² God looks down from heaven
    on all people.
He wants to see if there are any who understand.
    He wants to see if there are any who trust in God.
³ All of them have turned away.
    They have all become evil.
No one does anything good,
    no one at all.

⁴ Don’t these people who do evil know anything?
    They eat up my people as if they were eating bread.
    They never call out to God for help.
⁵ Just look at them! They are filled with terror
    even when there is nothing to be afraid of!
People of Israel, God scattered the bones of those who attacked you.
    You put them to shame, because God hated them.

⁶ How I pray that the God who saves Israel will come out of Zion!
    God will bless his people with great success again.
    Then let the people of Jacob be filled with joy! Let Israel be glad!

⁴ I feel great pain deep down inside me.
    The terrors of death have fallen on me.
⁵ Fear and trembling have taken hold of me.
    Panic has overpowered me.
⁶ I said, “I wish I had wings like a dove!
    Then I would fly away and be at rest.
⁷ I would escape to a place far away.
    I would stay out in the desert.
⁸ I would hurry to my place of safety.
    It would be far away from the winds and storms I’m facing.”

⁹ Lord, confuse the sinners and keep them from understanding one another.
    I see people destroying things and fighting in the city.
¹⁰ Day and night they prowl around on top of its walls.
    The city is full of crime and trouble.
¹¹ Forces that destroy are at work inside it.
    Its streets are full of people who cheat others and take advantage of them.

¹² If an enemy were making fun of me,
    I could stand it.
If he were getting ready to oppose me,
    I could hide.
¹³ But it’s you, someone like myself.
    It’s my companion, my close friend.
¹⁴ We used to enjoy good friendship at the house of God.
    We used to walk together among those who came to worship.

¹⁵ Let death take my enemies by surprise.
    Let them be buried alive,
    because their hearts and homes are full of evil.

¹⁶ But I call out to God.
    And the Lord saves me.
¹⁷ Evening, morning and noon
    I groan and cry out.
    And he hears my voice.
¹⁸ Even though many enemies are fighting against me,
    he brings me safely back from the battle.
¹⁹ God has been on his throne since ancient times and does not change.
    He will hear my enemies and make them humble.
    That’s because they have no respect for God.

²⁰ My companion attacks his friends.
    He breaks his promise.
²¹ His talk is as smooth as butter.
    But he has war in his heart.
His words flow like olive oil.
    But they are like swords ready for battle.

²² Turn your worries over to the Lord.
    He will keep you going.
    He will never let godly people be shaken.
²³ God, you will bring sinners
    down to the grave.
Murderers and liars
    won’t live out even half of their lives.

But I trust in you.

⁶ God, break the teeth in the mouths of those sinners!
    Lord, tear out the sharp teeth of those lions!
⁷ Let those people disappear like water that flows away.
    When they draw their bows, let their arrows fall short of the target.
⁸ Let them be like a slug that melts away as it moves along.
    Let them be like a baby that is born dead and never sees the sun.

⁹ Evil people will be swept away before burning thorns can heat a pot.
    And it doesn’t matter if the thorns are green or dry.
¹⁰ Godly people will be glad when those who have hurt them are paid back.
    They will dip their feet in the blood of those who do evil.
¹¹ Then people will say,
    “The godly will get their reward.
    There really is a God who judges the earth.”