Salmo 55

Betrayed by a close friend

¹For the music director. With stringed instruments. A maskil of David. ²God, listen to my prayer; \q do not close your eyes to my plea. ³Listen to me and answer me. \q My worries leave me no rest, and I groan aloud, ⁴at the shouting of the enemy \q and the crushing weight of the wicked; \q for they bring trouble crashing down on me, \q and in their anger they nurse a grudge against me. ⁵My heart twists in pain inside me; \q the dread of death has come down on me. ⁶Fear and trembling take hold of me; \q I am wrapped in horror. ⁷I said, “If only I had a dove’s wings! \q I would fly off and settle somewhere far away. ⁸See, I would run far off \q and spend my nights in the wilderness. Selah ⁹I would hurry to a refuge of my own, \q away from the raging wind and the storm.” ¹⁰Lord, bring them to nothing and split their speech, \q because I have seen violence and quarreling all through the city. ¹¹Day and night violence and strife make their rounds on its walls, \q and evil and misery fill the city. ¹²Ruin is at its center; \q cruelty and lies never leave its public square. ¹³The one who mocks me is not an enemy, or I could bear it; \q the one who lords it over me is not someone who hates me, \q or I could keep out of his way. ¹⁴But it is you, a man of my own standing, \q my friend and my trusted companion, ¹⁵we used to share our hearts as friends, \q and we walked with the crowd at the house of God. ¹⁶Let death catch them off guard; \q let them drop alive into Sheol, \q for evil lives in their homes and deep within them. ¹⁷But I will cry out to God, \q and the LORD will come to save me. ¹⁸At evening, at morning and at noon I pour out my troubles and groan aloud, \q and he hears me. ¹⁹He has ransomed my life and brought me safely out of the battle waged on me, \q for many were lined up against me. ²⁰God, enthroned since ancient times, will hear and bring them low, \q for they never change their ways and they do not fear God. Selah ²¹My friend has raised his hand against those who were at peace with him; \q he has broken his covenant. ²²His talk was as smooth as cream, but his heart was set on war; \q his words flowed more gently than oil, yet each was a drawn sword. ²³Hand over to the LORD whatever weighs on you, and he will hold you up; \q never will he allow the righteous to stumble and fall. ²⁴But you, God, will send them down to the deepest pit; \q killers and liars will not see even half their years. \q As for me, I will trust in you.