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Psalm 55
New Century Version
Psalm 55
New Century Version
A Prayer About a False Friend
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil of David.
55 God, listen to my prayer
and do not ignore my cry for help.
2 Pay attention to me and answer me.
I am troubled and upset
3 by what the enemy says
and how the wicked look at me.
They bring troubles down on me,
and in anger they attack me.
4 I am frightened inside;
the terror of death has attacked me.
5 I am scared and shaking,
and terror grips me.
6 I said, “I wish I had wings like a dove.
Then I would fly away and rest.
7 I would wander far away
and stay in the desert. Selah
8 I would hurry to my place of escape,
far away from the wind and storm.”
9 Lord, destroy and confuse their words,
because I see violence and fighting in the city.
10 Day and night they are all around its walls,
and evil and trouble are everywhere inside.
11 Destruction is everywhere in the city;
trouble and lying never leave its streets.
12 It was not an enemy insulting me.
I could stand that.
It was not someone who hated me.
I could hide from him.
13 But it is you, a person like me,
my companion and good friend.
14 We had a good friendship
and walked together to God’s Temple.
15 Let death take away my enemies.
Let them die while they are still young
because evil lives with them.
16 But I will call to God for help,
and the Lord will save me.
17 Morning, noon, and night I am troubled and upset,
but he will listen to me.
18 Many are against me,
but he keeps me safe in battle.
19 God who lives forever
will hear me and punish them. Selah
But they will not change;
they do not fear God.
20 The one who was my friend attacks his friends
and breaks his promises.
21 His words are slippery like butter,
but war is in his heart.
His words are smoother than oil,
but they cut like knives.
22 Give your worries to the Lord,
and he will take care of you.
He will never let good people down.
23 But, God, you will bring down
the wicked to the grave.
Murderers and liars will live
only half a lifetime.
But I will trust in you.
Psalm 55
New International Version
Psalm 55
New International Version
Psalm 55[a]
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil[b] of David.
1 Listen to my prayer, O God,
do not ignore my plea;(A)
2 hear me and answer me.(B)
My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught(C)
3 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)
4 My heart is in anguish(G) within me;
the terrors(H) of death have fallen on me.
5 Fear and trembling(I) have beset me;
horror(J) 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](K)
8 I would hurry to my place of shelter,(L)
far from the tempest and storm.(M)”
9 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
- Psalm 55:1 In Hebrew texts 55:1-23 is numbered 55:2-24.
- Psalm 55:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
- Psalm 55:7 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and in the middle of verse 19.
New Century Version (NCV) 
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.