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Psalm 55
New King James Version

### Trust in God Concerning the Treachery of Friends

#### To the Chief Musician. With [a]stringed instruments. A [b]Contemplation of David.

55 Give ear to my prayer, O God,
And do not hide Yourself from my supplication.
2 Attend to me, and hear me;
I (A)am[c] restless in my complaint, and moan noisily,
3 Because of the voice of the enemy,
Because of the oppression of the wicked;
(B)For they bring down trouble upon me,
And in wrath they hate me.

4 (C)My heart is severely pained within me,
And the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
5 Fearfulness and trembling have come upon me,
And horror has overwhelmed me.
6 So I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest.
7 Indeed, I would wander far off,
And remain in the wilderness. Selah
8 I would hasten my escape
From the windy storm and tempest.”

9 Destroy, O Lord, and divide their [d]tongues,
For I have seen (D)violence and strife in the city.
10 Day and night they go around it on its walls;
(E)Iniquity and trouble are also in the midst of it.
11 Destruction is in its midst;
(F)Oppression and deceit do not depart from its streets.

12 (G)For it is not an enemy who reproaches me;
Then I could bear it.
Nor is it one who hates me who has (H)exalted himself against me;
Then I could hide from him.
13 But it was you, a man my equal,
(I)My companion and my acquaintance.
14 We took sweet counsel together,
And (J)walked to the house of God in the throng.

15 Let death seize them;
Let them (K)go down alive into [e]hell,
For wickedness is in their dwellings and among them.

16 As for me, I will call upon God,
And the Lord shall save me.
17 (L)Evening and morning and at noon
I will pray, and cry aloud,
And He shall hear my voice.
18 He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me,
For (M)there were many against me.
19 God will hear, and afflict them,
(N)Even He who abides from of old. Selah
Because they do not change,
Therefore they do not fear God.

20 He has (O)put forth his hands against those who (P)were at peace with him;
He has broken his [f]covenant.
21 (Q)The words of his mouth were smoother than butter,
But war was in his heart;
His words were softer than oil,
Yet they were drawn swords.

22 (R)Cast your burden on the Lord,
And (S)He shall sustain you;
He shall never permit the righteous to be [g]moved.

23 But You, O God, shall bring them down to the pit of destruction;
(T)Bloodthirsty and deceitful men (U)shall not live out half their days;
But I will trust in You.

#### Footnotes

1. Psalm 55:1 Heb. neginoth
2. Psalm 55:1 Heb. Maschil
3. Psalm 55:2 wander
4. Psalm 55:9 speech, their counsel
5. Psalm 55:15 Or Sheol
6. Psalm 55:20 treaty
7. Psalm 55:22 shaken

#### Cross references

1. Psalm 55:2 : Is. 38:14; 59:11; Ezek. 7:16
2. Psalm 55:3 : 2 Sam. 16:7, 8
3. Psalm 55:4 : Ps. 116:3
4. Psalm 55:9 : Jer. 6:7
5. Psalm 55:10 : Ps. 10:7
6. Psalm 55:11 : Ps. 10:7
7. Psalm 55:12 : Ps. 41:9
8. Psalm 55:12 : Ps. 35:26; 38:16
9. Psalm 55:13 : 2 Sam. 15:12
10. Psalm 55:14 : Ps. 42:4
11. Psalm 55:15 : Num. 16:30, 33
12. Psalm 55:17 : Dan. 6:10; Luke 18:1; Acts 3:1; 10:3, 30
13. Psalm 55:18 : 2 Chr. 32:7, 8
14. Psalm 55:19 : [Deut. 33:27]
15. Psalm 55:20 : Acts 12:1
16. Psalm 55:20 : Ps. 7:4
17. Psalm 55:21 : Ps. 28:3; 57:4; [Prov. 5:3, 4; 12:18]
18. Psalm 55:22 : [Ps. 37:5; Matt. 6:25–34; Luke 12:22–31; 1 Pet. 5:7]
19. Psalm 55:22 : Ps. 37:24
20. Psalm 55:23 : Ps. 5:6
21. Psalm 55:23 : Prov. 10:27

New King James Version (NKJV)

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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