Psalm 55:1-11

New International Version

Psalm 55^[a]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil^[b] of David.

¹Listen 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)

⁴My heart is in anguish^(G) within me;
    the terrors^(H) of death have fallen on me.
⁵Fear and trembling^(I) have beset me;
    horror^(J) has overwhelmed me.
⁶I said, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove!
    I would fly away and be at rest.
⁷I would flee far away
    and stay in the desert;^[c]^(K)
⁸I would hurry to my place of shelter,^(L)
    far from the tempest and storm.^(M)”

⁹Lord, confuse the wicked, confound their words,^(N)
    for I see violence and strife^(O) in the city.^(P)
¹⁰Day and night they prowl^(Q) about on its walls;
    malice and abuse are within it.
¹¹Destructive forces^(R) are at work in the city;
    threats and lies^(S) never leave its streets.

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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.