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.2 Attend unto me, and answer me: I wander about in my plaint, and I moan aloud,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.4 My heart is writhing within me, and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.5 Fear and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me.6 And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away, and be at rest;7 Behold, I would flee afar off, I would lodge in the wilderness; Selah;8 I would hasten my escape from the stormy wind, from the tempest.9 Swallow {them} up, Lord; divide their tongue: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.10 Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof; and iniquity and mischief are in the midst of it.11 Perversities are in the midst thereof; and oppression and deceit depart not from its streets.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;13 But it was thou, a man mine equal, mine intimate, my familiar friend. ...14 We who held sweet intercourse together. To the house of God we walked amid the throng.15 Let death seize upon them, let them go down alive into Sheol. For wickedness is in their dwellings, in their midst.16 As for me, unto God will I call; and Jehovah will save me.17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray and moan aloud; and he will hear my voice.18 He hath redeemed my soul in peace from the battle against me: for there were many about me.19 *God will hear, and afflict them: he that is seated of old, (Selah) ...because there is no change in them, and they fear not God.20 He hath put forth his hands against such as are at peace with him; he hath profaned his covenant.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.22 Cast thy burden upon Jehovah, and *he* will sustain thee: he will never suffer the righteous to be moved.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.

1 Vir die musiekleier; met snaarinstrumente. n Onderwysing van Dawid.2 o God, hoor my gebed en verberg U nie vir my smeking nie.3 Luister na my en verhoor my; in my onrus dwaal ek rond en is verward,4 weens die geroep van die vyand, weens die geraas van die goddelose; want hulle stort onreg op my af, en in toorn behandel hulle my as vyand.5 My hart krimp inmekaar in my binneste, en verskrikkinge van die dood het op my geval.6 Vrees en bewing kom oor my, en angs oordek my.7 Toe het ek gesê: Ag, had ek maar vlerke soos 'n duif, dan sou ek wegvlieg en wegbly!8 Kyk, ek sou ver wegvlug; ek sou vernag in die woestyn! Sela.9 Gou sou ek vir my 'n skuilplek soek teen die onstuimige wind, teen die storm.10 Verwar, Here, verdeel hulle spraak, want ek sien geweld en twis in die stad.11 Dag en nag omring hulle dit op sy mure, en binnekant is onreg en moeite.12 Wat onheil aanbring, is daarbinne, en verdrukking en bedrog wyk nie van sy markplein nie.13 Want dit is geen vyand wat my smaad nie, anders sou ek dit dra; dit is nie my hater wat hom teen my groot maak nie, anders sou ek my vir hom wegsteek;14 maar jy, 'n man soos ek, my vriend en my vertroude!15 Ons wat innig met mekaar omgegaan het, in die huis van God gewandel het met die woelige skare.16 Laat die dood hulle oorval, laat hulle lewendig in die doderyk neerdaal; want boosheid is in hulle woning, in hulle binneste.17 Maar ek, ek roep God aan, en die HERE sal my verlos.18 Saans en smôre ns en smiddags klaag ek en steun, en Hy hoor my stem.19 Hy verlos my siel in vrede van die stryd teen my, want met menigtes is hulle teen my.20 God sal hoor en hulle antwoord; ja, Hy wat op die troon sit van lankal af, Sela; omdat by hulle geen verbetering is en hulle God nie vrees nie.21 Hy het sy hande uitgesteek teen die wat in vrede met hom geleef het; hy het sy verbond ontheilig.22 Glad is die botterwoorde van sy mond, maar sy hart is oorlog; sy woorde is sagter as olie, maar hulle is ontblote swaarde.23 Werp jou sorg op die HERE, en Hy sal jou onderhou; Hy sal nooit die regverdige laat wankel nie. [ (Psalms 55:24) Maar U, o God, sal hulle laat neerdaal in die put van vernietiging; manne van bloed en bedrog sal hulle dae nie tot op die helfte bring nie; maar ,k vertrou op U. ]