Psalm 55:9-21

English Standard Version

⁹ Destroy, O Lord, ^(A)divide their tongues;
    for I see ^(B)violence and strife in the city.
¹⁰ Day and night they go around it
    on its walls,
and ^(C)iniquity and trouble are within it;
¹¹     ruin is in its midst;
^(D)oppression and fraud
    do not depart from its marketplace.

¹² For it is not an enemy who taunts me—
    then I could bear it;
it is not an adversary who ^(E)deals insolently with me—
    then I could hide from him.
^13 (F)But it is you, a man, my equal,
    my companion, my familiar friend.
¹⁴ We used to take sweet counsel together;
    within God's house we walked in ^(G)the throng.
¹⁵ Let death steal over them;
    let them go down to Sheol ^(H)alive;
    for evil is in their dwelling place and in their heart.

¹⁶ But I call to God,
    and the Lord will save me.
^17 (I)Evening and ^(J)morning and at ^(K)noon
    I ^(L)utter my complaint and moan,
    and he hears my voice.
¹⁸ He redeems my soul in safety
    from the battle that I wage,
    for ^(M)many are arrayed against me.
¹⁹ God will give ear and humble them,
    he who is ^(N)enthroned from of old, Selah
because they do not ^(O)change
    and do not fear God.

²⁰ My companion^{[a] (P)}stretched out his hand against his friends;
    he violated his covenant.
²¹ His ^(Q)speech was ^(R)smooth as butter,
    yet war was in his heart;
his words were softer than oil,
    yet they were ^(S)drawn swords.