heart is writhing within me, and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.
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5 | Fear and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me.
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6 | And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away, and be at rest;
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7 | Behold, I would flee afar off, I would lodge in the wilderness; Selah;
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8 | I would hasten my escape from the stormy wind, from the tempest.
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9 | Swallow [them] up, Lord; divide their tongue: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.
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10 | Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof; and iniquity and mischief are in the midst of it.
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11 | Perversities are in the midst thereof; and oppression and deceit depart not from its streets.
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12 | For it is not an enemy that hath reproached me -- then could I have borne it; neither is it he that hateth me that hath magnified [himself] against me -- then would I have hidden myself from him;
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13 | But it was thou, a man mine equal, mine intimate, my familiar friend. ...
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14 | We who held sweet intercourse together. To the house of God we walked amid the throng.
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15 | Let death seize upon them, let them go down alive into Sheol. For wickedness is in their dwellings, in their midst.
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16 | As for me, unto God will I call; and Jehovah will save me.
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17 | Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray and moan aloud; and he will hear my voice.
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18 | He hath redeemed my soul in peace from the battle against me: for there were many about me.
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19 | łGod will hear, and afflict them: he that is seated of old, (Selah) ... because there is no change in them, and they fear not God.
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20 | He hath put forth his hands against such as are at peace with him; he hath profaned his covenant.
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21 | Smooth were the milky [words] of his mouth, but his heart was war; his words were softer than oil, yet are they drawn swords.
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22 | Cast thy burden upon Jehovah, and he will sustain thee: he will never suffer the righteous to be moved.
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23 | And thou, O God, wilt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days. But as for me, I will confide in thee.
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